Thanks to the generosity of our neighbors in Kosciusko County, many children around the world have something to smile about. Operation Christmas Child, the world's largest Christmas project, collected 1,600 gift-filled shoe boxes from local residents during last year's collection season. These gifts, from right here in our community, are now on their way to hurting children in Mongolia, Nepal, Mauritius, Niger, Namibia, Kenya, Cameroon, Rwanda, Republic of Congo, Belize, Trinidad, St. Vincent, Abkhazia (Georgia) as well as to Native Americans.
With the donations of show box gifts from churches, individuals, businesses and community groups, Operation Christmas Child will be able to hand-deliver several million gifts to children in more than 90 countries. On behalf of our community, I would like to thank Warsaw Wesleyan Church for providing a location for collection of the gifts, Dan Warren for donating a trailer to transporting the shoe boxes to Fort Wayne, and all the volunteers who served with this amazing project for children.
We are also grateful for pastors and church members who organized the project within their congregations. More than 20 Kosciusko County area churches donated gifts as well as five area school groups, a business and numerous individuals.
To everyone in Kosciusko County who packed a shoe box gift, please be encouraged by the fact that these simple gifts will serve as powerful messages of joy and hope to needy children around the world. Thank you for joining our community in this amazing outreach, and for giving to others at Christmas.
Though the Warsaw drop-off location is closed until November 2009, it is not too late to send gifts to children overseas. Gifts are received year-round at Samaritan's Purse, 801 Bamboo Road, Boone, N.C. 28607. For information on packing a shoe box, go online to www.samaritanspurse.org or call 800-353-5949.
Thanks again to everyone who participated in the project. We look forward to seeing you next year.
