20,000 Kids Around The World To Receive Christmas Gifts From Escambia Area

December 21, 2011

Over 20,000 children around the world will receive a small box of hope this Christmas, thanks to dozens of Escambia area churches.

The churches and individuals donated a total of 20,057 simple, gift-filled shoe boxes as part of the 17th year of Samaritan’s Purse Operation Christmas Child. The First Baptist Church of Bratt served as an official “relay center” for North Escambia while also accepting boxes from Escambia County, Ala.

The Christmas boxes collected at FBC Bratt will be delivered to children in Panama, Ukraine, Macedonia, Bahamas, Uganda, Lebanon, Kenya, Tanzania, Namibia, Seychelles, Togo, Benin, Belize, Ecuador and Madagascar.

“It is so exciting,” student Pastor Tim Hawsey, who coordinated the program at First Baptist Bratt, said. “Samaritan’s Purse is a nondenominational non-profit organization that has mission’s opportunities all over the world. This is about being a blessing and bringing God’s love and hope to children in poverty around the world that would not receive it otherwise.”

While the collection effort was a success this year, Hawsey hopes to see an increase next year.

“Maybe next year we can double our intake because even with the millions of boxes turned in nationwide, there will still be many children that will not get a box because of the vast number of needy children in the world,” he said.

Courtesy photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.

Comments

3 Responses to “20,000 Kids Around The World To Receive Christmas Gifts From Escambia Area”

  1. Sarah on December 22nd, 2011 7:21 am

    If you go to http://www.samaritanspurse.org/occ and click on “Videos & Multimedia” you can see more videos! What a great organization!

  2. Jane on December 22nd, 2011 6:55 am

    I’m very glad we do this for these countries. Good job!

    But I remember the coal mining areas of Virginia and West Virginia, where children have no jackets or have paper in their shoes, which are too big or too small, not even long sleeved shirts in winter, and their only Christmas was fruit and candy thrown from a Santa on a firetruck. I know this because my father was that Santa. Remember them too next year, in your haste to help other countries!

  3. Char on December 21st, 2011 8:06 am

    This really warms my HEART at CHRISTMAS……..I wish there were more
    pictures or a video of them giving them out world wide so we could see
    all those smiles.

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under FEATURE TOP STORY, Features, News