It's amazing what God can do with willing hearts and hands!

At eleven Relay Centers in the five-county area, nearly 17,000 shoe box gifts were received during National Collection Week (November 14-20). Another 9,200 came directly into the Area Collection Center in Quincy. Add to that the 5,000 "special access" boxes (to be sent to Muslim countries) that were packed by volunteers at the Collection Center and, Praise the Lord, we had 31,139 shoe box gifts to send to Charlotte, to be delivered to children around the world.

"It has been a great year as we have exceeded last year's collection of 28,333," reports Area Coordinator Loretta Tharp. "All across the Mid-Atlantic region we are hearing great news of more boxes than last year. I believe God has a plan for every one of those little gifts, and in these last days He is using each of us to bring hope and the joy of His salvation to many we will never meet until we reach Heaven.

"I am so thankful for so many volunteers who sacrifice their time and resources to make a difference in the lives of children around the world. The volunteers we have in south central Pa. are so giving and take up the cause (it tells me where their heart is). I personally am so blessed to serve alongside these amazing volunteers."

The volunteers Loretta speaks of number nearly 200. Over half of them were at the Area Collection Center on Tuesday evening, packing those 5,000 "special access" gift boxes to be sent to Muslim countries, receiving Relay Center collections, and sharing a delicious spaghetti supper cooked by Loretta herself.

During the week of November 28-December 1 many of those same volunteers — more than 100 of them — traveled to Charlotte and spent many hours inspecting gifts for inappropriate items (liquids or things that would melt), making sure each box is completely filled, sorting them for packing by gender and age, and sending them on their way to the kids in over 100 countries.

We're looking forward to hearing reports of the good things God will do through this year's Shoebox Gifts!

January 19, 2012 update: Worldwide some 8.6 million shoebox gifts were collected, including 6.0 million from the United States. Our region, the Mid-Atlantic, was the highest in the country, with 723,320 boxes. Since its inception in 1993, OCC has collected and distributed more than 93.5 million shoe box gifts, offering each child who receives one the opportunity to experience and learn of the love of Jesus Christ.