Operation Christmas Child brings hope to children around the world

Mid-South area volunteers help get shoeboxes filled with gifts, processed and inspected before they are ready to ship overseas. Pictured are Isaac Wells, Peggy Cooper, Sherrie Wells (Sherrie Wells and her son Isaac are from Mt. Sterling and attend the Bethel Baptist in Frenchburg), Kim Jones (Richmond), Tauyna Jones, Jesse Coy, Teresa Hodgkin, Sharon Brush (Sharon Brush attends Trinity Church of God in Winchester. Sharon’s granddaughter is Jesse Coy from Lexington), Kimberly Jean Crowley Matthews, Kim Matthews (Westside Baptist Church in Berea) and Casey Lynn Highley.

“God gave us two hands, one to receive and one to give.”

The spirit of giving is alive and well in the heart of Casey Lynn Highley, a Bath County resident involved in a program that collects and fills shoe boxes with gifts for children all over the world.

Operation Christmas Child, the largest Christmas project, brings joy and hope to needy children around the world through gift-filled shoe boxes and the Good News of God’s love.

Since 1993, more than 100 million shoe box gifts have been delivered to children in more than 130 countries.

Casey became involved in fill-a-box- project about seven years ago.

“The first year I volunteered at the church drop-off was in 2010. Cindy Purvis was the church coordinator at that time and she asked for volunteers. I was amazed by the thought of sending gifts to children around the world in the name of Jesus. As I became more involved and learned even more about this project I was in awe. The thought that the children receiving these shoebox gifts live in horrible conditions made me so sad. Then the fact that this would be the first and in most cases the only gift that these children ever received is so hard to comprehend,” Casey said. “But for me, the saddest thing is these children have never heard of Jesus. With this project, the boys and girls get to know Jesus through the 12-week Bible lessons program. Upon completion they receive a certificate and a New Testament Bible in their language. The best part is the children become active disciples in their families and among friends, spreading the good news and great joy. I love hearing the stories about the items received in the shoeboxes. One family had been praying for a radio, and in a shoebox gift, received a radio. A girl accepted a shoebox and received a heavy duty measuring tape, her father was a carpenter and was able to help his family,” Casey said.

As the current coordinator of Operation Christmas Child with the Owingsville First Church of God, Casey works year-round to collect items.

“I collect items throughout the year at my church for packing shoeboxes in November. We also have many other churches do this as well,” Casey said. “I am actively trying to reach out to additional churches that are not packing shoebox gifts,” she added.

After the shoeboxes have been collected during National Collection Week in November, they are sent to one of eight processing centers to be carefully inspected before they are shipped overseas.

Recently, Casey traveled to one of the processing centers in Boone, North Carolina to help process and inspect shoeboxes filled with items such as toys, stuffed animals, non-liquid hygiene products and a variety of gifts.

“The processing center was such an amazing experience for me. I was humbled to be God’s hands and feet for the two days I was there. I made many new friends and had a wonderful time,” Casey said.

National Collection Week has passed, but it’s not to late to pack a shoebox!

Samaritan’s Purse is a nondenominational evangelical Christian organization providing spiritual and physical aid to hurting people around the world. Since 1970, Samaritan’s Purse has helped meet needs of people who are victims of war, poverty, natural disasters, disease, and famine with the purpose of sharing God’s love through His Son, Jesus Christ. The organization serves the church worldwide to promote the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.

If you would like to participate in the Operation Christmas Child Program as a church group, community organization or business group you can contact Casey Highley at 606-336-1685 or send her an email at chighley404@gmail.com for more information.

Bath County Coordinator Casey Highley, left, and Tauyna Jones, from Mt. Sterling. Tauyna is a friend of Teresa Hodgskin, who is on the other side of her. Teresa is the Central Drop-Off Team Leader in Winchester.