By Nancy Tower
Sept. 16 kicks off the countdown to National Collection Week for Operation Christmas Child in Southwest Louisiana. Weekend activities include a shoe box packing party in Sulphur, a countdown event in Lake Charles and an inspirational message in DeRidder.
Interested citizens are encouraged to get involved at the activity of their choice beginning at 10 a.m. the morning of the kickoff event with a Community Packing Party hosted by the Sulphur Community Coalition. The activity will take place at 501 E. Burton Street in Sulphur and will include prayer, a presentation and lots of hands on effort. The public is invited and encouraged to bring items to place in the shoe box gifts.
Saturday evening from 6-7 p.m. the countdown event will be held at The Dwelling Place at 1800 E. College Street in Lake Charles. The public is invited to attend this free event to learn more about Operation Christmas Child and meet a shoe box recipient with his own story about how a simple gift changed his life. Luis Wells-Gonzales has a special testimony to share about growing up in Panama and praying for school supplies. His experience with Operation Christmas Child will warm your heart as Luis details how the Lord answered his prayer through a shoebox, and how that was only the beginning.
In addition to Wells-Gonzales’ presentation, participants will get additional information about building a shoebox, drop off locations, collection week dates and times, delivery costs and more. Materials will be available, music will be included and snacks will be provided.
Then at 10:30 a.m. Sept. 17, Wells-Gonzales will visit First Baptist DeRidder at 2030 Hwy. 171, where he will share his story with church members and visitors from churches of all denominations in the area.
Operation Christmas Child National Collection Week is Nov 13-20. The goal for Southwest Louisiana is 30,000 boxes as part of the global collection total, which is expected to reach 12 million. To learn more about Operation Christmas Child, please visit the website or call 337-405-9022.
