By Hope 103.2Friday 1 Dec 2017Station NewsReading Time: 2 minutes

Christmas is nearly here—but it’s not too late to pack a shoebox of Christmas gifts for a child in a developing nation, in the annual Operation Christmas Child appeal.

Samaritan’s Purse is still in need of more donations of gift packs to fill a shortfall this year, for kids in need around the world.

The official ‘Shoebox Sunday’ collection day was in October, but donations are still being taken now, and will continue to be distributed to children who need it the most. No shoebox will go to waste.

Just grab a regular sized shoebox, wrap it in colourful paper, and fill it with simple gifts from the categories listed below. As you’re out Christmas shopping, include a child you haven’t met, in list of people to buy for.

What to Pack

The best guide for OCC gift-shopping is to buy one item from each of the following categories:

• Something to wear
• Something to play with
• Something for school
• Something to love
• Something special
• Something for personal hygiene

More Gift Ideas

For more gift ideas check out the following…

• Download the Samaritan’s Purse Gift Ideas List
• 100 Shoebox Ideas for a Boy
• 100 Shoebox Ideas for a Girl

Above: Children receiving gift boxes in the Operation Christmas Child program. Image: Samaritan’s Purse

What Not to Pack

Unsuitable items include:

• Anything containing liquids that could leak
• Food or lollies
• Used or damaged items
• Breakable Items
• Anything that can scare or harm a child
• Gambling related items
• Religious, racial or political items
• Items related to war, or toy weapons

What Happens Next

OCC is a Christian-based program, and all children who receive a shoebox of gifts are also given the chance to enrol (with their parent’s permission) in The Greatest Journey—a fun 12-lesson program led by local teachers, that helps children become grounded in the Christian faith.