ALTUS- Area residents are once again preparing to bring joy to a hurting world this Christmas by packing and collecting shoe box gifts for needy children around the world as part of an effort called “Operation Christmas Child.”

According to local volunteer Charlene Stephens, the Southwest Baptist Association is serving as an official collection site for the project.

“Many of the local churches and other groups and individuals have participated in this project in years past, but we are urging everyone to donate to this great project,” said Stephens.

According to Stephens, some churches are encouraging their Sunday school classes, groups church families and individuals to put gift boxes together, but boxes and seperate items for these gift boxes can also be dropped off at the Baptist Student Union at 2515 N. Main, or by calling 580-633-2212.

This simple project takes gift-wrapped shoe boxes filled with small toys, school supplies, hygiene items and other small gifts, and then hand-delivers them to children worldwide that are suffering from poverty, war, disease, natural disaster and terrorism.

Last year, over 7.4 million gift-filled boxes were collected and distributed to kids in more than 90 counties.

“This simple and fun project gives people right here in this community a chance to bring a smile to the face of a child very far awary from them,” said Stephens. “By taking the time to pack these gifts and pray over them as we drop them off to be sent around the world, we want to show hurting children that they are loved, and that they are not forgotten.”

Operation Christmas Child is a project of Samaritan’s Purse, an international Christian relief organization heded by Franklin Graham, son of Billy Graham.

For more information, call 1-800-353-5949, or visit www.samaritanspurse.org.