Abundant Life Fellowship serving as drop-off for gifts

the vindicator

NEW WATERFORD – For the third consecutive year, Abundant Life Fellowship is a designated drop-off location for churches, groups and individuals participating in a global-outreach project for children.

The church, at 46469 state Route 46, is the Columbiana County drop-off center for Operation Christmas Child, a project of Samaritan’s Purse, an international ministry affiliated with evangelists Billy and Franklin Graham.

The concept for the shoebox ministry is simple: People fill shoeboxes with gifts for age- and gender-specific children.

The gifts can be toys, school supplies, hygiene items, small clothing items and other items children would enjoy. Vivian Carvender of Columbiana is the relay center coordinator at Abundant Life and has been involved in the project since 1995.

All boxes dropped off at the church will be loaded onto a tractor-trailer and hauled to Warren, and then be transported directly to the Samaritan Purse headquarters in North Carolina, where they will be distributed to children in the states and overseas.

National collection week for Operation Christmas Child is Nov. 16-22. The specific times for people to drop off their boxes at Abundant Life are:

UNov. 16, 17 and 19: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

UNov. 18: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

UNov. 20: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 4 to 7 p.m.

UNov. 21: 9 a.m. to noon.

UNov. 22: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Regular shoeboxes will work for the project, though the ministry has some boxes available at Abundant Life. Carvender also is available to speak to churches or community groups about the project. She can be reached at (330) 482-3964.

Questions can be directed to the church at (330) 457-7317. More details about preparing the boxes and what can be sent are available at www.samaritanspurse.org.