Operation Christmas Child, a project of international Christian relief organization Samaritan’s Purse, delivers gift-filled shoeboxes to millions of children in need each year. For many years, Topeka families have packed shoebox gifts for boys and girls around the world. One of these gifts reached Evangeline Franzon in the Philippines when she was a young girl. Franzon is now visiting Topeka residents to share how the simple gift had a life-changing impact.
Franzon, hosted by the local project of Operation Christmas Child, will be telling her story to the general public at 12:30 pm on June 2nd at Northland Christian Church, 3102 NW Topeka Blvd, as well as other cities in coming weeks.
She wants to encourage residents as they kick off the upcoming collection season to fill more than 11,000 shoeboxes with fun toys, school supplies and hygiene items—contributing to the global goal of reaching 11 million children in Jesus’ Name.
Evangeline Franzon was born in Cebu, Philippines, where her family lived near a dump area. She had to skip school and babysit her younger siblings while her mom worked seven days a week, providing food for the family. Evangeline received a shoebox gift when she was 13 years old. There was only one left, and they offered it to her. Its contents met many needs for Evangeline and her family. Toothbrush and toothpaste especially stood out to her, as those were items they couldn’t afford. She also remembers receiving coloring books and small toys. During her testimony she will tell how a shoebox gift assured that God loved her and her siblings. This simple gift was so much more than just a box filled with fun toys and school supplies. It was a powerful reminder that God loved her and she was not forgotten. Franzon is now passionate about sharing this same hope with millions of boys and girls affected by poverty, natural disaster, war, terror, disease and famine.
To RSVP for the event, or for more information on how to participate in Operation Christmas Child, call or text Sabrina Scheerer at 785-477-9617, email sabrinascheerer@gmail.com, or visit samaritanspurse.org/occ. Participants can donate $9 per shoebox gift online through “Follow Your Box” and receive a tracking label to discover its destination. Those who prefer the convenience of online shopping can browse samaritanspurse.org/buildonline to select gifts matched to a child’s specific age and gender, then finish packing the virtual shoebox by adding a photo and personal note of encouragement.
Operation Christmas Child is a project of Samaritan’s Purse, an international Christian relief and evangelism organization headed by Franklin Graham. The mission of Operation Christmas Child is to demonstrate God’s love in a tangible way to children in need around the world, and together with the local church worldwide, to share the Good News of Jesus Christ. Since 1993, Operation Christmas Child has collected and delivered more than 157 million gift-filled shoeboxes to children in more than 160 countries and territories.
During Operation Christmas Child’s National Collection Week Nov. 12 – 19, Topeka residents can drop off gift-filled shoeboxes at multiple locations across the city.
Franzon will make other appearances in the region
Franzon will also make appearances the same day at Vineyard Community Church, 2400 Casement Rd. in Manhattan at 9 a.m., and later on at 4p.m. at Church of the Nazarene, 2931 W 24th Avenue in Emporia.
She will also be in Greenwood, Mo., on June 28, 6 p.m., at Fellowship Greenwood, 1601 SW Main St.; and in Atchison, KS, on July 15 at 4 p.m. at Trinity Lutheran Church, 603 N. 8th St.
To RSVP for these events, or for more information on how to participate in Operation Christmas Child, call or text Sabrina Scheerer at 785-477-9617, email sabrinascheerer@gmail.com, or visit samaritanspurse.org/occ.
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