Members of Great Bend’s First United Methodist Church got together Wednesday to turn old T-shirts into jump ropes. The jump ropes will be included in the shoe boxes filled with gifts for this year’s Operation Christmas Child, a project of Samaritan’s Purse.

Shoe boxes will be filled with items such as small toys, school supplies, hygiene items, hats and gloves to send out in November. Donations are being accepted, said Jann Sherman at the church.

Samaritan’s Purse is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt charity and has been helping in Jesus’ name since 1970.

According to the organization’s website, prayerfully packed, gift-filled boxes open doors for evangelism across the world. Partners hold child-friendly, fun, and engaging outreach events where they sing, hand out shoeboxes, and present the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ using colorful materials and resources provided by Samaritan’s Purse. 

First, churches across the nation assemble the shoe boxes. At Great Bend First United Methodist, this involves several work sessions, Sherman said. Members started making jump ropes out of old T-shirts a few years ago. The cloth is cut into strips, stretched and braided.

Meanwhile, other items are being collected and in the coming days both of the church’s youth groups will take a turn filling the red and green shoeboxes available from Samaritan’s Purse. Adults will finish filling the boxes and the pastor will oversee a Blessing of the Boxes on Sunday, Nov. 16. 

National Collection Week is Nov. 17-24 at nearly 5,000 locations across the nation. The drop-off location for Great Bend will be Heartland Community Church, 4907 10th St.

Other area churches are doing their own shoeboxes, but anyone who wants to get involved is welcome to contact First United Methodist, Sherman said. They have extra boxes available or any standard shoebox will work.

“People can fill your own box or donate money for us to shop,” she said. The church also tries to donate the suggested $10 per box that helps cover costs such as training, shipping, and printing gospel story books in the languages of the children who will receive them.

To drop off items at the church, located at 2123 Forest Ave., call the office, 620-792-2148, to enter the north door.

Other area drop-off locations for Nov. 17-24 are:

Larned Assembly of Gold, 1218 W. 8th

Macksville Christian Church, 234 N. Sheaffer Ave.

Faith Bible Church, 102 Coronado St., Lyons

The Chapel of Hope, 67 Culp St., Russell

First Baptist Church, 2710 Ave. A, Wilson

For details on Samaritan’s Purse and how to participate, visit the webstie https://samaritanspurse.org/what-we-do/operation-christmas-child/.