The Samaritan’s Purse project Operation Christmas Child will kick off Saturday, Sept. 30, with an annual “Countdown” event as volunteers count down the days until National Collection Week.

Volunteers from around Warren, Lincoln, Montgomery and St. Charles counties will gather from 10 a.m. to noon for the annual “Countdown to National Collection Week” event held at Grace Community Chapel, 7661 Mexico Road in St. Peters.

Guest speaker Vicki Stamps of St. Peters will discuss her trip to Rwanda in May to deliver gift-filled shoeboxes to children.

Information, updates and Operation Christmas Child supplies will be provided to equip volunteers to pack shoebox gifts and encourage others to do the same.

Empty shoeboxes will be packed by churches, community groups, families and individuals throughout the fall with fun toys, school supplies and hygiene items and collected at several area locations Nov. 13-20.

Drop-off locations in area churches will be open during National Collection Week. The gifts are then prepared and delivered to children in need overseas.

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.

For more information on how to participate in Operation Christmas Child or to view gift suggestions, call Janet Howard at 314-291-0983 or visit samaritanspurse.org/occ.

Since 1993, Operation Christmas Child has collected and delivered more than 146 million gift-filled shoeboxes to children in more than 160 countries and territories.