Operation Christmas Child by Samaritan's Purse, that yearly effort to pack shoeboxes full of necessities for children in some of the world's most threatening situations, is a blessing for the recipients and donors alike.

Just ask Amie Winstead, Area Coordinator for the Operation Christmas Child Cumberland Pathway Team. She's been packing shoeboxes for nine years, and she says the effort "allows us to be foreign missionaries without leaving our hometowns."

This year's Operation Christmas Child shoebox drive in Union County wasn't just an opportunity to support foreign missions. It was also a chance for local churches and community organizations to come together and work towards a common goal.

A project of Samaritan's Purse, Operation Christmas Child asks donors to pack shoeboxes with much-needed sundries like hygiene items, school supplies and toys. The shoeboxes are given to children around the world, often in the most dire situations imaginable. And with each shoebox is delivered another gift: the gospel message of Jesus Christ.