A drop-off center for Operation Christmas Child, a project of Samaritan's Purse, an international relief organization, will be located at Petra Church, 565 Airport Road, New Holland. The mission of Operation Christmas Child is to provide local partners around the world with shoeboxes filled with small toys, hygiene items, and school supplies and shipped outside the United States to children affected by war, poverty, natural disaster, famine, and disease, as well as to children within the United States living on Native American reservations. The national shoebox collection week for 2022 will run from Monday, Nov. 14, through Monday, Nov. 21.

After receiving shoebox gifts, boys and girls are invited to enroll in The Greatest Journey, Operation Christmas Child's 12-lesson discipleship program. Through the program, ministry partners establish long-term, caring relationships with children and families.

For a drop-off schedule at Petra Church, contact jennys@petra.church or 717-354-5394. Members of the community interested in volunteering at Petra's drop-off center may contact Marilyn Coles at mgcoles@aol.com.