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The True Citizen, Wednesday, October 5, 2022 — Page 13
Sending love around the globe
SHELLIE SMITLEY
thetruecitizen.shellie@gmail.com
First Baptist Church is en
couraging residents to partici
pate in a mega-effort to show
God’s love around the world.
“From jungles to deserts,
megacities to remote villages,
millions of people around the
world have yet to hear the life
saving Good News of Jesus
Christ,” the Samaritan’s Purse
website states. “Samaritan’s
Purse is delivering Operation
Christmas Child shoeboxes to
children in some of these com
munities to share God’s love
even to the ends of the earth.”
Since 1993, more than 198
million children in more than
170 countries and territories
have received an Operation
Christmas Child shoebox. The
shoeboxes are delivered by
camels, canoes and elephants
to villages around the world.
First Baptist Church in
Waynesboro is a drop-off site.
Those wishing to participate
may drop off shoeboxes with
toys and other items. Empty
shoeboxes are also available
for those willing to fill them.
The church has brochures giv
ing information on how to pack
them. All shoeboxes must be
filled and dropped off at First
Baptist between November
14-21 and should include $10
for shipping.
First Baptist’s Coordinator
Anne Wright said the program
is not just about distributing
shoeboxes filled with toys and
toiletries but is also about a
discipleship program called the
Greatest Journey. The 6-week
program teaches children about
God.
Pastors around the world
host outreach events in places
where people may not know
Christ and invite them to fol
low Him. Other churches use
the boxes as resources for out
reach in orphanages and other
at-risk areas. In many places,
they also offer The Greatest
Gift, a Gospel story booklet
Samaritan’s Purse developed
for shoebox recipients, and
invite children to participate in
The Greatest Journey disciple
ship program, according to the
website.
“For many children, it is
the first gift they have ever
received,” Wright said. “It’s
a wonderful ministry. I have
a video that has a lot of the
stories of children receiving
shoeboxes and what it meant
to them that people from the
United States love them and
cared about them. A lot of these
go to refugee camps and places
like that.”
As a result of what they learn
in The Greatest Journey, boys
and girls grow in Christ and
share with friends and family.
The students also invite others
to their graduations where the
Gospel is shared. This often
brings parents, siblings and
friends to accept Christ and
become active members in
the local church. Families are
reached, churches grow, new
churches are started and com
munities are transformed, the
website states.
The First Baptist Church
office hours are Monday, Tues
day and Thursdays from 9 a.m.
to 5 p.m. and Wednesdays 9
a.m. to 4 p.m.
More information about
Samaritan’s purse and how to
pack a shoebox is available
at www.samaritanspurse.org/
what-we-do/operation-christ-
mas-child/.
Donations from the community will allow JJ James to hunt again
Ready to hunt again
SHELLIE SMITLEY
thetruecitizen.shellie@gmail.com
A local teenager will be able
to hunt again thanks to the sup
port of the local community.
JJ James was bom with cere
bral palsy, as a suspected result
of suffering a stroke before he
was bom. He developed brain
cancer at the age of four, and
has been a regular at St. Jude’s
Children’s Research Hospital
ever since.
“He did well after treatment,
“said his grandmother Patty
Southard. “And then about
two years ago, we discovered
that he had some tumors in his
spine.”
Due to the malignant tumors,
he began to lose use of his legs.
In March, he was re-admitted
to St. Jude’s, requiring two
major surgeries on his spine.
After chemotherapy treatments
didn’t work, doctors gave JJ 31
days of radiation.
“He is wheelchair bound
now,” Patty said in a May 10
article published in The Tme
Citizen. “He loves to hunt and
fish and he can’t get around
outside. He needs an all- terrain
wheelchair. We are looking at
trying to figure out a way to get
him that so he can still be able
to enjoy the outdoors. Wheel
chairs , grass and mud just don’t
work out too well.”
After six months in the hos
pital JJ returned to his Waynes
boro home approximately
four weeks ago. Thanks to the
support of people who contrib
uted to a GOFundMe account
which raised half the funds, in
addition to fellow hunters who
supported the cause, a brand
new all-terrain wheelchair
was delivered to JJ’s home
last week.
“We really want to thank
everyone who contributed to
the GoFundMe account,” Patty
said. “Without them this would
not be possible.”
Praise in the Pines
The first Praise in the Pines Christian music event at Padgett’s Farm drew a crowd of ap
proximately 700 people Saturday, September 24. Four contemporary Christian music groups
inspired faith and hope to attendees who danced and sang during the performances.
POWER PLAYER
Of the Game!
EDMUND DURKE ACADEMY HIGH SCHOOL FOOTDALL - 2022
Grant Mobley returning the opening kick-off for
a 91 yard touchdown. He also went 3 for 4 with
120 yards and a touchdown and rushed for 75
yards and 2 touchdowns. He also had an
interception late in the game.
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