Ken Couch, Ministry of Missions for First Baptist Church, with his Operation Christmas Child shirt, is holding two boxes with items the Mexico church has collected this year. Contributed

MEXICO — The First Baptist Church of Mexico is this year’s Samaritan’s Purse Operation Christmas Child Shoebox drop-off point for this area of Western Maine. During National Collection Week, Nov. 16 to 23, the church will finish their own boxes and gathering others.

For many years, Franklin Graham’s ministry of Samaritan’s Purse has spread The Gospel as a relief organization to disaster sites and wherever there is need. Operation Christmas Child seeks to show the love of God by putting a box full of gifts into the hands of children in need. Along with the gift, the children receive and are read a Gospel booklet, “The Greatest Gift,” in their own language.

The Mexico church has been packing shoeboxes for years, but this is the first time collecting and transporting the boxes. For more information, go to samaritanspurse.org/occ. Those wishing can pack a virtual shoebox, adding a note and/or picture, donating $25 and letting OCC volunteers pack the items.

For more information, contact Kennith M. Couch Jr., Ministry of Missions for First Baptist Church, at 207-364-8712.