It could be called a box of miracles fashioned by Americanhands, given the delight that brightens a child’s face with hopeand joy when it is opened.

“Each box has a story. Whether it is the impact of receiving orthe joy of giving, the blessing is always a touching one for me,”said Lindy Gray, chairman of Lincoln County’s Operation ChristmasChild.

Part Christian ministry and part humanitarian campaign,Operation Christmas Child delivers millions of gift-filled shoeboxes to hurting children around the world.

“It is a rewarding experience for people of all ages,” Graysaid. “These simple expressions of love open doors to introduceboys and girls to God’s greatest gift – Jesus Christ – throughgospel booklets and follow-up discipleship and evangelismprograms.”

Thousands of Lincoln County shoe boxes left Brookhaven AcademyTuesday morning for delivery to a pickup point at Emanuel BaptistChurch in Hattiesburg, where they will be distributed to far-flungcountries in need.

A dedication service at the school was led by the Rev. GregWarnock to bless the boxes and the efforts by the academy, FirstBaptist Church, Arlington Baptist Church, Fair River Baptist Churchand Union Church Baptist Church to collect them.

“Just about all the children at the school participated, butit’s not something we force them to do,” said Gray, a teacher atBrookhaven Academy. “The whole area participates. It’s not all theacademy. The truck only comes here because I’m the chairman and Iwork here.”

The success of the local effort would not have been possiblewithout the support of Brent Hinton, the Wal-Mart DistributionCenter manager who donated a company tractor and trailer to deliverthe boxes; Tim White, a truck driver who donated his services; andthe organizational skills of Patricia Henning, a Sunday Schoolteacher at First Baptist Church, Gray said.

Each year, Lincoln County delivers the largest number of boxesin south Mississippi to the Hattiesburg pickup station, Graysaid.

The success of Lincoln County’s efforts this year and in pastyears has led to a “wonderful” opportunity, she said.

“What this has done is open up the opportunity for us to be apickup point next year. We’re considering it,” Gray said. “It’s ahuge responsibility, and one I’m not sure we’re ready toaccept.”

Should Lincoln County accept, Gray said, Brookhaven would acentral dropoff point for all Southwest Mississippi before theboxes would be delivered to Hattiesburg.

The U.S., along with other international offices in Canada,Australia, Germany, Holland, the United Kingdom, Austria, Finlandand Switzerland, participate in the program.