Hagerstown church volunteers prepare gifts in shoeboxes for Rwandan children

HAGERSTOWN, Md. ( DC News Now ) — Church volunteers in Hagerstown are active in a project to help children on the other side of the globe whose circumstances are dire.

The volunteers’ goal is to reach 12 million children in Rwanda, torn by strife and famine.

At Paramount Baptist Church, the volunteers are on the front lines of a humanitarian project, Samaritan’s Purse, to send shoeboxes filled with toys and items such as soap, hair brushes and combs.

“We collect items to put in shoeboxes to go into disaster relief areas with severe famine and war-torn places,” Sandi Bonesteel, with Operation Samaritan’s Purse, said.

Frank Duncan is the pastor at Paramount Baptist Church and he said they send missionaries there.

“We send short-term teams,” Duncan said. “But not everyone can go on a mission trip to Rwanda.”

Samaritan’s Purse was founded in 1970 and seeks to help children in need across the globe.

“There are many children in need between the ages of two and 14 out there that just need to know that they are loved,” Bonesteel said.

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