Gina Brown of Rockmart is preparing to travel to Ecuador to deliver shoe boxes filled with gifts as part of a special team with Operation Christmas Child.

The group of staff and volunteers, along with Ecuadorian community and church leaders, will hand out more than 10,000 shoe box gifts to children in schools, hospitals, children’s homes and churches near Manta-Portoviejo on the Pacific coast of Ecuador. Distributions are scheduled for Feb. 1-3.

Operation Christmas Child is a part of Samaritan’s Purse, an international Christian relief and evangelism organization. Each year, children, families, churches and groups pack shoe boxes with small toys, school supplies, hygiene items, candy and personal notes for the recipient children.

Brown, who is retired from Georgia Power, serves as area coordinator of the Operation Christmas Child volunteer leadership team. She initially became involved in the project by packing shoe box gifts at Belleview Baptist Church and volunteering at the Atlanta Processing Center, where gifts are prepared to be sent overseas. As area coordinator, she oversees the collection and promotional efforts of volunteers in the region.

“After building shoe boxes at our church and working with Operation Christmas Child year-round, I am thrilled to be able to witness this final stage of the shoe box journey,” said Brown. “Personally seeing the children open their boxes and to experience the joy firsthand is my desire.”

For more information about Operation Christmas Child, call 1-800-353-5949 or visit www.samaritanspurse.org.