HAYDEN — Judy Kyker’s 6-year-old grandson wanted to fill 20 shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child this year.

Because he knew he had to raise money to pay for the shipping of those boxes, he held a yard sale.

At $9 a box, he needed $180.

He got it.

“His heart is, he wants kids to get shoeboxes,” said Kyker, an OCC volunteer and prayer coordinator who was helping Saturday afternoon at the drop-off center at Anthem Church in Hayden.

Thousands in North Idaho collect gifts year-round for the Samaritan’s Purse program, led by Franklin Graham.

Since 1993, more than 188 million children ages 2-14 in more than 170 countries and territories have received an OCC shoebox filled with toys, school supplies, hygiene items and a gospel message.

“I love that it brings all the churches together,” Kyker said. “This is not about one church. This is about God's family coming together to reach the world for Jesus one shoebox at a time.”

This year in North Idaho, the goal is 15,000 shoeboxes. They’re about halfway there, but this is National Collection Week when things wrap up, so today and Monday are big days when families, individuals and churches deliver their shoeboxes. That could be one shoebox from a child to 1,000 from a church.

From here, the boxes are packed, loaded into trailers and make their way to North Carolina. From there, they are shipped to countries like the Philippines, Peru, Ukraine and Indonesia.

“You have all these people that believe different things, and they all come together for this one purpose,” said Erica Auten, OCC North Idaho area coordinator. “And it's the kids."

In the past eight years, North Idaho has collected nearly 75,000 shoeboxes.

Auten said they have gone to children who likely have never received a present or heard of Jesus Christ before. Most have little or nothing, she said, and struggle for the basics, like a toothbrush.

“One shoebox has an amazing impact,” Auten said.

She has heard stories of children smiling, laughing, screaming with excitement, thrilled with what they find inside — in many cases, exactly what they needed, like a pair of shoes.

“So it blesses them beyond belief, and it gives them so much hope,” Auten said. “One shoebox can help so many people in so many communities.”

OCC has more than 100 North Idaho volunteers, including Walt and Nanci Allard of Hayden.

Walt Allard said one reason he supports OCC is its emphasis not just on gifts, but on the gospel being presented to kids around the world.

“They may not hear of it otherwise. And doing that with a shoebox is just so unique,” he said.

Nanci Allard agreed.

“It's like you're an overseas missionary,” she said. “But you don't go overseas because you are bringing the gospel to these children.”

Jessica Auten is OCC’s first student relations coordinator in North Idaho. She led shoebox packing parties with her swim team at Coeur d’Alene High School and her church youth group.

“I just like the end result, seeing videos of the kids opening the boxes, seeing how it affects them,” she said.

The OCC drop-off center is open from 1 to 4 p.m. today and 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday.

Erika Auten, Jessica’s mom, believes Operation Christmas Child has been so successful for the simple reason it brings joy and gives faith to millions of children worldwide.

“I think right now, how the world is, we need hope and we need to hear those good stories, and that's what it does,” Auten said.