Coming off an exceptional year of more than 7,000 shoeboxes collected, the region is down slightly this holiday season, coming in closer to 5,800.

However, for local Samaritan's Purse Operation Christmas Child coordinator Gerry Unger, the shoeboxes are more than just toys and trinkets for children around the world, each one is a chance to share the story of Christ.

"Each one... introduces them to Christ," he says, as every shoebox comes with a booklet that outlines the Gospel.

While some areas don't allow the booklets to be shared, Samaritan's Purse workers still let children know "someone has freely given you this shoebox, just as God has freely given his life for you," Unger says.

Unger has been involved with Operation Christmas Child for nearly two decades and has seen first-hand the impact of the shoeboxes. He returned from a distribution tour in Senegal, Africa this summer, and says pastors are desperate for more.

"They said, "if you've done one shoebox, do five more because we have so many kids that are in need.'"

As he prepares the thousands of shoeboxes for distribution Unger says his message to the community is simple, "thank-you, words can hardly say thanks enough."

Shoeboxes will find their way around the world to countries like Costa Rica, Haiti, Chile, Senegal, and Ukraine