Regional sites needed for Iraq 'Gift of Love' food boxes

Apr 29, 2003
JANICE BACKER
Assistant Editor

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JACKSONVILLE (FBW)-The "Gift of Love" food project for Iraq is "picking up," according to Fritz Wilson, director of the Florida Baptist Men's Department of the Florida Baptist Convention.

Wilson told Florida Baptist Witness churches in Orange Park, Cocoa, Orlando and The Baptist College of Florida, Graceville, have volunteered to be regional collection sites. He still needs collection spots in Sarasota, the Tampa Bay area and Gainesville.

State coordinator and a member of First Baptist Church in Palatka, Charles Litzell, said "people are responding." He has talked with every associational office and several Woman's Missionary Union organizations about the project.

For about $60, churches can fill a box with beans, lentils, rice, flour, salt, sugar, loose tea and powdered milk. It is enough to feed a family of five for about a month in a country that is slightly more than twice the size of Idaho with an estimated population of 24 million. The effort is sponsored by the International Mission Board.

Wilson told Florida Baptist Witness food boxes need to be recieved by the May 12 deadline. He hopes every Florida Baptist church would pack at least one food box and challenged Sunday School classes or other small church groups to fill a box.

However, people should follow IMB's instructions completely and not add anything to the package, Wilson said.

"We want to make sure that every Iraqi family gets what we tell them is in the box," Wilson said. Before shipping to Iraq, each box will be labeled with the verse in Arabic: "For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ," (John 1:17); and identified as a "gift with love from Southern Baptist churches in America."

People may also send monetary gifts, Wilson said. Checks need to be payable to the Florida Baptist Convention, designated "Gift of Love," and mailed to the Florida Baptist Men's Department, 1230 Hendricks Ave., Jacksonville, FL 32207.

"The food boxes will give Baptists a chance to plant a seed of the Gospel to people groups who have been neglected and abused," Wilson said.

For more information or step-by-step instructions, call the Florida Baptist Men's Department at 800-226-8584, ext. 8240, or visit the Convention Web site at www.flbaptist.org.

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