WOODLAND – In 2021 hearts broke in the pews of The Gospel Chapel of Clearfield County.
The small church lost two faithful members of nearly 40 years with the passing of Trina Shirey and Jim Mayhew.
Both had lovingly supported their Operation Christmas Child effort, helping the shoebox collection grow from just six to over 100.
Members have overcome that heartbreak by continuing the global impact Trina and Jim had in the lives of children around the world.
God has no body – no hands, no feet here to do His work but ours, shares Rhonda Casher Ogden, the church’s OCC project leader.
“… But if we’re His hands, if we’re His feet, then why aren’t we reaching more people?
“Trina’s hands may have stopped working but ours haven’t. We’re still doing her work. Everything she taught us.”
Her handmade legacy is being packed in the church’s shoebox gifts today in many forms from beaded animal keychains to hair ties.
Recently Rhonda says they recalled making necklaces with Trina from metal washers and painting them with nail polish.
“So, we’ll have to do that again.”
But it’s one of Trina’s first Operation Christmas Child projects – crocheted and knitted hats – that’s inspired a special collection.
“She loved to crochet and also knit hats on the loom, and showed her granddaughters,” shares Rhonda of her “dear friend.”
Trina’s last hat was tucked inside a shoebox gift almost nine months after her passing. It later reached a 10- to 14-year-old boy in Mali.
Meanwhile Rhonda has found comfort by picking up a loom and learning to knit hats just like her friend did for so many years.
She made hats for her shoeboxes in 2022 but desires others to memorialize Trina with her especially during her birthday month.
In February the church is having its first special OCC collection for handmade hats, gloves and scarves for 10- to 14-year-old boys and girls.
Then, in May, it will memorialize Jim, who Rhonda called the “king of cars,” by collecting toy cars/trucks.
“He drove truck but had a love for cars,” she shares. “He was all about a fine-looking car.”
Jim was a member of the church for 39 years, serving many as head usher and assistant Sunday school superintendent.
“Jim had a sweetness about him – always kind, always encouraging – and aways supportive of our shoebox ministry.”
During their birthday month of April, the church will honor its pastor of 40 years, W. Lee Casher, and current pastor Mick Patton.
Pastor Lee, now 85, started The Gospel Chapel in 1981; he pastored until his retirement in spring of 2021.
He once shared with Rhonda, his daughter, how as a boy they had to butcher a pig and use its bladder to play ball.
The story made Rhonda think of children in some of the poorest nations of the world and what they might resort to.
Pastor Mick, who goes to Zambia regularly for the church’s mission outreach, knows there’s also a need for basic housewares.
So, the church will collect a popular “WOW” item – soccer balls –and plastic cups/silverware to honor its pair of pastors.
“I find people – generally speaking – want to give but don’t always know how or what,” Rhonda shares.
“I want to give them that opportunity to reach out [through shoebox gifts], have an impact and be [God’s] hands and feet with us.”
Monthly collections are stuffed animals in March; dolls and girl items in June; and yoyos, jump ropes, small games, etc. in July.
Others include school supplies in August; combs, hairbrushes and wash cloths in September and coloring/activity books in October.
Anyone can donate shoebox filler items. For more information or questions, please contact Rhonda at the church at 814-857-7753.
The Gospel Chapel of Clearfield County is located at 300 Pleasant Valley Rd., Woodland, PA 16881.
The church has packed shoebox gifts for Samaritan’s Purse’s Operation Christmas Child since 2004.
It’s reached children in Ukraine, Uganda, Burundi, Kenya, Malawi, Dominican Republic, Benin, Mali, Peru, Paraguay and Ecuador.
