Volunteers help prepare the Samaritan’s Purse gifts for delivery at First Baptist Church Thursday. | Clif Knight

The Christmas spirit ebbed and flowed at First Baptist Church in Hartselle last week as volunteers went about the business of processing shoebox gifts for Dr. Franklin Graham’s Samaritan Purse Ministry.

The church’s Family Life Center served as a central location for collecting and processing age-appropriate Christmas gifts for needy children in 140 countries around the world.

Last year, donors from South Morgan County donated nearly 2,000 gifts to the ministry. The number of gifts nationwide reached 10 million.

“This is day four of seven and we’ve collected and processed approximately 1,400 shoeboxes,” said Jeffrey Albright, director of youth and recreation at First Baptist Church on Thursday afternoon. “We anticipate receiving 2,000 gifts before they’re transported to a regional processing center in Madison Monday.

He said a small group of volunteers from the church plan to travel to Atlanta, Ga. to help with the final processing of the gifts before they are shipped overseas.

“A shoebox gift from a caring donor is the only gift many of these children will receive at Christmas,” said Hazel Hacker, a longtime supporter of Samaritan’s Purse. “I’m thrilled anytime the story of God’s love is shared with one of these previous children.”

The contents of the gifts vary, but most include a couple of toys, small clothing items and school supplies. Age categories are 2 to 4, 5 to 9 and 10 to 14. A Bible storybook is included.