LEHIGH VALLEY, Pa. – A Lehigh Valley couple has celebrated a major milestone of service for others. On Saturday, they packed their 500,000th shoebox full of toys for kids to receive this Christmas.
Volunteers packed into Cedar Crest Bible Fellowship Church to pack shoeboxes full of toys for kids around the world this Christmas. It’s part of a program called Operation Christmas Child, through the organization Samaritan’s Purse.
However, for Nelson Randolph and his wife Robin, it’s not just a holiday tradition.
“My wife and I build shoeboxes year-round,” said Randolph.
It’s something the Randolphs have been doing every year since 2007.
“We built, I think, 1,500, and then we went to a couple other churches, and it was 3,500, and this year, if we stay healthy, we’ll probably break 45,000,” said Randolph.
Inside each box are a bunch of goodies that mean a whole lot to children overseas.
“Most of them have a notebook, a coloring book, crayons, some small toys like a matchbox car, a ball,” said Randolph.
“I went to Kosovo with him twice to help hand out shoeboxes, and that was just such a beautiful honor to see his heart, and how it comes out for the children,” said Lynnette Dallmann, who has worked with the Randolphs for about 15 years.
Now, shoebox by shoebox, they’ve reached an amazing milestone.
“Half a million shoeboxes. That is amazing as to what Robin and Nelson have done over the years,” said Dallmann.
“I don’t know that anybody has ever done it before, so it’s great. I mean it’s really great,” said Randolph.
But it’s 500,000 and counting, because Randolph said he isn’t slowing down anytime soon.
“It’s a milestone, but we have another one tomorrow down the road at another church, and two or three more next week,” said Randolph.
Copyright 2026 Maranatha Broadcasting Co., Inc.. All Rights Reserved.