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November 2025

Alum leading panhandle team to bless children worldwide

Rachel Bartel Bridges’ memories are strong. A longtime resident of Pampa raised by a pastor, Rachel remembers packing Operation Christmas Child boxes at Calvary Baptist Church with her mother and sister shortly after Samaritan’s Purse began the worldwide distribution program in 1993. The church has been a collection location for the area as well, so Rachel has literally grown up around the ministry.

So it only seemed natural when she was presented with the opportunity to take her volunteering to

the next level that Rachel, a 2012 graduate of the Plainview campus, said yes.

“Back in the summer of 2012, I went and spent the summer with my aunt in Louisiana and just helping with their business that they owned there,” recalled Rachel, who studied business at 51³Ô¹ÏÍøÊÓƵ and stayed to work as an admissions recruiter for a time after graduation. “She had a bunch of Operation Christmas Child materials out on the table, and I told her, ‘We don't do that till November. What are you doing with all these materials?’ And she told me that she was a year-round volunteer.”

Rachel had never heard of year-round opportunities, but she immediately knew she was interested in doing the same in the Panhandle. Five years later, married and working back in her hometown of Pampa, Rachel saw a Facebook ad for volunteers and put in her application. She had originally applied for a role as a media support team member, but soon a regional director had reached out, suggesting she fill the area coordinator position for the Panhandle Plains.

“And I really had a moment where I felt like I was too young for that role. I knew what that entailed because my aunt was one,” she recalled. “But I had to set that aside and really step into it because I knew that's what God was calling me to do. There had not been an area coordinator out here in the Texas Panhandle in many years. And really no team at all or at least there hadn't been one in a lot of years.”

Rachel stepped into a developing team for an area that then covered all the way from Perryton on the northern Texas border to Tulia, and from Shamrock on the eastern side to Clovis, N.M. At the time there were numerous churches packing boxes, but not much of an area team, so Rachel got to

work using her recruiting skills from her WBU days to put together a volunteer corps. Then in 2021, Samaritan’s Purse – the parent organization – multiplied the territory into two areas, giving Rachel the easternmost portion of the Panhandle that includes 14 counties.

“It’s a lot more manageable now; there are not as many miles to drive. I've been able to form relationships with people better now here since we did the multiplication,” she said, noting she only had two others on her team at the time. “I have 10 people on my team now and counting. God has really brought the people to fill the different roles that we have in our area team.”

The team includes a logistics coordinator that secures drop-off locations – there are four now – a church relations coordinator that supports the packing churches and tries to recruit new churches to pack boxes; and a prayer coordinator to lead prayer efforts year-round. There is also a community relations coordinator who works with community organizations and businesses that participate in packing.

Covering a sparsely populated area, Rachel’s group has been successful. Last year 67 churches in the area packed more than 7,100 boxes to bless children in Jesus’ name.

“It's been awesome to watch what God has done. For an area that is mainly compromised or has only rural churches and communities, that's a fantastic number for these churches of not more than probably 300 people,” noted Rachel, who now attends Calvary Baptist, where husband Steven has served as worship minister for the past 11 years. “A lot of them are just small churches packing shoe boxes that believe in this ministry. And we were really proud of that. God is just being faithful through our team.”

Rachel has been able to see more aspects of the ministry as well in her volunteer role. She has been

to the processing center in the DFW area for three years to serve, a location that handles thousands of boxes, using volunteers to check each one to monitor for unapproved items that might create customs issues. This year, she was chosen to participate in a trip to Ecuador to hand out shoe boxes to children, bringing the experience full circle for Rachel.

“We got to do three shoebox distributions there. And Samaritan's Purse has put together a program for the children to attend after they receive their shoe boxes called The Greatest Journey. It's a discipleship program for 12 weeks, and we got to see a class that was finishing y and they had a little graduation ceremony for those kids,” she recalled. “A lot of the kids will not finish school, and they'll never get to be a part of a graduation for school. So Samaritan's Purse likes to celebrate these kids with a graduation for completing something, and they get to wear a cap and gown and get a certificate with their name on it. Then they get a new Bible in their language when they finish.”

Seeing the fullness of the program reminds Rachel that Operation Christmas Child is not just a box of toys, toiletries and school supplies. It is an open door to an eternal impact.

“It is truly a gospel opportunity. So much so that the ministry has nicknamed the shoe boxes ‘GO boxes’ to stand for gospel opportunity,” she said. “They work with local ministry leaders to do the distributions because they want those pastors to have an opportunity to do evangelism. And then a second reason they want to work with the local ministry leaders is so they can do the discipleship, the follow-up with the children. And so again, it's equipping these ministry leaders with resources to do what they're called to do as pastors: evangelism and discipleship in a place where they just have very limited resources.”

Rachel’s team is currently ramping up for National Collection Week, which happens in churches

across the country Nov. 17-24 this year. Once boxes have been collected, shipped to a regional processing center and then sent on their way around the world – a process that takes all year given the 11 million boxes that were packed last year alone – the area team begins a campaign to thank packing churches, recruit repeat and new partners and start the process all over again.

But it’s worthwhile work for Rachel, who works part-time as ministry assistant for the Top Of Texas Baptist Association. She’s also involved in her church and is mom to Lucas, 7. Operation Christmas Child calls, recruiting and speaking engagements at churches take up the remainder of her time on a regular basis.

“The most rewarding part for me is just the family. I feel like I've gained another family through year-round volunteering,” says Rachel. “And another thing, my why, would be I don't know of another ministry on this scale that is doing evangelism and discipleship. That is important to me to see that both are done and by ministry leaders in the local church, in these communities where the shoe boxes are going.

“If you're packing a shoe box, you're opening the door for someone in another country to hear the gospel. And that's what I love about this ministry.”

For more information on a drop-off location near you, or participating in Operation Christmas Child, visit this . 

  

Devotional: Walking in integrity

Scripture:
"Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but whoever takes crooked paths will be found out." – Proverbs 10:9 (NIV)

Reflection:
Integrity is more than just honesty; it is the consistency of our character, the alignment of our actions with God’s truth, even when no one is watching. Living with integrity means choosing what is right over what is easy, staying faithful to God’s Word in thought, word, and deed.

Consider Daniel in the Bible. Despite living in a culture filled with compromise and corruption, Daniel’s commitment to integrity never wavered. His decisions, small and large, reflected unwavering obedience to God, earning him favor in the eyes of both men and God (Daniel 6:3-5).

Integrity may cost us temporary comfort, popularity, or opportunities, but it builds trust, respect, and a clear conscience. God honors those who live with uprightness, and their influence often extends far beyond what they realize.

Life Application:

1. Examine your actions: Are your daily choices reflecting your faith, or are you compromising to fit in or avoid conflict?

2. Be consistent: Integrity is most visible in small, private actions. What you do when no one is watching matters most.

3. Seek accountability: Surround yourself with people who encourage righteousness and challenge compromise.

4. Pray for strength: Ask God to guide you in making decisions that honor Him above convenience or gain.

Quote for Encouragement:
"Integrity is choosing courage over comfort; choosing what is right over what is fun, fast, or easy; and choosing to practice our values rather than simply professing them." – Brené Brown

Prayer:
Heavenly Father, help me to live a life of integrity. Strengthen my heart to choose what is right, even when it is hard, and guide my steps to reflect Your truth in every decision. May my words and actions honor You and build trust with others. Give me the courage to stand firm in my convictions and the humility to admit when I fall short. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

In the mix

As the Seasons Change, So Does the Pace on Campus

There’s something unmistakable about the shift in the air on campus this time of year. The crisp mornings, the changing colors of the trees, and the subtle hint of winter on the horizon all signal that the seasons are changing—and for students, that means things are about to be placed in high gear.

Assignments, research papers, group projects, and final exams begin to pile up, all while the holiday season sneaks closer and closer. It’s a time of both excitement and challenge, a unique blend of

anticipation for celebrations and dedication to finishing the semester strong.

Alumni, we’d love to hear from you! How did you feel when the holiday season was upon you, yet projects, essays, and research papers still demanded your attention? Did the season motivate you, challenge you, or maybe a little of both? Share your memories with us and help current students see that they’re not alone in navigating this whirlwind of responsibilities and holiday cheer.

As we move through this season on campus, let’s remember the resilience, focus, and creativity that have carried Pioneer students through every busy season—and continue to inspire alumni long after graduation.

 

 

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