IT'S Christmas shoebox time again. While this provides an excellent lesson to our children in considering the less fortunate at Christmas time, parents and teachers should understand the real aim of the Samaritan's Purse organisation.

This is to evangelise followers of what they describe as 'pagan' religions - I believe they particularly target Muslims, whose religion their leader, Billy Graham's son Franklin, holds in particular contempt.

Although they claim that the creationist literature they give out is no longer put inside the boxes, we must suspect that the mission of Operation Christmas Child is not just to give boxes of toys to children of different religions in strife-torn parts of the world.

There are many other deserving charities such as Christian Aid, CAFOD, Save the Children, etc, who help these children throughout the year, and who might be more deserving of our charitable efforts.

Charles Hunt,

Wilton Rise, York.

Updated: 09:58 Thursday, November 25, 2004