Evangelism and discipleship materials from Operation Christmas Child are starting boys and girls on a journey toward Jesus
More than anything in the world, 14-year-old Jose wanted a dad.
His own father had abandoned him and his mom when Jose was 4. He was rebellious and argued with his mother a lot. Nothing she did or said was good enough for him. He wanted a father in his life too.
One day, a friend invited Jose to an Operation Christmas Child celebration at church. Jose said no at first, but the friend insisted.
Jose received more than a shoe box gift. He heard a Gospel presentation, and realized he has a heavenly Father who will never leave him. He prayed to receive Jesus into his heart.
The next week Jose attended the new Operation Christmas Child discipleship program offered by local churches in Ecuador as a follow-up to shoe box distributions. He kept coming for all 12 lessons of “The Greatest Journey,” and became more excited about his faith in Jesus.
A graduation ceremony was held after Jose and his classmates completed the program. He received a certificate and a New Testament. Jose’s mother, who was not a Christian, came to support her son. During the ceremony, Jose felt convicted.
“I decided to change my attitude so she would know Jesus too,” he said. “I asked her for forgiveness and we cried together.”
Then another miracle happened.
“The most special thing was that my mother decided to accept Jesus in her heart too!” he said. “Now we go to church together and I know that, even though my father abandoned us, God will never do the same.”
Jose and his mother are among thousands who have come to faith in Christ through The Greatest Journey, launched in Latin America in 2009. The program soon will be available in over 65 countries.
