Operation Christmas Child shoebox gifts and the Samaritan’s Purse follow-up discipleship program are opening doors in the West African nation among both hearing and Deaf communities.
Joy interrupted life in Owendo one Friday afternoon.
A church in that neighborhood hosted an Operation Christmas Child outreach event for children in the community. Through singing, games, and interactions with every child, the church laid a foundation for the extraordinary.
“Very quickly, what was intended to be a simple gathering transformed into a vibrant scene,” said Pastor Kiendo, Operation Christmas Child’s coordinator for church mobilization in the country of Gabon. “One only needed to look at the faces: broad, uninhibited smiles; bright eyes, filled with wonder.”
A boy at the Owendo outreach event can’t seem to smile big enough to express his joy over his shoebox gift.
As boys and girls in Gabon’s capital of Libreville enjoyed the event tailored just for them, they suddenly felt free to laugh, free to receive, and free to believe.
Children in Gabon listen attentively as church members present the Gospel using materials from Samaritan’s Purse.
“When the Gospel was proclaimed to them, it was not a static moment. It was a continuation,” Pastor Kiendo said. “It was as if their hearts—already opened by joy—were ready to welcome a greater truth.”
The Greatest Gift Gospel booklet accompanied the shoebox gifts, so the boys and girls can read the story of the Good News of Jesus Christ again and again.
When the invitation to receive Jesus Christ was extended, many responded to embrace His Gospel. The Spirit was moving.
Each child, upon opening their box, seemed to discover something far greater than just its contents. The message of God’s love became tangible for them as shoebox gifts brimmed with toys, school supplies, and other fun items they had never imagined. The unique items selected just for them by shoebox packers around the globe showed boys and girls that they are important to the Lord of the universe.
A boy rejoiced at the opportunity to hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ at the Owendo outreach event.
“That Friday, joy was not merely an idea. It was a reality. A proof! In those radiant faces—in that unrestrained laughter, in those eyes brimming with life—one truth became self-evident: when God touches a child, joy does not hide itself—it is seen,” Pastor Kiendo said.
This girl is one of the children in need, ages 2-14, to whom Samaritan’s Purse delivers shoebox gifts to demonstrate God’s love in a tangible way.
Shoebox Gifts Reach Families and Help Start a Church
A similar scene unfolded in nearby Nzeng-Ayong, another bustling community in the capital.
But, when the boys and girls opened their gifts, the parents looking on couldn’t hear the excited reactions. The mothers and fathers are deaf and could only watch their children unpack the fun items. Nonetheless, the joy was obvious from opening their shoeboxes to hearing about the Good News of Jesus Christ.
Boys and girls enjoy exploring what’s inside each other’s shoebox gifts.
These parents wanted their children to continue to grow. So, they decided to open their homes for classes of The Greatest Journey. On a regular basis, their children gathered right where they live for 12 engaging, child-friendly Bible lessons on how to know, grow in, and follow Jesus for a lifetime!
Children of deaf and mute parents gather for one of the 12 Bible lessons of The Greatest Journey in Nzeng-Ayong.
“Even without hearing the songs, even without grasping every word, the parents saw,” said Pastor Kiendo. “They saw their children transformed. They saw joy. They saw peace. And so, a new door opened.”
This young boy is among the over 730,000 children in Gabon who have received a gift-filled shoebox given in Jesus’ Name. More than 329,000 of these boys and girls have also participated in 12 lessons of follow-up discipleship through The Greatest Journey.
An interpreter, who is the daughter of deaf parents from this same area, began serving as a bridge.
“Now at the end of every discipleship lesson, worship services will be held right there on the premises,” Pastor Kiendo said. “And the parents will take part. Silence will no longer be a barrier.
“God began with the children—in order to reach the families … and a church was born.”
Please pray for Operation Christmas Child outreach events in over 100 countries. Ask that this new body of believers in Nzeng-Ayong will continue to grow in the knowledge of Jesus Christ, sharing His eternal hope with the people around them.
