Joyous cries permeated the quiet streets of the San Lorenzo neighborhood in the outskirts of Asuncion, Paraguay, as dozens of children peeled open their Operation Christmas Child shoebox gifts. Jaws dropped at the sight of soccer balls, stuffed animals, crayons, and more. The initial timidness vanished as the group of 50 children picked out their…
Operation Christmas Child
Shoebox Gifts Open Doors in Storm-Weary Acapulco
Children and many of their parents gathered together under the large cobertizo in La Barra de Coyuca. The young people of this small town just west of Acapulco recall, as if yesterday, the nightmare of Hurricane Otis. Even now, when it begins to rain or the winds pick up enough to shake their roofs, children…
Operation Christmas Child
Planting Gospel Seeds in Ghana
Steady streams dripped from holes in the roof, and puddles were scattered all over the floor. The rain pounded relentlessly and threatened to drown out every other sound in the small church. But as the wet and windy thrashing continued, the songs of praise soared louder. Rita Danso had just started a Gospel presentation when…
Operation Christmas Child
Delivering Grace
“We want to help make disciples. We want kids to know that they are loved by the creator of the universe. We want kids to know that Jesus died for their sins and they did nothing to deserve it. It’s unconditional.” Kimberly Hahn, director of operations at Orange Lutheran High School in California, overflows when…
Operation Christmas Child
Christian Leaders in Guam Are Excited About Operation Christmas Child
Guam, the westernmost territory of the United States, is a rich blend of various cultures. Located in the north Pacific—about 1,500 miles east of the Philippines—Guam’s 168,000 citizens include the island’s native Chamorros, along with a melting-pot population from the Philippines, Japan, South Korea, Russia, Australia, the mainland U.S., Europe, and various other Micronesian islands.…
Operation Christmas Child
‘Baking a Difference’ for Christ in North Carolina
With some 60 members, Grace Presbyterian Church’s small size is no obstacle to their great desire to share the hope of Jesus Christ around the world. The Franklin, North Carolina, church is one of thousands of small-town churches across the country who are joining together to create a lasting, global impact through Operation Christmas Child.…
Operation Christmas Child
A Father in Heaven
Claudia Molina has helped pack hundreds of shoebox gifts in her time as a project leader for Operation Christmas Child, and with each box, her prayer remains the same: that God would use each gift to touch a child’s heart, just as He did hers. As a little girl in the central neighborhood of San…
Operation Christmas Child
Fueled by Faith
Operation Christmas Child shoebox gifts are making their way from processing centers to trained volunteers around the world. These teams often go to great lengths to deliver the gifts to the far reaches of their countries so that boys and girls can hear about God’s Greatest Gift, Jesus Christ. Here are some interesting modes of…
Operation Christmas Child
Bringing the Gospel to the Himba
AN ENDS OF THE EARTH STORY UNA HISTORIA DE LOS CONFINES DEL MUNDO Bringing the Gospel to the Himba Village leaders gathered around the fire and pleaded with their ancestors' spirits. The drought seemed endless, families were falling deeper into poverty, and the witch doctor's promises of healing had failed time and time again. The…
Operation Christmas Child
2021 Special Report
Special Report 2021 In 2021, Samaritan’s Purse continued to declare God’s glory in more than 100 countries and territories through Operation Christmas Child—including among many unreached people groups at the very ends of the earth. We praise God that more than 9.1 million shoebox gifts were distributed to children in need at over 81,000 outreach…
