Jana Ginter lives on the southeastern plains of Wyoming, 30 miles east of Cheyenne, a place where golden wheat fields stretch in almost every direction to the far distant horizon and where acres of sunflowers glow in the late-summer sun. Here, “next-door” neighbors live several miles apart, separated by spacious farms and cattle ranches, most…
Operation Christmas Child
Faith on the Mountaintop
Pastor Rick and his team knew it would be tough—physically and spiritually—to reach the remote village they had been lifting up in prayer. To share the Good News of Jesus Christ there, the group had to scale steep mountains, cross rivers full of rocks and stones, and push through dense bamboo and vegetation. Their journey…
Operation Christmas Child
A Young Girl in Ecuador Shares Her Amazing Testimony
Iglesia Nueva Generación in Cutuglagua, Ecuador, was predominantly a congregation of adults until they got involved with Operation Christmas Child. But when they coordinated an outreach event for children in June 2021, they were glad to see youngsters coming to the church, said volunteer Maria Yucailla. The event was successful and followed local health guidelines…
Operation Christmas Child
Starting Churches with Children in Peru
In the past four years, brothers Jamber, 22, and José, 19, have helped to start two churches in the gold mining town of Cajamarca, Peru. Growing up, both received Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes while attending Gateway to Bethlehem, a church in a middle-class neighborhood. “I was really happy, really joyful,” José said, remembering receiving his…
Operation Christmas Child
Quality Matters
Quality items in Operation Christmas Child shoebox gifts can be the gifts that keep on giving, as children grow up with lasting treasures that sometimes mean even more to them over time. Here are some examples of quality items and reasons they’re important to include: Quality items can become life-long keepsakes. Some shoebox items are…
Operation Christmas Child
Making Disciples in Ghana
Epiphani had never received anything like the Operation Christmas Child shoebox gift filled with items such as pencils, books, and a pair of blue sandals. She was delighted to have such special presents, but when she met a boy named Daniel who was struggling, she decided that he needed the treasures more than she did.…
Operation Christmas Child
Watch “The Record with Greta Van Susteren” on Newsmax TV for an Operation Christmas Child Special
Greta Van Susteren of Newsmax TV was in Ecuador this past weekend with Operation Christmas Child. Together with Wheaton College students, she distributed gift-filled shoeboxes to dozens of kids—spreading Christmas joy—as local church partners shared the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Van Susteren will air an exclusive feature on this child evangelism project on Christmas Day.…
Operation Christmas Child
“Mama Gump”: Her Hugs Went a Long Way
“Brother Graham, I’m Mary. Gotcha some shoeboxes for God. Where do you want ’em?” That’s how Mary Damron introduced herself to Franklin Graham, 30 years ago. A coal-miner’s wife from West Virginia with a great heart for children, Mary became a global ambassador for Operation Christmas Child during just the second year of the project.…
Operation Christmas Child
Operation Christmas Child Grows Albanian Church
Mark Datson is the Operation Christmas Child Regional Director for the Baltics, Balkans, and Central Europe. “… in mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God, so that from Jerusalem and round about to Illyricum [in present-day Albania] I have fully preached the gospel of Christ” (Romans 15:19, NKJV). Today, Operation…
Operation Christmas Child
God Opens Hearts Through Shoeboxes in Boise and Beyond
God has used gift-filled Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes to bring millions of children and adults to faith in Jesus Christ overseas. He also uses shoeboxes to draw people to Himself here in the U.S., as Manny Ma and his wife Wen Li of Boise, Idaho, can well attest. Wen accepted Christ as her Lord and…
