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Spiritual Impact Stories

Christmas Joy

Volunteers reported: “We have used some local believers to arrange and distribute Operation Christmas Child gifts in their community. This act helps them to be acknowledged as kind leaders in the community.

As we hand out gifts, we tell the Good Samaritan story and explain that the gifts come from Christian families in the United States and represent a small example of the love our Lord God has for each of them. We emphasize to the children, teachers and parents that God loves them and has a good plan for them and their future.

Some gifts were delivered to a very poor orphanage in a small city. The orphanage had just moved to a new location. These children were living in very poor conditions. A young brother and sister had just arrived a few weeks before, and in addition to the trauma of finding themselves without mother or father, they were moved again. The day we arrived, they were sitting alone and looking bewildered. But when they received the gifts, looks of joy and hope filled their faces. It was precious to see the older brother helping his sister to open her gift and put on sunglasses and a hat. Simple things – but they altered these two children’s outlook. After gifts were opened, these two were talking and laughing with the other children in the orphanage."

Something to Call Their Own
“Mushtabah is 4 years old. He lives in a poor suburb with his siblings, his mom and his disabled father. He has always been very sad. Last year at Christmas he received a box, and his mom says he has had so much fun playing with the toys and coloring in books. The gifts were small, but they were his. He has never before had anything that was only his.”

“We went to a village where the children go to school, but they sit on the ground. We handed out boxes at the school, and it was amazing to see kids who have never before received a personal gift getting something of their very own while sitting on the dirt. It was a symbol of the hope our Lord is bringing to this land.”

Provisions of Joy
“Belal was born blind. He came with his mom to a Christmas celebration with about 10 other children. As they opened their boxes, we prayed that Belal would get something he could use. Inside was a harmonica. It was the only gift box with a musical instrument. Belal was thrilled with the harmonica and has been making music with it, and his mom says he is so happy. We shared with him and his family that God created music as a way to praise and glorify God.”

“Aksa is a very lively 5-year-old who loves to jump rope. She told her mom that she wanted a rope, but they are difficult to find in her country, and if they are found, they are expensive for a poor family. Aksa opened her gift box and found a brand new and very nice jump rope. Her mom says she has not stopped jumping for months! It is so great to see kids in this land to laugh and play in such a normal way.”