8 Million Reasons To Smile

Franklin Graham encourages Operation Christmas Child volunteers in North Carolina as they prepare shoe box gifts for shipment

Franklin Graham visited the Operation Christmas Child processing center in Charlotte, North Carolina, on Thursday to thank hundreds of volunteers who are working overtime to help prepare nearly 2 million gift boxes at the location for overseas shipment.

By the end of 2009, more than 8.2 million gift-filled shoe boxes are expected to be distributed to hurting children in over 100 nations. Since 1993, nearly 70 million children have received gift-filled boxes worldwide.

“Operation Christmas Child is all about evangelism,” Graham said to the volunteers and staff at the processing center. “It’s about taking this wonderful news that God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him shouldn’t perish, but have everlasting life. I want the children around the world to know there’s a God who loves them.”

Coordinated in partnership with local churches, the shoe box distributions create unique opportunities for evangelism. Last year, more than 700,000 boys and girls accepted Jesus Christ as Savior after completing a 10-lesson Bible study and discipleship course produced by Samaritan’s Purse.

More than 20,000 volunteers from 27 states registered to serve at the Charlotte processing center. The response was so overwhelming that hundreds of people had to be put on a waiting list.

Earl and Sue Phillips traveled with a group of 20 people from Calvary Baptist Church in Grafton, Illinois, to volunteer. Fred and Sandy Khun came from Baltimore, Maryland.

“We just really, really love it,” Fred said. “It’s very moving.”

The Kuhn’s church, Grace Fellowship Church, collected 4,000 gift boxes this year.

Nationwide, more than 100,000 volunteers are working in Operation Christmas Child processing centers in seven states, including Hawaii, preparing gift boxes for transport to distribution sites overseas.

“As these boxes go out, continue to pray,” Graham said. “Continue to pray that God will use these gifts in a mighty way to make known His Son to these children around the world.”