Franklin Graham speaks to Operation Christmas Child volunteers who are processing shoebox gifts to send around the world
![OCC_sidebar_ad_basbo1[1]](http://www.samaritanspurse.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/OCC_sidebar_ad_basbo11.jpg)
Volunteers at the Operation Christmas Child Processing Center in Charlotte, North Carolina, stopped their work for a short time Friday morning as Samaritan’s Purse President Franklin Graham gave an encouraging message about the children who will receive the shoeboxes.
Yuliya Shubina was the emcee at the event. As a child in a central Asian country, she received a shoebox gift that gave her the opportunity to learn about Christ. She now works with Samaritan’s Purse to share her story and to explain how one box can change a child’s life.
This year, Operation Christmas Child will collect around 10 million shoeboxes that will be delivered to children in 120 countries. From packing the boxes to processing them, every role is important to get these boxes into the hands of children who need to hear the hope of Christ.
“I want to thank each and every one of you,” Graham said to the volunteers in Charlotte. “Every shoebox gives us the opportunity to touch the life of a child. We give God the glory. This year we’ve got about 10 million boxes that will go. We ask people to pray for every box. Can you imagine people praying for 10 million children, what God might do?”
The box is the first step in teaching children about Christ and showing them how to share their faith with others. Many children who receive shoebox gifts participate in a discipleship program called The Greatest Journey.
“Every year, tens of thousands of children put their trust in Jesus Christ,” Graham said. “This year, we have over 2 million children enrolled in our discipleship program. The children memorize Scripture. We want them to be able to share their faith. I believe if a person is a soul-winner at a young age, they’ll be a soul-winner for the rest of their life.”
