Samaritan’s Purse outreach events that feature the Good News and a gift-filled Operation Christmas Child shoebox are drawing Southeast Asian children and their families to the Savior.
Hands clasped, heads bowed, children whisper their first words to the Creator they’ve just learned about. This moment of solemn surrender happens at tens of thousands of Operation Christmas Child outreach events across the globe each year.
Watching one such prayer in his home country of Cambodia was especially meaningful to a boy named Samay*. It’s only been a year since he was in the same position, receiving a shoebox gift and hearing of a God who loved him so much He sent His only Son to die on a cross for his sins.
Samay and Bopha pray together at an Operation Christmas Child outreach event, grateful for the journey of faith God brought them on over the past year.
Dressed from head to toe in vibrant pink, his mother, Bopha*, sits behind him, equally reverent, thinking back on all that the year has held for her family. Samay is the youngest of three and the only child still living at home. He’s also the only one who saw the battle taking place inside of her and spoke life into her in a way no one else could, all thanks to his newfound faith.
“Samay told me to be courageous and to be strong in the Lord. He told me to go to church, to pray for him to grow in faith, and to have love so that he can teach other kids about Jesus,” Bopha said. “I’m so joyful that my son always encourages me to have strong faith in the Lord. I never thought that God would do this miracle in my life through my son.”
Curiosity Leads to Transformation
When they attended the outreach event last year out of sheer curiosity, the last thing Bopha expected was that she would walk away stronger in her faith in Christ because of her son.
“I remember there was praise and worship that the children danced to and a Gospel presentation where the teacher spoke about the love of God,” Bopha said. “Many children were there, and they wanted Jesus to be in their hearts.”
This year, Samay is handing out shoebox gifts and his prayer as he gently sets each box in front of one of his friends is that they too would come to a saving faith in Jesus Christ.
Remembering the joy of opening his own gift last year, Samay delights in handing out Operation Christmas Child shoebox gifts to other boys and girls.
He remembers well how God used the outreach event he attended a year ago in ways beyond what he or his family could have expected.
“Samay changed after the program, and he came back home,” Bopha said. “He wanted to help around the house, he was full of joy, and he wanted to help people and also really wanted others to receive Jesus too.”
His shoebox came with a picture of the family who sent it to him—an Australian couple and their two children—who signed the back with the phrase, “God loves you.” A smile spread across his face as he looked at it, thinking of the people who prayed for him, without ever knowing where the box would end up, simply trusting that God had someone specific in mind for it.
“When Samay first came home with his gift I remember him being very excited,” Bopha said. “He felt very blessed because in the past he didn’t have a lot of new things, was struggling in school, and didn’t have the right supplies. Coming home with new pens and new pencils, it’s what he was praying for and what he was wanting. It helped him have the motivation to go to school. It also helped him feel like he fit in with people.”
The note on the back of the family’s photo also encouraged Samay that God had people he’d never met praying for him!
After he received his shoebox, Samay started attending La Gran Aventura discipleship course that Samaritan’s Purse offers shoebox recipients. During the 12 Bible lessons, he accepted Christ into his heart and learned how to tell others about his Savior. Since beginning a personal relationship with Jesus, Samay’s joy has been made new. He has led countless friends to Christ. A church meets across the field from their home—just out of sight. And each afternoon after school, you can watch the village children racing on bikes and on foot to get there.
“Samay is very steadfast in his faith,” said the church’s founder, Pastor Nisay*. “He has been growing in the Lord and he has become a testimony to other people in his community. God is the only hope for him, so he tells everyone. What I pray for Samay is that God would touch his heart and use him.”
Those prayers are already being answered as Samay disciples his mother, strengthening her faith.
Celebrating a Return to God
Christianity was not a new concept to Bopha. Her faith journey started many years ago and has been nothing but easy; it’s meant going against everything she knows, including her family, her culture, and her husband.
“I [previously] believed that when I didn’t pray or I didn’t worship at the altar during the holy day, I would get sick,” Bopha said. “Throughout generations, my family, my parents, and ancestors used to practice this.”
Samay and his mother study the boy’s Bible he received at graduation from La Gran Aventura.
After her son’s encounter with God through Operation Christmas Child, she has chosen life over death, fully abandoning her past beliefs to surrender to the only One who saves.
“My favorite thing about Jesus is the way that—no matter where we’ve been or what we’ve done—His love is there for us,” Bopha said. “In moments where things are dark and things are hard, it’s not just the way that God answers prayers personally but uses other people in our lives as Christians to encourage us and be there for us and always exceed our expectations.”
Because he heard the Gospel when he received a shoebox gift, Samay now boldly proclaims what he believes and brings others along with him.
“By the grace of God, not only Samay, but his mom accepted Christ as their Lord and Savior,” Pastor Nisay said. “Their lives have been changed. They are so happy; they are joyous. We are thankful to the shoebox ministry.”
Please pray that Samaritan’s Purse would be able to bless millions more children around the world through the gift-filled shoeboxes collected this year.
Don’t wait to empacar una caja de regalos! National Collection Week is coming Nov. 17-24, when more than 4,500 drop-off locations will be open across the country to receive your prayerfully packed gifts for children in need. Take a minute to find the one nearest you!
Now sister and brother in Christ, the mother and son praise God for leading them to faith through Operation Christmas Child!
*Nombre cambiado por seguridad
