Joyous cries permeated the quiet streets of the San Lorenzo neighborhood in the outskirts of Asuncion, Paraguay, as dozens of children peeled open their Operation Christmas Child shoebox gifts. Jaws dropped at the sight of soccer balls, stuffed animals, crayons, and more. The initial timidness vanished as the group of 50 children picked out their…
Newsletter December 2024
Multiplication in Peru Through The Greatest Journey
When Paola received her Operation Christmas Child shoebox gift at Cajamarca Biblical Center in the highlands of Peru, she loved the pink teddy bear she found inside. With a rainbow applique on its tummy, the 8-year-old quickly named the bear “Rainbow.” “I dream about him. I sleep with him,” Paola said. But Rainbow is more…
Hungering for More
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 ministra en Tahití
All eyes were recently on French Polynesia for the Summer 2024 Olympic surfing competition. Athletes from numerous countries, unified by the love of the sport and the spirit of competition, vied for gold, silver, and bronze medals on some of the world’s biggest waves in Teahupo’o, Tahiti. Just an hour and a half to the…
Una comunidad en las montañas de México responde al Evangelio
Note: For an exciting update to this story, see our latest article about the dedication of the first church in La Laguna. — Eusebia heard about Jesus on the radio. A couple of decades ago, that was the main way for the Mexicanero/Nahuatl people living in the mountains of northwest Mexico to hear the Gospel.…
Shoeboxes Become an Answer to Children’s Prayers in South Africa
South Africa is a bustling nation of 55 million people nestled at the southernmost tip of the continent, surrounded on three sides by the sea. Only 25 years removed from apartheid, the country continues to recover from that traumatic chapter in its past. While many residents today enjoy unprecedented opportunities, others still face daunting challenges.…
Sembrando las semillas del Evangelio en Ghana
Steady streams dripped from holes in the roof, and puddles were scattered all over the floor. The rain pounded relentlessly and threatened to drown out every other sound in the small church. But as the wet and windy thrashing continued, the songs of praise soared louder. Rita Danso had just started a Gospel presentation when…
Las cajas de regalos traen gozo a los niños sordos en Namibia
The classroom was quiet as boys and girls opened their Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes. There were no squeals of excitement or chattering, no shouting for friends to come and look at the fun gifts inside their shoebox. Yet, their smiles were so big and bright that verbal expressions weren’t needed to reveal the joy overflowing…