{"id":205864,"date":"2022-01-26T12:35:03","date_gmt":"2022-01-26T17:35:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.samaritanspurse.org\/?p=205864"},"modified":"2024-09-11T15:06:22","modified_gmt":"2024-09-11T19:06:22","slug":"2021-special-report","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/samaritanspurse.org\/es\/operation-christmas-child\/2021-special-report\/","title":{"rendered":"2021 Special Report"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Special Report 2021<\/h1>\r\n \r\n <\/div> \r\n <\/header>\r\n
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In 2021, Samaritan\u2019s Purse continued to declare God\u2019s glory in more than 100 countries and territories through Operation Christmas Child\u2014including among many unreached people groups at the very ends of the earth. We praise God that more than 9.1 million shoebox gifts were distributed to children in need at over 81,000 outreach events! <\/p>\r\n

“Every shoebox represents an opportunity to reach one more child with the Gospel \r\n of Jesus Christ.”<\/p>\r\n \u2014Franklin Graham<\/cite>\r\n\r\n <\/div>\r\n

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Declare His glory among the nations...
\r\n Psalm 96:3<\/p>\r\n <\/div>\r\n <\/div>\r\n <\/section>\r\n

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\r\n These girls in Ecuador rejoiced to receive stuffed animals inside their shoebox gifts.\r\n <\/figcaption>\r\n <\/figure>\r\n
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Reaching the Unreached<\/strong><\/h1>\r\n <\/header>\r\n\r\n \r\n
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In Gabon, the Baka people live on the margins of society<\/strong> and have typically been outside the reach of the Gospel. But that began to change when shoeboxes were given out in a remote village. All 354 children in the community turned out for the festive outreach event\u2014and all the adults, too! Everyone listened carefully as they heard the Gospel for the first time and discovered how much God loved them. At the end of the presentation, all of the children\u2014and all of the adults\u2014prayed to receive Jesus as their Lord and Savior! The village chief, who also gave his life to Christ, was so impressed with the event that he set aside some land for a church to be built. Praise God!<\/p>\r\n \r\n

\u201cThe parents were delighted that someone had thought of bringing gifts to their children and showing them the love of God. They even asked for prayer for themselves,\u201d a ministry partner said. \u201cToday, over 30 adults and 50 children attend a new church that was started in the village. God broke into this no-go zone, and now it\u2019s a go zone for the Gospel!\u201d <\/p>\r\n \r\n

\r\n “<\/span>God broke into this no-go zone, and now it\u2019s a go zone for the Gospel!” \r\n \r\n <\/blockquote-->\r\n \r\n <\/div>\r\n \r\n <\/section>\r\n
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Now all glory to God, who is able, through His mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.\r\n
\r\n Ephesians 3:20 NLT<\/p>\r\n <\/div>\r\n <\/div> \r\n <\/div>\r\n

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\r\n More than 2.5 million children in Togo have received an Operation Christmas Child shoebox gift since Samaritan\u2019s Purse began distributing them there in 1998.\r\n <\/figcaption>\r\n <\/figure>\r\n
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\r\n For many boys and girls around the world, their shoebox is the first gift they have ever received.\r\n <\/figcaption>\r\n <\/figure>\r\n
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Going to the ends of the earth<\/strong><\/h1>\r\n <\/header>\r\n \r\n \r\n
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If Enubirr isn\u2019t the end of the earth, it\u2019s close.<\/strong> The tiny island, located between the Philippines and Hawaii, is part of the Republic of the Marshall Islands and home to just over 1,000 people. The atoll has no electricity and no airport. But that didn\u2019t stop four ministry partners from transporting cartons of shoebox gifts on a 57-foot ketch to the island and distributing them to the area\u2019s 293 children. After the Gospel was shared, 131 boys and girls responded by inviting Jesus into their hearts!<\/p>\r\n

Over in Palau, a ministry team traveled three hours<\/strong> by boat through rough waters to reach the 15 children who live on the remote island of Kayangel, the country\u2019s northern most state. Just over 50 people call Kayangel home, but God is \u201cnot willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance\u201d<\/em> (2 Peter 3:9). When the shoeboxes were given out and the Gospel was shared, many of the locals put their faith in Christ.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

\r\n To date, over 283,000 children on more than 960 inhabited Pacific islands have received shoebox gifts and have been given the opportunity to respond to the Good News of Jesus Christ.\r\n <\/blockquote>\r\n <\/div>\r\n \r\n <\/section>\r\n
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You shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem...\r\n
\r\n Acts 1:8<\/p>\r\n <\/div>\r\n <\/div> \r\n <\/div>\r\n

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\r\n These children in Palau are among hundreds of thousands in the Pacific to receive a gift-filled shoebox from Samaritan\u2019s Purse.\r\n <\/figcaption>\r\n <\/figure>\r\n
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\r\n A simple \u201cwow\u201d toy can go a long way in expressing God\u2019s love to a child.\r\n <\/figcaption>\r\n <\/figure>\r\n
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One Child at a Time<\/strong><\/h1>\r\n <\/header>\r\n \r\n \r\n
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Each shoebox is a Gospel opportunity that can be used by God to change a child\u2019s life for eternity\u2014and change the course of many other lives as well.<\/p>\r\n

The shoebox that 8-year-old G\u00e9nesis was given in her native Ecuador<\/strong> was the first gift she had ever received. But as delighted as she was with her new doll and other fun toys, G\u00e9nesis was even happier to learn how much God loved her and readily gave her life to Jesus. She then shared the Good News with her parents.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n “<\/span>At my home, we talked about God, and Jesus saved my mom who was sick with COVID,” she said. “I asked God for her healing and her salvation, and both of my parents were saved.” \r\n G\u00e9nesis, 8 years old<\/cite>\r\n <\/blockquote>\r\n <\/div>\r\n \r\n <\/section>\r\n\r\n
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Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them... \r\n
\r\n Matthew 19:14<\/p>\r\n <\/div>\r\n <\/div> \r\n <\/div>\r\n

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\r\n These boys from Ecuador enjoyed the fun outreach event at Iglesia Dios de Paz where they received their shoebox gift and heard the Gospel clearly presented.\r\n <\/figcaption>\r\n <\/figure>\r\n
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\r\n Children often can\u2019t wait to open their shoebox gifts and explore all the fun treasures inside!\r\n <\/figcaption>\r\n <\/figure>\r\n
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Overcoming Challenges<\/strong><\/h1>\r\n <\/header>\r\n \r\n \r\n
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COVID-19 presented many challenges this year, but our National Leadership Teams across the globe prayed and found creative solutions to bring Good News and great joy to boys and girls.<\/p>\r\n

In Bulgaria, many children dig through trash dumps to find food<\/strong> or items they can sell. So, our ministry partners there decided to meet the kids where they were and gave out shoeboxes at a garbage site. Over 40 boys and girls were delighted to receive new toys, hygiene items, and school supplies. They also heard the Gospel and many of them committed their lives to Jesus.<\/p>\r\n

In other places, like Montenegro,<\/strong> where only small gatherings were permitted, our ministry partners and volunteers went door-to-door to visit families in their homes. \u201cThis gave us an opportunity to build a bridge with the children and their parents,\u201d one partner said. \u201cWe spent one to two hours with each family talking about the Gospel. They were amazed that somebody remembered them during this hard time with the virus and that people from the outside world packed shoeboxes for them.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n <\/div>\r\n \r\n <\/section>\r\n

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...\u2018Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that My house may be filled.\u2019 \r\n
\r\n Luke 14:23<\/p>\r\n <\/div>\r\n <\/div> \r\n <\/div>\r\n

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\r\n Shoeboxes are a blessing to children who live in some of the poorest places in the world.\r\n <\/figcaption>\r\n <\/figure>\r\n
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\r\n Shoebox gifts often provide items, such as toys and school supplies, that families cannot afford to buy.\r\n <\/figcaption>\r\n <\/figure>\r\n
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The Greatest Journey<\/strong><\/h1>\r\n <\/header>\r\n \r\n \r\n
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Earlier, we told you how an entire village among the Baka people<\/strong> in Gabon gave their lives to Christ after hearing the Gospel for the first time. But that\u2019s not the end of the story.<\/p>\r\n

Everyone in the community was so eager to learn more about Jesus that they wanted to immediately begin The Greatest Journey, the 12-lesson Bible course for shoebox recipients. Several teachers then led hundreds of villagers through the first lesson. But at the end of it, they all wanted to continue. They were so hungry to learn more about God\u2019s love that they insisted on going through all 12 lessons in just a few days!<\/p>\r\n

In Kenya, a boy shared The Greatest Journey<\/strong> materials with his parents and four siblings. All of them gave their lives to Jesus! \u201cA big thanks to my Greatest Journey teachers and to those who donated the books,\u201d he said. \u201cThe 12 lessons transformed me, my family, and my friends. I promise I will keep on sharing the Gospel as the Bible commands. I want the world to hear about and know Christ.\u201d<\/p>\r\n

Since 2009, more than 30 million children have enrolled in The Greatest Journey with over 15 million making a decision for Christ!<\/p>\r\n\r\n <\/div>\r\n \r\n <\/section>\r\n

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Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it. \r\n
\r\n Proverbs 22:6<\/p>\r\n <\/div>\r\n <\/div> \r\n <\/div>\r\n

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\r\n Children read a Bible story in The Greatest Journey student workbook.\r\n <\/figcaption>\r\n <\/figure>\r\n
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\r\n These girls in Fiji delight to read about God\u2019s Greatest Gift, His Son, Jesus Christ.\r\n <\/figcaption>\r\n <\/figure>\r\n
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An Army of Volunteers & Packers\r\n <\/strong><\/h1>\r\n <\/header>\r\n \r\n \r\n
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Operation Christmas Child is made possible by an army of volunteers and shoebox packers. It\u2019s their faithful prayers and support that keep the project moving forward year after year.<\/p>\r\n

Barbara Korn, 76, and Margarita Sosa, 74, live in Miami<\/strong> and work together to make hundreds of unique stuffed animals for shoebox gifts. Known as the \u201cHappy Grandmas,\u201d the duo sees eternal purpose in their creations. \u201cWe make them, God places them,\u201d Margarita said. \u201cOne box is going to reach a child\u2014that\u2019s a soul that is going to be touched by Jesus. One child at a time, it\u2019s going to make a difference.\u201d<\/p>\r\n

In Tennessee, Jane Marie Franks,<\/strong> an adopted teen, rallied her community to pack 1,000 shoeboxes in the last two years. Her ambitious goals were inspired by a visit to her birth country of Guatemala, where she met a boy who asked her for school supplies. When she returned home, Jane Marie encouraged her family, friends, and classmates to pack shoeboxes for children in need, like that boy in Guatemala, and around the world.<\/p>\r\n

Farther north near Grand Rapids, Michigan,<\/strong> Ken Postema, 69, built 20,000 toy wooden cars in 2021 to put in shoeboxes. He created 10,000 the year before. His cars have thus far reached children in South America, Eastern Europe, Africa, and the Pacific, \u201ceach one an expression of our love and God\u2019s love for the kids,\u201d Ken said.<\/p>\r\n\r\n <\/div>\r\n \r\n <\/section>\r\n

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As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. \r\n
\r\n 1 Peter 4:10<\/p>\r\n <\/div>\r\n <\/div> \r\n <\/div>\r\n \r\n \r\n

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