Nine-year-old Gladys flashed a big smile as she recounted the day she received an Operation Christmas Child shoebox gift. The special items inside included a blanket folded neatly and arranged amid school supplies, a flashlight that her father needed, and other cherished items. Opening the shoebox gift was like opening up a new chapter of…
Idaho Woman Ignites a Passion for Shoebox Ministry in Local Church
Michelle Morgan celebrated her 50th birthday in an unusual way. Instead of cakes, cards, and carefully wrapped presents, she wanted shoeboxes. Fifty of them. And she wanted toys, school supplies, and hygiene items to pack inside of them. Michelle planned to prepare 50 Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes for children in need overseas to commemorate her…
God Is Using a Small Texas Church to Bless Many Thousands of Children
Update (Nov. 4, 2021): Since this article was originally published, Grace Baptist Church of Wild Peach, Texas, has continued to exceed its shoebox-packing goals. In 2020, despite the global outbreak of COVID-19, the church packed 12,617 shoeboxes—117 over their goal. They also saw God’s provision regarding their $9 donation per shoebox gift that year. “We…
Why I Pack Shoeboxes: One-Word Witnesses
On social media this fall, Operation Christmas Child asked shoebox packers to pick one word that describes why they send gifts to boys and girls in need around the world. We thought you’d be encouraged to see some of the responses from our volunteers and staff as you prayerfully prepare to fill your own boxes…
Tapping into the Power of Serving
Gracie O’Loughlin regularly witnesses groups working shoulder-to-shoulder for a common purpose as part of her role with Operation Christmas Child, a project of Samaritan’s Purse that shares the Gospel with children around the world through outreach events and shoebox gifts. When she and several colleagues recently volunteered with U.S. Disaster Relief, another project of Samaritan’s…
‘The Lord Loves Even His Enemies’
In a small town on the plains of Central Asia, most people are hostile to the small group of Christians living among them. Though these courageous believers are continually harassed, they faithfully persevere. Two Christian women named Aigul* and Dinara* were meeting regularly to pray for their town. Persecution flared up when Aigul’s mother died.…
#ShoeboxStories: Désiré and The Yo-Yo
Mission and History
Outsiders Welcomed In
Outsiders. That’s what the Baka people are known as in the Central African nations of Gabon and Cameroon. Members of this unreached people group are relegated to the margins of society and given little access to education or social services. Tragically, in addition to this discrimination, they have virtually no personal access to the Gospel…