Boun Thorne grew up in a boat village in the Southeast Asian nation of Cambodia. In the aftermath of a terrible situation, she moved at age 10 to a safe house where she received Bible teaching and an Operation Christmas Child shoebox—her first gift ever! When Boun inquired why someone would send her a gift,…
Crisis & Disaster Response
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…
Operation Christmas Child
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…
Operation Christmas Child
Shoebox Gifts Remind Mexico’s Children that God Is Near
Esmeralda startled her daughter Fernanda awake as Hurricane Otis roared over their town just outside of Acapulco. Gentle words did little to sooth the 10-year-old’s fears as she saw the terror in her mother’s face, especially as the sheet metal roof peeled away. “I told them, ‘We’re going to stay here and nothing’s going to…
Our Ministry
Operation Christmas Child Updates – TV Response
It's All About Jesus! Operation Christmas Child 013477 $ Give Samaritan’s Purse sends gift-filled Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes to children in need around the world together with the message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. By filling ordinary shoeboxes full of toys and other fun items, you can be part of giving boys and girls what…
Operation Christmas Child
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…
Our Ministry
Anti Human Trafficking Landing Page
Help Prevent Human Trafficking Human Trafficking/Exploitation 013964 $ Give Samaritan's Purse works in Asia, South America, and Africa to help protect those who are most vulnerable to trafficking and slavery. Stay informed about our work. Sign up for email updates Around the globe, vulnerable people are targeted by traffickers every day. They are promised bright…
Construction Projects
Warming in Koyuk
Warming in Koyuk Samaritan's Purse staff and volunteers built a church in the remote village of Koyuk over the summer of 2023. Explore village and church life in this special place up north in Alaska. God's Country Up north in Alaska, where the forests and the tundra can swallow two states the size of Texas,…
Operation Christmas Child
Shoebox Gifts Bridge the Divide
Shoebox Gifts Bridge the Divide Shoebox Gifts Bridge the Divide God used prayer and Operation Christmas Child shoebox gifts to help reconcile a believer to his estranged family. Today he is no longer the only Christian among them! Ibrahim* grew up in a rural village in Burkina Faso. The local community highly respected his family because…
Operation Christmas Child
Edward and Kristy Graham Distribute Operation Christmas Child Shoeboxes in Ecuador
Each year, Samaritan’s Purse distributes millions of shoebox gifts around the world to children in need. Edward Graham, the youngest son of Franklin Graham, and his wife Kristy were among those who recently traveled to Ecuador to help distribute Operation Christmas Child gifts and celebrate the graduation of those who completed The Greatest Journey, a…
