Both Sides of the Box
Attention Shoebox Shoppers
As back-to-school items are placed front-and-center in stores this time of year, many Operation Christmas Child year-round shoppers are rolling up their sleeves to find great deals. School supplies are a fundamental component of quality shoebox gifts. In addition to capitalizing on seasonal sales and off-season clearance merchandise, shopping year-round divides shoebox purchases over several…
Andy Castillo’s Story: Rescued by God
Andy Castillo, Operation Christmas Child regional director for North and Central America, was interviewed during a recent trip to his native Honduras. He and his team took part in several festive outreach events while there. You became involved in full-time ministry, and specifically children’s ministry, in a unique way. How did that come about? Castillo:…
She’s Got a Heart for Sharing Christ Through Shoeboxes
Nine-year-old Ava Smith loves to pack Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes! Why? “Because shoeboxes provide hope for children who might not have any hope,” she said. She became passionate about the Samaritan’s Purse project three years ago when she packed her first shoebox gift at her Christian school in Felton, Delaware. Ava then shared her enthusiasm…
Ohio Farmers Influence their Community and the World by Packing Shoeboxes
Drive down River Styx Road just outside Wadsworth, Ohio, and you’ll come across the “Styx and Stones Farm” sign. Pull in the driveway on any given Saturday morning in the fall, and it will be tough to find a spot to park. On one edge of the driveway sits a barn that’s at least 175…
Shoebox Letter Prompts Girl in Mexico to Receive Christ
Jazmin had been longing for a doll of her own. When she received one at age 6 in an Operation Christmas Child shoebox, she thanked God for the gift. “It was very exciting,” Jazmin, now 17, recalled. “It wasn’t only a doll, it was a princess doll. I didn’t have anything like it. I thought…
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…
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A Sign of God’s Love
The Gospel message wasn’t clear to Zahira until it was presented to her in her own language—a dialect of sign language the Cuban girl uses in the Dominican Republic. At age 14 she was invited to an Operation Christmas Child outreach event led by a local church that has a ministry to the Deaf community.…
Fueled by Faith
Operation Christmas Child shoebox gifts are making their way from processing centers to trained volunteers around the world. These teams often go to great lengths to deliver the gifts to the far reaches of their countries so that boys and girls can hear about God’s Greatest Gift, Jesus Christ. Here are some interesting modes of…