For the first time in many years, Ukrainian Elizabeth Groff returned to her home country, joining Samaritan’s Purse President Franklin Graham on Jan. 25 to celebrate and deliver the 200 millionth Operation Christmas Child shoebox gift to the war-torn country. The milestone event, marking 30 years since the Samaritan’s Purse project started in 1993, also…
Operation Christmas Child
Passing the Shoebox Baton: Meet a National Team Coordinator
The millions of shoebox gifts packed in 2020 are currently being processed for overseas shipment and will soon be on their way to National Leadership Teams around the globe. These volunteer teams work together with local churches to bring the Gospel of Jesus Christ to children through the distribution of your prayerfully packed shoebox gifts.…
Operation Christmas Child
Packing a Shoebox Will ‘Make Your Heart Feel Good’
Retirement eagerly waited to welcome Sallie Simmons. She’d soon turn 65 and all the years of hard work would be behind her. Yet, one day, Sallie had an encounter with God that changed the direction of her life. “I was on my way home, driving a brand-new car. But I thought, ‘I’m not doing what…
Operation Christmas Child
Resources & Ideas Hub
Resources & Ideas Hub Explore the links below for ideas of how you or your group can pack shoeboxes and touch the lives of children and families around the world, bringing hope through the Good News of Jesus Christ in the form of a simple gift. Shipped To You Free Materials A place to order…
Operation Christmas Child
Reaching the Deaf Community in the Country of Georgia
Pastor Paata has a big goal: to reach every family that includes a deaf person in the country of Georgia with the Good News of Jesus Christ. And he’s found a great tool to start conversations with deaf children or a hearing child of deaf parents—Operation Christmas Child shoebox gifts. Paata, who is deaf, said…
Operation Christmas Child
Flowers Become Blessings Through Samaritan’s Purse
Jaci Snowden loves flowers. “Flowers make me feel close to God,” Jaci said as she cut colorful zinnias in her backyard garden for a bouquet. “They are His wonderful masterpieces created in Christ Jesus for a purpose.” For 10-year-old Jaci, part of that purpose is to grow beautiful flowers, arrange them into delightful bouquets, and…
Operation Christmas Child
Operation Christmas Child Gifts Help Build the Church in Tanzania
The bike ride through the path of deep sand to Kitomondo takes Pastor Marco Kayumbo more than two hours to negotiate. He prays and sings to pass the time. Kitomondo is a rural community outside Tanzania’s largest city of Dar es Salaam, and it’s where Pastor Marco started a church almost two years ago. It…
Operation Christmas Child
Bringing Good News and Great Joy to Grenada
Saint Andrew in Grenada is locally known as the “Big Parish” because it is the largest of the six parishes on the West Indies island and is the only one that shares a border with the other five. It is also called the nation’s breadbasket, due to its rich agricultural history. Most of the island’s…
Our Ministry
Mid-Year Report
Mid-Year Impact Report July 2021 Thank You COVID-19 U.S. Disaster Relief Tigray Conflict Response Bahamas Global Work Thank You Following the example set by the Good Samaritan, Samaritan's Purse provides help to people who are suffering and living in desperate circumstances. We seek them out in communities torn apart by tornadoes, on difficult migrant trails snaking…
Operation Christmas Child
Building Toy Cars to Help Build God’s Kingdom
Ken Postema lives in Western Michigan, about 15 miles east of Grand Rapids, on 10 wooded acres that he purchased 51 years ago when he was a senior in high school. Tall white pines, maples, tulip poplars, and hybrid poplars dot the lush, rolling landscape surrounding Ken’s beautifully handcrafted house, which he built himself. “Some…
