Evilyn Pinnow, a then 12-year-old from Wisconsin, traveled more than 5,000 miles across the United States collecting items to place inside Operation Christmas Child’s symbolic 100 millionth shoebox before she headed to the Dominican Republic to place it into the hands of a precious child in need. In California, friends of the ministry added socks…
Operation Christmas Child
Mission and History
Mission & History Mission The mission of Operation Christmas Child is to provide God’s love in a tangible way to children in need around the world, and together with the local church worldwide, to share the Good News of Jesus Christ. Franklin Graham leads a team to deliver Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes to boys and girls…
Operation Christmas Child
Creativity for a Cause
“Get your cans and don’ts! Red hot cans and don’ts!” Suzanne Broadhurst enters the back of the sanctuary at Westside Chapel in Jacksonville, Florida, during a Sunday morning service yelling like she’s selling food at a baseball game. Her daughter, Winter, echoes, “Cans and Don’ts!” in a drawn out voice. Shoeboxes hang around their necks…
Animals, Agriculture & Livelihoods
Growing Faith and Local Gardens in Northwest Liberia
For the first time in her life, Teter Washington learned the importance of churning up the soil before applying fertilizer, and she’s learned the technique of growing plants in bags filled with water and nutrients. These simple improvements to her farming practices have produced higher quality and higher quantity harvests. And this increase in her…
Operation Christmas Child
Shoebox Gifts Encourage Venezuelan Migrants in Colombia
Well more than 2 million Venezuelans have left their nation over the past few years, many fleeing to neighboring Colombia. They’re leaving because the situation in Venezuela is bleak—with runaway inflation, increasing crime, and critical shortages of food and medicine. As the economy collapses, families simply can’t afford to eat. Some Venezuelans go back and…
Operation Christmas Child
God’s Perfect Timing in Honduras
Guanaja is one of Honduras’ three picturesque Bay Islands, located 44 miles off the north coast of the mainland in the Caribbean. One of its cays is home to the densely packed tiny town of El Cayo: population 5,300. It’s known as the Venice of Honduras because of a series of winding canals that run…
Operation Christmas Child
Family & Children’s Resources
Family and Children's Resources Our collection of child-friendly resources can help your church, group, or family catch the vision for packing shoebox gifts for boys and girls in need around the world. Be sure to check out all of the fun options! Featured Resource Lola's Lion :60 Second Trailer Lola, a lonely little girl living in…
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
Evangelism. Discipleship. Multiplication.
Evangelism. Discipleship. Multiplication. It's All About Jesus! Discover how Operation Christmas Child shoebox gifts lead to evangelism, discipleship, and the multiplication of believers and churches even to the ends of the earth. “I want every child to know there is a God who loves them.” Franklin Graham, President, Samaritan’s Purse Evangelism The Gospel is shared with children in…
Operation Christmas Child
Sparking Revival in Paraguay
Joyous cries permeated the quiet streets of the San Lorenzo neighborhood in the outskirts of Asuncion, Paraguay, as dozens of children peeled open their Operation Christmas Child shoebox gifts. Jaws dropped at the sight of soccer balls, stuffed animals, crayons, and more. The initial timidness vanished as the group of 50 children picked out their…
