OCC Shoe Box Impact Stories: Columbia & Ukraine

By Ginny (MAD21)

Colombia: Karina, age four: "Karina belongs to a violent family with low resources. In December, she saw a doll she really liked and asked her mom for it. Her mom said she should ask the Holy Spirit for it. The girl prayed for it and, when she was invited to a distribution, she opened her shoe box and the first thing she saw was the doll she had asked God for. Her joy was enormous and her faith to God got stronger because she knew that her Father always listen to her."

Ukraine: "My name is Lisa, I am 13 years old. I live in Kyiv. One winter, I looked out the window and saw some people making a stage in the yard. They have brought big boxes, switched on the music. I liked this music and I went to see what will happen next. So, first I saw there was a man. He came out to the stage and prayed, but not like in the church. I understood everything and it seemed to me that he spoke with God. Then was a puppet theater, songs and poems about God. And then people from the church gave gifts and booklet for everybody who came. Having opened my gift, I saw the bright hat and gloves! It was so beautiful! We do not have such in Ukraine!  In general, gift is not so important as the heart of people who did it for me. Then we were invited to come to church for a children's Sunday School and I went along with my friend!  We are going to this church for more than two years and now we know a lot about God! Thanks to the people who brought these gifts and those who distributed them to us and talked about God!"

This post is part of our Not Just a Shoe Box series. Come back over the next few weeks to see more letters and videos from kids who have been impacted by OCC Shoe Boxes.

 These are letters from some of the kids who received shoe boxes from Operation Christmas Child. My friend Stacey Wilson from OCC was kind enough to send them to me. Many groups around the country are collecting boxes now (official collection week is November 14th-18th). However, OCC collects and delivers them all year long. I  encourage you to keep Samaritan's Purse, as well as all the children who receive these boxes in your prayers. That children all around the world will be led to the feet of Christ, one shoe box at a time.