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.

OCC Shoe Box Impact Stories: Moldova (Luba Travis)

By Ginny (MAD21)

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.

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.

OCC Shoe Box Impact Stories: Lithuania & Uganda

By Ginny (MAD21)

Lithuania: Domas, age 12: "I was dreaming of going to the swimming pool with my class, but I didn't have rubber slippers. I didn't dare to ask my parents to buy the ones because we haven't got enough money even for food. In my shoe-box found what exactly I needed - rubber slippers! On Sunday I run to church with my friends to thank Jesus for such a nice present."

Uganda: Betty, age 10: "Betty was visiting a family member for a week and then she was invited to the distribution. When she received a gift box that day, she was touched and we could see tears flow from her eyes which was a sign how this gift was special to her. When our volunteers asked her why she was crying she said she could not believe all the items in the box belong to her. She shared a story of how she missed school for a week because she did not have a pencil to use."

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.

"Cherish Every Moment-The Dax Locke Foundation"

By Ginny (MAD21)

I really enjoy Matthew West's music. This month he has been honoring the family of Dax Locke, a little two-year-old boy who lost his battle with Leukemia almost a year ago. He was being lovingly treated at St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee. In honor of their son, Austin and Julie Locke have decided that they want to raise enough money to run the entire hospital for one day, $1.6 million dollars.

I want to encourage you to listen to this video, and then go to either Matthew West's website, or to Dax Locke's website and make a donation. I really admire them for this ambitious project, and love St. Jude's for their dedication to sick children and their families.

OCC Shoe Box Impact Stories: Zimbabwe

Abigail, age 13

Thank you for the gift box I received. I'm talented in drawing. When my parents told me that they could not afford the drawing equipment I needed for exams I nearly killed myself without telling anyone. The next Sunday I received my gift box and was shocked; exactly the drawing equipment I needed was inside. Because Jesus loves me, He stopped me from killing myself by providing the drawing equipment I needed. Today I have joy and I understand that Jesus is my provider.

[Editor's Note: During this week of Thanksgiving I thought it would be nice to share some stories from kids and their families receiving shoe boxes from Samaritan's Purse Operation Christmas Child. My friend Stacey Wilson from SP OCC, who has written for this blog before, was kind enough to send them to me. Even though last week was the official collection week for the shoe boxes, the organization collects and delivers them all year long. I want to 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.]