“The war started suddenly,” Elena, a fine arts teacher in Ukraine, said. “I prayed every day, ‘Lord, I trust in You. Give me strength, patience, and humility for this day.’” Soon, she and her daughter fled to Poland to escape the increasing violence. They arrived close to Easter and moved into a hotel that was housing refugees. There, an Operation Christmas Child festive outreach event was held by a Samaritan’s Purse local church partner. Elena’s daughter received a shoebox gift and enrolled in The Greatest Journey.
“I hope these activities provided by the church here, like The Greatest Journey, will help our children grow and mature in their faith,” Elena said. “I hope the children will value not only these gifts but the [Gospel] message behind them.”
Watch Elena’s story in the video above.
Thousands of churches across Ukraine are distributing nearly 400,000 shoeboxes this year to boys and girls caught up in the ongoing conflict. Please continue to pray for these children, and for our teams and church partners as they share the Good News of Jesus Christ with them.
Please donate $12 for every shoebox you prepare. Your donations will help cover project costs, including shipping (make one combined donation for multiple shoeboxes). Consider making an additional donation to help Samaritan's Purse go beyond the shoebox and expand assistance to children, their families, and their communities. Samaritan's Purse does not provide receipts for the value of gift items included in a shoebox.