Operation Christmas Child partners with churches in El Salvador to distribute the shoebox gifts Canadians like you so thoughtfully and prayerfully pack. Each gift opens doors to share the Good News of Jesus Christ.

Some shoebox recipients have never heard the Name of Jesus before. Others don’t understand what it means to have a relationship with Him. Many are curious to learn more, which is why local churches that partner with Operation Christmas Child invite them to participate in The Greatest Journey.

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.

Operation Christmas Child praises God for 50 million children discipled since 1993.

The steep footpath that ran alongside the cliff had become a trail of slimy, unrelenting mud. But it was the only way to reach a Filipino community nestled in the mountain forest—a nearly 35-mile walk from the nearest town.

The last of the 12 discipleship lessons encouraged the children to share their faith with family and friends. Epiphani took the lesson to heart.

Family is everything in the Kazakh culture, and for those who make the decision to follow Christ, family ties can be strained. But God is using Operation Christmas Child shoebox gifts sent by Samaritan’s Purse to open doors in Kazakh communities that were previously closed by tradition and other religious beliefs.

Churches across Ukraine are meeting the practical needs of the displaced in many ways, including providing shelter and food. Samaritan’s Purse alone has provided more than 227 million pounds of food since the conflict began.

In the early morning the long wooden boats motored gently across Nokoue Lake, past the small craft propelled by colorful sails, past the fishermen tending and mending large traps, toward the water dwellings of Ganvie. Secured in the wooden craft were hundreds of Operation Christmas Child shoebox gifts destined for an outreach event at a local church.