“The best thing I got in my shoebox was the hat, gloves, and scarf. I’ve worn them for a long time and like them very much.” Marina, Moldova

“I was always late because I lacked a watch. Opening my shoebox gift, I found one. Now I am always on time for school.” Niyonkuru, Burundi

“I am so happy! I cannot believe that someone from a different country would send me a gift of exactly what I like: rings and hairbows. I will keep going to church.” Vanessa, Colombia

“I collected and bought pillowcases from friends and thrift stores, and am turning them into tote bags. These are easy to do by cutting them in half, and then using grosgrain ribbon for the handles!” Annette M.

“When I lifted the lid on my purple plastic shoebox, the first thing I saw was a stuffed dog. I was filled with exuberant joy! I just remember hugging it.” Yuliya, Central Asia

“I absolutely loved the washcloth. As an orphan I had to share a towel with about 20 kids. So when I got the washcloth I actually thought it was my own personal towel.” Vladimir, Russia

“The toothbrush meant a lot because before I had to share my toothbrush with 25 other girls.” Yuri, Honduras

“The slinky was fascinating to me. We loved to send it down the steps and we played a lot of games with it. It was a simple toy but it was my favorite in the box.” Devon, Grenada

“Our economic condition is very poor, so my parents cannot afford to buy toys for me. When I heard that I would get a gift box, I was so excited! Thank you to all of my foreign friends who sent me the toys and other amazing things.” Samia, East Asia

“One of my favorites in my shoebox was white socks because in the orphanage you get bad quality socks that always stink and have holes in them.” Timur, Central Asia

One child in Grenada was delighted to find his shoebox packed with underwear in his exact size. His family was so poor that they could not afford to buy this for him.

“My favorite items in my shoebox were school supplies. They were really important to me because it meant I could go to school.” Luis, Panama

“At first we had no idea what (the Etch A Sketch) was. After having it displayed on a shelf for a couple of months, my sister was dusting and she turned the knobs. When she saw the line going up and down on the screen she was so excited.” Yuliya, Central Asia

“One thing in the box I won’t forget was a picture of a girl and her letter: Heather Roberts from Enon, Ohio. We started writing letters and to this day, nearly 20 years later, we’re friends.” Nanor, Middle East

“Today I shipped internationally for the first time in my life, and I want to THANK YOU for ONLY charging $10 for shipping! A one-pound package to Colombia was over $12. Thank you for providing this service!” Heather P.

“To have the shipping money, I stopped drinking soda or tea at restaurants. It saves about $2 anytime we go out. I put that $2 in my change jar.” Cathy W.

“The most important thing you can send with a box is prayer.” Franklin Graham, president of Samaritan’s Purse