Introduction…
Open up a whole new life…
…through the power of a simple gift
At a Samaritan’s Purse Operation Christmas Child shoe box distribution in Papua New Guinea, the children were asked if they had ever received a new gift and, if not, what they would hope for.
Tawhiri, a 9-year-old boy who lives near the Kokoda Trail, waved his hands and shouted that he would love something to cover his head when it rained.
So imagine his excitement when Tawhiri opened his box and pulled out a perfect beanie! His joy was infectious as all the children saw that his wish had come true. They all opened their boxes to discover they were full of gifts – just for them.
Samaritan’s Purse has changed the lives of children like Tawhiri through Operation Christmas Child since 1993. Every year, generous people across the world lovingly pack shoe boxes with gifts – simple, yet powerful messages of God’s unconditional love.
And when a child opens a shoe box, they’re opening more than a present lovingly prepared just for them. They’re opening up their community to a world of life-changing opportunities.
Whose life will your shoe box change this year?
Operation Christmas Child is a unique project of Samaritan’s Purse that brings joy and hope to children in desperate situations around the world through gift-filled shoe boxes.
It provides an opportunity for people of all ages to be involved in a simple but hands-on project that has the power to transform children’s lives.
In 2009, our teams in Australia and New Zealand delivered over 300,000 gift-filled shoe boxes to South East Asia and the South Pacific. Globally, Samaritan’s Purse distributed an estimated 7.6 million shoe boxes to children in 105 countries.
As each shoe box gift is delivered, it is treasured by the child that receives it, and is a lasting reminder that he or she is precious to God.
