MEXICO — A mother, daughter, and children in Acapulco, Mexico, praise God for the hope and joy they received through an Operation Christmas Child shoebox gift after their home was destroyed in a hurricane.

Esmeralda:

It was 10 pm. A hurricane was announced. A hurricane became more powerful. It became a category 5 hurricane. I grabbed my girl. We went underneath the bed. My girl was crying and said, “Mom, we are going to be buried here in the dirt.” I didn’t know what to do. We started to pray. My father was able to open the door, and we were able to get out. The house was destroyed. Everything was lost. But even in the storms, there is always a rainbow.

Fernanda:

I was invited to an [outreach] event. There, we played Piojo Juancho. We prayed, “…please forgive me…” They taught us how the Heavens and the Earth were created. I was very happy when I opened my shoebox gift. It comes with crayons, notebooks, and it came with a letter. The girl’s name is Abby, and she is 12 years old.

Esmeralda:

The smiles of the children are beautiful because a gift is very significant at this age.

Fernanda:

If I were to draw something. I would draw me and my mom praying underneath the bed and the falling metal sheets.

Esmeralda:

I’ve never gone through this before. Though it was very difficult, it is also a beautiful to see that God is faithful. When people go through difficult times, sometimes they need a word or a hug. Christ loves you. God is there through the most difficult times in your life.

Samaritan’s Purse is a nondenominational evangelical Christian organization providing spiritual and physical aid to hurting people around the world. Since 1970, Samaritan’s Purse has helped meet the needs of people who are victims of war, poverty, natural disasters, disease, and famine with the purpose of sharing God’s love through His Son, Jesus Christ. The organization serves the Church worldwide to promote the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.

The mission of Operation Christmas Child is to demonstrate God’s love in a tangible way to children in need around the world. Through this project, Samaritan’s Purse partners with the local church worldwide to share the Good News of Jesus Christ and make disciples of the nations.

CONTACT: Kaitlyn Lahm, news@samaritan.org

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