BOONE, NC — Since 1993, Operation Christmas Child, a project of Samaritan’s Purse, has impacted the lives of 188 million children in more than 170 countries.^[1] Samaritan’s Purse recently released a report highlighting the success of the program’s 2021 Christmas season, during which 9.1 million children in need received shoebox gifts—containing various gifts such as small toys, hygiene items and school supplies—through more than 81,000 outreach events.^[2]

Through Operation Christmas Child, Samaritan’s Purse provides local partners around the world with shoebox gifts to impact children in their own communities with Christ’s love. These children, and their communities, may be afflicted by war, poverty, natural disasters, famine or disease.^[3]

According to Samaritan’s Purse, “For many boys and girls around the world, their shoebox is the first gift they have ever received.” These simple gifts express God’s love to a child in profound ways, and God can use these gifts to change a child’s life for eternity.^[4]

In some cases, these small boxes of gifts open doors of ministry that were previously closed. Such was the case in 2021 for a remote village in Gabon, where all 354 children, and the adults of the community, gathered for a local outreach, during which they would receive gifts.

“Everyone listened carefully as they heard the Gospel for the first time and discovered how much God loved them,” Samaritan’s Purse reported. “At the end of the presentation, all of the children—and all of the adults—prayed to receive Jesus as their Lord and Savior!”^[5]

While the COVID-19 pandemic presented challenges to this year’s distribution, Samaritan’s Purse leaders and partners prayerfully explored creative solutions to persist in bringing Good News and joy to children around the world. In places where only small gatherings were permitted, for instance, ministry partners went door-to-door, visiting families in their homes and making a profound impression.

“We spent one to two hours with each family talking about the Gospel,” said one partner. “They were amazed that somebody remembered them during this hard time with the virus and that people from the outside world packed shoeboxes for them.”^[6]

Visit www.samaritanspurse.org/operation-christmas-child/2021-special-report for the full report.

About Samaritan’s Purse

After sharing the story of the Good Samaritan, Jesus said, “Go and do likewise.” That is the mission of Samaritan’s Purse—to follow the example of Christ by helping those in need and proclaiming the hope of the Gospel.

Samaritan’s Purse describes itself as a “nondenominational evangelical Christian organization providing spiritual and physical aid to hurting people around the world. Since 1970, Samaritan’s Purse has helped meet 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.”^[7]

Read more news on Non Profit / Faith Based Organizations, Children, and Christmas Gift Catalog.