NORTH WILKSBORO, NC — Samaritan’s Purse is delivering backpacks filled with special gifts to displaced children in Ukraine. These backpacks are filled with carefully selected items such as winter caps, simple toys, sketchpads/notebooks, crayons, and small teddy bears stenciled with a message of God’s love written in Ukrainian.

These supplies are accompanied by booklets translated into Ukrainian—one containing encouraging words from Scripture and another, The Greatest Gift, telling the story of how God revealed His love for us through His Son. The latter resource is often given to children during Operation Christmas Child outreach events to introduce them to the Good News of Jesus Christ.

Alison Higgins – Samaritan’s Purse:

Hi, I’m Alison with Samaritan’s Purse. Today we’re filling backpacks for children in Ukraine who have been displaced due to the war. These backpacks contain special items that have been customized just for them, items to let them know that God loves them and cares for them. One of the items is a soft teddy bear that children can hold and squeeze, and have the special message of God loves them in Ukrainian. Also in the backpack are two booklets filled with encouraging Scripture and the story of Christ. One of the books in the backpack is “The Greatest Gift.” This is the same book used by Operation Christmas Child to let children know that God loves them.

We’ve also included warm winter hats, sketch pads where children can draw and color and even journal about things they are experiencing. We also have in there a stress ball, which can help them in these moments of stress and anxiety, and we’ve intentionally left space in these backpacks so they can carry their own items.

Josh Vermer – Samaritan’s Purse:

We’re so thankful for the opportunity to be able to bless these families and children in this way. Please continue to pray for the people of Ukraine and for the Samaritan’s Purse teams on the ground. Thank you, and God bless.

Alison Higgins:

It’s our prayer that these children are reminded that God loves them and cares for them, and that they are not forgotten.

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 Samaritan’s Purse International Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) program is committed to meeting the critical needs of victims of war, poverty, famine, disease, and natural disaster. We stand ready to respond at a moment’s notice whenever and wherever disaster strikes. The DART specializes in providing water, food, shelter, and medical care while sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ.

CONTACT: Kaitlyn Lahm, news@samaritan.org

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