Photo taken during a recent Samaritan's Purse trip to Costa Rica.

Canadians can bless impoverished children with Operation Christmas Child shoebox gifts

By Samaritan's Purse Canada and ChristianWeek | October 13, 2016

October 13, 2016 – The Canada-wide 2016 Operation Christmas Child shoebox collection season—an annual initiative of Samaritan’s Purse Canada for 23 years—started on October 11.

It’s when thousands of individuals, families, churches, businesses, sports teams, and community groups begin packing shoeboxes with toys, school supplies, and hygiene items, plus personal notes and photos.

Thanks to $7 donations from generous Operation Christmas Child supporters, Samaritan’s Purse is able to deliver the gift-filled shoeboxes to children around the world living in the midst of poverty, disease, war, and natural disaster.

Last year, Canadians filled more than 730,000 shoeboxes with gifts that shared God’s love and hope with children in the developing world. And since 1993, Operation Christmas Child has collected and distributed more than 135 million shoebox gifts around the globe.

“I’ve just returned from seeing our work in West Africa,” said Randy Crosson, director of Operation Christmas Child. “Seeing the joy and hope in the eyes of these children and their families is simply miraculous. Please join us and be part of bringing God’s love and hope to many more.”

Shoeboxes are given as unconditional gifts regardless of the child’s race, religion or gender. When given, they often open doors for Samaritan’s Purse to work with local community leaders in identifying and addressing other needs, such as clean water, literacy and vocational training for women, school meals for children, etc.

After children receive their shoeboxes, they are invited to participate in The Greatest Journey, a 12-lesson evangelism and discipleship program. Since 2010, God has used The Greatest Journey to bring more than 4.7 million children to faith in His Son.

National Shoebox Collection Week is Nov. 14-20: Each gift-filled shoebox packed, donated, and delivered to one of hundreds of collection centers in Canada by Nov. 20 will make a long journey into the arms of a needy child in Haiti, Latin America, Ukraine, or West Africa. People can also conveniently pack boxes online, and even include a personal note and photo, at PackABox.ca.