Mission and History
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 help children all around the world become disciples.
“Let the children come to Me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God.”
Mark 10:14, ESV
History
In the summer of 1993, Samaritan’s Purse President Franklin Graham received a call from a man in England asking if he’d be willing to fill shoeboxes with gifts for children in war-torn Bosnia. Franklin agreed, but figured Christmas was months away. He forgot about the promise until he received a call back around Thanksgiving asking about the gifts.
Franklin asked his friend, the late Pastor Ross Rhoads of Calvary Church of Charlotte to see if he could help with the need. A Sunday shortly afterward, Pastor Rhoads demonstrated for his congregation how to fill a shoebox with simple gifts and encouraged them to include a letter to the child as well. Within weeks, the church had 11,000 shoeboxes lining their hallways.
Due to their generosity and additional gifts from Canada, Samaritan’s Purse sent 28,000 gift boxes to children in the Balkans that Christmas. Through these gifts, we communicated to children and their families what the angel said to the shepherds about Jesus’ birth:
“I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people”
Luke 2:10, ESV
Since the launch of Operation Christmas Child (OCC) in 1993, more than 230 million children in over 170 countries have received OCC shoebox gifts.
The Operation Christmas Child began in Korea in 2020. Since then, with the partnership of over 300 Korean churches and organizations, more than 134,000 shoebox gifts have been delivered to children in hard-to-reach countries such as Mongolia, Gabon, Kenya, Cambodia, Ukraine, and the Philippines.
“Let the children come to Me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God.”
Mark 10:14, ESV
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 help children all around the world become disciples.
History
In the summer of 1993, Samaritan’s Purse President Franklin Graham received a call from a man in England asking if he’d be willing to fill shoeboxes with gifts for children in war-torn Bosnia. Franklin agreed, but figured Christmas was months away. He forgot about the promise until he received a call back around Thanksgiving asking about the gifts.
Franklin asked his friend, the late Pastor Ross Rhoads of Calvary Church of Charlotte to see if he could help with the need. A Sunday shortly afterward, Pastor Rhoads demonstrated for his congregation how to fill a shoebox with simple gifts and encouraged them to include a letter to the child as well. Within weeks, the church had 11,000 shoeboxes lining their hallways.
Due to their generosity and additional gifts from Canada, Samaritan’s Purse sent 28,000 gift boxes to children in the Balkans that Christmas. Through these gifts, we communicated to children and their families what the angel said to the shepherds about Jesus’ birth:
“I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people”
Since the launch of Operation Christmas Child (OCC) in 1993, more than 230 million children in over 170 countries have received OCC shoebox gifts.
The Operation Christmas Child began in Korea in 2020. Since then, with the partnership of over 300 Korean churches and organizations, more than 134,000 shoebox gifts have been delivered to children in hard-to-reach countries such as Mongolia, Gabon, Kenya, Cambodia, Ukraine, and the Philippines.
There are still places around the world where the name of Jesus has never been heard. That’s why we continue to take the Gospel to the ends of the earth through Operation Christmas Child gift boxes.
Partner with us to share the Gospel to the ends of the earth and experience the power of a small gift.
Order your gift box today!
Operation Christmas Child
The Power of a Small Gift
Operation Christmas Child
The Power of a Small Gift
