May Week 3 Prayer for Operation Christmas Child

May Week 3: South America
OCC Mid-South (Arkansas, Tennessee & Kentucky) Requests:  Pray for the Mid-South goal of 820,001 GOSPEL OPPORTUNITIES. NEA GOAL is 11,222. USA goal is 9,500,000. All sending countries together is 12 million shoeboxes!!!

OCC NEA Requests: (Craighead, Clay, Greene, Lawrence, Mississippi, Poinsett, and Randolph Counties): This week pray for all our Media Relations Team Members as they try to reach new contacts to cast the vision of OCC and get more people involved and excited about spreading the Gospel through gift-filled shoeboxes!

OCC International Prayer Requests: 

• Praise God for The Greatest Journey (12 lesson discipleship program). Pray hearts will be wide open to receive the Gospel through this part of our ministry! 
• Pray for tax exemption of shoeboxes in five countries primarily in Africa and South Asia. 
• Pray for customs clearance of the sea containers filled with shoebox Gospel Opportunities in eleven countries including Madagascar and three sensitive countries in North Africa, South Asia and East Asia.

This week we will be praying for Argentina, Bahamas, Bolivia, Brazil, Honduras, and Paraguay. 

Argentina

Argentina - Will you join me in praising God today for the privilege of OCC to serve the children of Argentina? It is Latin America’s second largest country with as many as 500,000 people living in slums in and around Buenos Aires. Approximately 10% of the population is Evangelical Christian. Shoebox gifts collected in the United States in 2015 will be delivered to 10,000 children in Argentina. Praise God that over 402,700 children have received a shoebox since 2001, when Operation Christmas Child began distributing gifts here. Argentina has 43.4 million people and 25% of the population is 14 years old or younger. Praise God for the pastors and families who support and encourage the work of OCC. Praise God for opening the doors to begin a creative initiative to provide shoeboxes for Argentina. Pray for the team as they begin to execute this initiative in Argentina and for favor among those who will assemble the shoeboxes and print the materials. Pray for the volunteers and churches that participate in OCC. Pray more children will be reached with the Gospel.

Pray for the formation of the prayer network and for wisdom as its members pray for the project.

Argentina

• Pray for the TGJ season. Pray the teachers will be equipped to guide the children through the program. Pray the children will hear and understand the Gospel.

Bahamas – Shoebox gifts collected in the United States in 2015 will be delivered to 19,884 children in the Bahamas. Praise God that over 67,892 children have received a shoebox since 2010, when Operation Christmas Child began distributing gifts here. The Bahamas has 324,000 people and is an island country located in the Atlantic Ocean. 23% of the population is 14 years old or younger.

• Pray the teams will be united to work effectively throughout the islands. 
• For stories from the Bahamas click this link: http://www.samaritanspurse.org/operation-christmas-child-countries/bahamas/ 

Bolivia Less than 15% of the population of Bolivia is Evangelical Christian. Over 80% of the children there live in extreme poverty and 100,000 under age 14 have to work. Over 80,000 children are addicted to drugs. Shoebox gifts collected in the United States in 2015 will be delivered to 10,000 children in Bolivia. Praise God that over 564,800 children have received a shoebox since 1998, when Operation Christmas Child began distributing gifts here. Bolivia has 10.8 million people and is located in western-central South America, 33% of the population is 14 years old or younger. Pray for the development of Children’s Ministries and for the churches to see their importance. Praise God for the opportunity to use innovative means to provide shoeboxes to children in Bolivia. Pray for the volunteer NLT as they coordinate this effort. Pray the consignee is able to complete the necessary documents for customs in a timely manner. Pray the customs authorities will catch the vision of OCC and understand the true reasons for reaching children with the gifts from God. Pray God grants His wisdom to the NLT as they recruit, select, and train new volunteer regional leadership team. Pray for the Children to grasp the concept of Christ’s Love as they go through The Greatest Journey and pray for the teachers presenting it.

Bolivia

• Pray God will continue to open doors for the strategic outreach events for children who do not have access to the Gospel. 

Brazil - Shoebox gifts collected in the United States in 2015 will be delivered to 10,000 children in Brazil. Praise God that over 246,200 children have received a shoebox since 2002, when Operation Christmas Child began distributing gifts here. Brazil has 204.2 million people and is located in South America. 23% of the population is 14 years old or younger.

• Pray for the Build a Box Project in Brazil and for all of the details and logistics that come with the project. Pray the volunteers will be passionate about this ministry and committed to seeing children come to faith in Jesus.  
• PRAYER REQUESTS FROM MINISTRY PARTNERS IN BRAZIL: Praise God for His provision this past year, Pray God provides the right contacts, who will open the doors of this country to OCC, so that the Brazilian children can hear and respond to the Gospel. 

Honduras - Shoebox gifts collected in the United States in 2015 will be delivered to 194,112 children in Honduras. Praise God that over 2,288,400 children have received a shoebox since 1996, when Operation Christmas Child began distributing gifts here. Honduras has 8.7 million people and is located in Central America. 34% of the population is 14 years old or younger. 

Honduras

• Pray for the children who will be reached through OCC. Pray His Word remains in them and that they will grow in the power of the Holy Spirit. Pray that God builds this generation of children and youth to live for Him, give perfect praise to His name, and to proclaim His attributes.  
• Click here for a video link of Honduras and OCC: http://www.samaritanspurse.org/operation-christmas-child-countries/honduras/#ooid=txM2c3bjrPj18n4eGpiRc-ejqPuesZQ7 
• Click here for Honduras OCC Stories: http://www.samaritanspurse.org/operation-christmas-child-countries/honduras/ 

Paraguay - Shoebox gifts collected in the United States in 2015 will be delivered to 80,880 children in Paraguay. Praise God that over 555,300 children have received a shoebox since 2000, when Operation Christmas Child began distributing gifts here. Paraguay has 6.7 million people and is located in central South America. 26% of the population is 14 years old or younger.

• Pray for the TGJ teachers, especially the new ones who were selected and trained this year. Pray God will protect them, keep them healthy, and guide them. Pray God will guard their churches and their jobs as they serve OCC.  
• PRAYER REQUESTS FROM MINISTRY PARTNERS IN PARAGUAY: Praise God for His provision this past year. Pray as the team continues to extend OCC into new areas.

Paraguay

“Give thanks to the Lord, for HE is good. HIS love endures forever.” Psalm 107:1

Bolivia

Bolivia