It is almost National Collection Week for Operation Christmas Child!

Drop of locations in your area: FIND MY DROP-OFF LOCATION

May these shoebox stories from years past, to make your heart smile! 

Your gift-filled shoeboxes are tangible expressions of God’s love for children around the world suffering from poverty, natural disasters, war, disease and famine. These children, many of whom have never received a gift before, learn they are loved and not forgotten. Since 1993, Operation Christmas Child has collected and delivered more than 157 million gift-filled shoeboxes to children in more than 150 countries and territories around the world. Since 2009, more than 14.9 million children who have received a shoebox gift have participated in The Greatest Journey - our 12 lesson discipleship program where they learn what it means to follow Jesus and share their faith with friends and family.

If you need a little motivation as to what and why to put certain things in your shoebox, check out my video from back in 2016! YOU CANNOT PUT TOOTHPASTE OR CANDY THIS YEAR! 

In 2018, Operation Christmas Child, the world's largest Christmas Project of its kind, hopes to collect enough shoebox gifts to reach another 11 million children in more than 100 countries! Pack yours today or build one online: Build-a-box-online-for$25

Click here for: SHOEBOX PACKING TIPS

Pray with Operation Christmas Child - November 2016

This month we are praying for South America. International Prayer Requests that  each country faces is: 

1. Wisdom to recruit, select, and lead new and/or transitioning volunteer leadership team members. 
2. Provision of resources to reach their God-sized goals for the current year.

WEEK 1: November 14-20th REQUESTS:

1. IT IS NATIONAL COLLECTION WEEK – PRAY FOR THIS WEEK TO BE A SUCCESS!!! Sign Up to pray for 10 minutes during National Collection Week at: 24/7 NATION COLLECTION WEEK PRAYER PARTNER 

• Monday, November 14: Ask God to bless the local volunteers who serve to collect, process, transport, and deliver shoebox gifts around the world. 
• Tuesday, November 15: Pray for Operation Christmas Child to bring joy to boys and girls who are struggling to overcome the effects of poverty, disease, famine, or war. 
• Wednesday, November 16: Pray that the hearts of children who receive shoebox gifts will be prepared to receive the Gospel of Jesus Christ. 
• Thursday, November 17: Pray that the gifts inside each shoebox will help girls and boys begin to experience God’s unconditional love. 
• Friday, November 18: Pray that the children who enroll in The Greatest Journey follow-up discipleship program will come to faith in Jesus, and share the Good News with their friends and family.  
• Saturday, November 19: Pray that God will use Operation Christmas Child to open doors in countries that are not receptive to the Gospel. 
• Sunday, November 20: Praise the Lord for using Samaritan’s Purse to distribute 135 million Operation Christmas Child shoebox gifts since 1993! Pray for millions more children to experience the love of Jesus Christ through these simple gifts. 
• Monday, November 21: Pray for the seamless transportation of shoebox gifts as they are transferred from local drop-off sites to regional Processing Centers.  (Also the 21st is my birthday, you can pack a shoebox online with me at: BUILD A BOX ONLINE

Argentina - 

1. Pray for the children enrolled in The Greatest Journey (TGJ) discipleship program in Buenos Aires and Corrientes. 
2. Pray pastors and teachers will be able to witness to parents who attend TGJ graduations. 

Bolivia - 

1. Praise God for the honor of preparing pastors and teachers, as well as mobilizing churches, for the spiritual formation of the new generations that will come to know God the Father. 
2. Pray that in this season, God will open the doors to reach unreached communities where the Gospel has previously been inaccessible. 

Brazil - 

1. Praise God for the unity of the local team in their ministry and for the love they have for each other.  
2. Pray for the contacts that will be made with new churches and ministries in the northeast of Brazil next year. 

Chile - 

1. Praise God for more than 5,000 children who received Christ in 2016.  
2. Pray for all the children who are being discipled and will soon graduate from The Greatest Journey discipleship program.  

WEEK 2: November 21-27th 
Colombia - 

1.  Pray for the customs and transporting of the shoeboxes and literature this season. Pray for the provision of the resources needed, including financial, logistical, and volunteer support. 
2.  Pray for the volunteer leadership teams that are working hard this season. Pray the Lord will bless them in all areas of their lives – families, ministries and jobs. 

Ecuador - Pray for wisdom in navigating the government bureaucracy that comes with managing a large amount of boxes in the country.

Panama -

1. Pray God will provide a new storage and distribution location for the shoeboxes this year. Pray against challenges as the teams distribute the shoeboxes to the Ministry Partners.  
2. Pray for the logistics process; pray that all of the communication and work with customs and the port will be handled without any delays. 

WEEK 3: November 28-Dec.4th
Paraguay -

1. Praise God OCC was able to reach the city of Puentesiño, which is difficult to access. Praise Him the team was able to reach over 1,000 children, demonstrating the tangible love of God. 
2. Pray God will guide the team to hear His voice and will provide the ideal person to serve as the National Coordinator for Paraguay. 
3. Pray for the volunteer coordinators serving on the regional volunteer leadership teams in San Pedro, Itapúa, Concepcion, Paraguarí and Central. Pray for the completion of these teams. 

Venezuela -

1. Praise God for the ministries of evangelism to children and adolescents. Praise Him that those who have received the message of salvation are persevering and believing the promises of the Lord Jesus Christ. 
2. Pray for the provision of food and medicine.

Bolivia Shoebox Distribution