Pray with OCC August week 1, Caribbean, North and Central America

Thank you for devoting your time to praying for the ministry of Operation Christmas Child. Covering this ministry in prayer is what makes it so successful in taking Gospel Opportunities around the world where they learn of the love of Christ through gift-filled shoeboxes, The Greatest Gift and The Greatest Journey. Below is our list of specific requests for August. As always, pray without ceasing!

Caribbean, North and Central America are the countries we will be praying for all month.

Week One: August 7-13th
MIDSOUTH Requests:

1. It is ONLY THREE MONTHS away from National Collection Week and now is the time to ramp up our prayer mobilization to ask God to bring in 820,001 gospel opportunities in the form of shoeboxes. Your role as prayer mobilizers is imperative in ensuring that gospel opportunities are made, delivered, and transported on their way to children in over 100 countries! I challenge you to send this prayer list out to other people and get them to be a prayer partner with OCC too! They don’t have to be a year around volunteer to pray for OCC, I just need an email address and name to send the requests to! Help sign someone up as prayer partner at: operation-christmas-child/prayer-network today!  
2. Pray for our Prayer Network Goal. We Have Reached 41% of Our 25,000 Prayer Network Partner Goal! We have 10,384 Current Prayer Network Partners in the USA. We must ask God to direct and initiate all we do through OCC; that is where our Prayer Network Partners and Prayer Mobilization Team Members come in! We can make a dent in the schemes of Satan today and claim children in the name of Jesus! How many Prayer Network Partners will you add and mobilize as we enter into our busy season?! Will you join me in praying for BIG things from our Prayer Mobilization Teams in the Mid-South this year! Who’s ready? I am! “And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith”. Matthew 21:22 
3. Continue to pray for new churches to partner with us as drop-off locations and for new churches and community groups to pack shoeboxes. 
4. Pray for upcoming events this fall: Kick-offs, countdowns, project Leader workshops and Full Circle Speaker tours. 
5. Pray for shoebox goals: Mid-South 820,001, U.S. 9.5 million and World-wide 12 million.

NEA Requests:

1. NEA Shoebox Goal for our7 counties is: 11,222 Gospel Opportunities!!!!! 
2. Josh and Jill McCarty who were on our Area Team are now Church Planters in Grand Junction, Colorado. They ask that we pray for: the changes their family faces, that they find a rental house, that they are able to build a team of prayer warriors and financial supporters, for Josh’s leadership, for Jill as she adjust to everything new & homeschooling, for their hearts as they miss everyone, and for there to be Great Joy in their new city. 
3. Lift up all of our students and teachers as they will be Back to School next week. May the Light of Christ shine through the Christian Kids and Teachers to influence the lost souls in the schools so that some may come to accept Christ as their Savior.

International Prayer Requests: This week pray we are praying for Aruba, the Bahamas, Barbados, and Costa Rica.

1. Praise God for the safe delivery of millions of gift-filled shoeboxes to countries around the world including many sensitive countries. 
2. Pray for customs clearance and tax exemption of the remaining sea containers filled with shoebox Gospel Opportunities in six sensitive countries in Africa, South Asia and East Asia. 

Specific requests from each country are below:
Aruba - Pray the team is able to connect with the Ministry Partner’s (MPs) and the parents, so that they can successfully reach the children.

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.

1. Pray the Ministry Partner’s outreach event strategy (Friend to Friend, Focused Outreach, and Broad Outreach) will awaken a renewed passion in the hearts of Christians in the Bahamas to become active in evangelism during the 2016/2017 season of OCC. 
2. Pray the local churches will mobilize and accomplish OCC’s goals for reaching children with the distributions and TGJ. 
3. Pray the children will hear and respond to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Barbados - Shoebox gifts collected in the United States in 2015 will be delivered to 8,088 children in Barbados. Praise God that over 7,929 children have received a shoebox since 2014 when Operation Christmas Child began distributing gifts here. Barbados has 290,000 people and is located in the Lesser Antilles. 18% of the population is 14 years old or younger.

1. Pray God grants the NLT strength and wisdom as they seek to create dynamic children’s ministries. 
2. Pray the children will hear and respond to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Costa Rica - Pray for The Greatest Journey (TGJ) classes that are beginning in public schools. Pray the classes will continue to run well and have excellent results.

Costa Rica 2015

There’s nothing quite like the joy on a child’s face when they receive a gift of love. Shoebox gifts from Operation Christmas Child show children worldwide that they are loved. Simple items like small toys, school supplies and hygiene items are treasures to boys and girls who have very little to call their own. But the real joy is when children learn about the love of Jesus Christ, many for the first time. That is why Operation Christmas Child exists–to deliver good news and great joy through the power of a simple gift. Just look on their faces and see for yourself. This Christmas, remember what true joy looks like. “But Jesus said, ‘Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven'” (Matt 19:14 NKJV). Click here to see: Joy Around The World OCC Photos

July Operation Christmas Child Prayer Requests

NEA OCC Prayer Reminders

- prayer call for the Mid-South Region Tuesday, July 26th at 6pm. Be in prayer for the technology of this call to work and for all those calling in.

- 2016 shoebox season is quickly approaching, pray that it will come together quickly and smoothly and that God will bless our efforts.

- for our Regional Team as they search for a new Mid-South director, as Amy Johnson is expecting her miracle child, due November 1st and will be resigning at that time to stay at home with her baby.

OCC Mid-South Prayer Reminders

• Pray for God to open doors with new churches to partner with us as drop-off locations this year.

• Please pray for God to provide additional Network Coordinators to assist with logistics in our region.

• Continue to lift up our goal of 820,001 Gospel opportunities.

• Please pray for Franklin Graham as he continues with the Decision America Tour. Upcoming events will be held in Oregon, Washington and Alaska.

• Please pray for protection and healing for Mid-South volunteers as many are facing health issues and other issues.

This week we are praying for East Africa. General Prayer Requests each country faces:

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

Burundi's requests: Shoebox gifts collected in the United States in 2015 will be delivered to 97,056 children in Burundi. Praise God that over 198,844 children have received a shoebox since 2008, when Operation Christmas Child began distributing gifts here. Burundi has 10.7 million people and 45% of the population is 14 years old or younger.

• Praise God OCC has continued to bring unity among churches of different denominations.
• Pray for local fundraising, provision of resources, and the commitment of the local volunteers.

Kenya's Requests: Shoebox gifts collected in the United States in 2015 will be delivered to 137,496 children in Kenya. Praise God that over 661,958 children have received a shoebox since 1995, when Operation Christmas Child began distributing gifts here. Kenya has 45.9 million people and 42% of the population is 14 years old or younger.

• Praise God OCC has been able to reach new regions in the country like Kitale.
• Pray OCC is able to reach more new areas in Kenya.

Rwanda's Requests: Shoebox gifts collected in the United States in 2015 will be delivered to 145,584 children in Rwanda. Praise God that over 643,129 children have received a shoebox since 1994, when Operation Christmas Child began distributing gifts here. Rwanda has 12.6 million people and is located in central and 42% of the population is 14 years old or younger.

• Praise God for the opportunity to share the Gospel with over 2,000 children in refugee camps.
• Pray for the many Outreach Events and The Greatest Journey discipleship program (TGJ) and Ministry Partner trainings.

Tanzania's Requests: Shoebox gifts collected in the United States in 2015 will be delivered to 129,408 children in Tanzania. Praise God that over 655,635 children have received a shoebox since 2000, when Operation Christmas Child began distributing gifts here. Tanzania has 51 million people and 44% of the population is 14 years old or younger.

• Praise God for the quick and successful container clearance and for the unloading and transfer of the containers to OCC’s warehouse in Dar es Salaam.
• Pray the children and teachers will complete the TGJ program and that many children will become disciples of Christ.

Uganda's Requests: Shoebox gifts collected in the United States in 2015 will be delivered to 291,168 children in Uganda. Praise God that over 1,352,815 children have received a shoebox since 1996, when Operation Christmas Child began distributing gifts here. Uganda has 37.1 million people and 48% of the population is 14 years old or younger.

• Praise God for the children who have completed TGJ and are now graduating.
• Pray God will provide for needy children in unreached areas.

“And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith”. Matthew 21:21

Uganda

Tanzania

Rwanda

Kenya

Thank you for praying for Operation Christmas Child. Without volunteers this ministry would not be successful. We praise God for over 135 million shoeboxes in the past 23 years, which means 135 million opportunities to share the Gospel with children, families, and communities!!! 

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

Operation Christmas Child Prayer May Week 2

May Week 2
OCC Mid-South (Arkansas, Tennessee & Kentucky) Requests:

1. 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!!! 
2. Pray for Franklin Graham and the Decision America Tour as they continue to travel around the United States.  
3. Pray for Church and Community Relations Team Members. They are in ENGAGEMENT season seeking partnerships with new churches and community groups and organizations to pack shoeboxes.  
4. Pray for Logistics – Network Coordinators, Area Coordinators and Mid- South staff who are seeking new drop-off locations for National Collection Week all over our three state area. Pray that God would open amazing doors for new relay and collection centers.

OCC NEA Requests: (Craighead, Clay, Greene, Lawrence, Mississippi, Poinsett, and Randolph Counties):  This week pray for all our Church and Community 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!

International Prayer Requests:

1. 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! 
2. Pray for tax exemption of shoeboxes in five countries primarily in Africa and South Asia. 
3. 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. 
4. Pray for Venezuela, their shoeboxes have been blocked the past 4 years. 
5. Pray as we integrate the NO CANDY and NO TOOTHPASTE into our 2017 campaign of shoeboxes. occinfo@samaritan.org 

This week we will be praying for Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Madagascar, Malawi, Namibia, and Tanzania.

Guinea: Pray for the Muslim children OCC is ministering to.

Guinea-Bissau: Pray for easier access so shoeboxes can be delivered to more remote areas.

Madagascar began receiving shoe box gifts in 1996. The National Leadership Team consists of Justin Mosa who serves as the NLT Coordinator, Yriarte Rakotoharimanana as Discipleship Coordinator, Julie Ramialisoa as Prayer Coordinator, Josette Ramiarantsoa as Resource Coordinator, Tiana Ranaivoarison as Logistics Coordinator and Camille Ratsimbazafy as Church Mobilization Coordinator. The Madagascar NLT has 4 Super Regional Leadership Teams and 17 Regional Leadership Teams that are instrumental in leading efforts in the different regions of the country.

Madagascar OCC

Madagascar OCC

1.  Pray for tax exemption of the 18 containers filled with Gospel Opportunities waiting to reach the children. 
2. Praise God for the massive and active participation of the parents and children who are sharing the Gospel after TGJ Graduation. 
3. Praise God for good participation in the Train the Trainers. 
4. Pray for God’s intervention so that the “Ministry of Population” will support the tax exoneration (exemption) process. 



Madagascar OCC

5. Pray for the Outreach Event in the Least Unreached People Group of Faux Cap.

Malawi National Leadership Team began with its first season in 2000. Jean Kamenya is the NLT Coordinator. The Malawi NLT has 1 Super Regional Leadership Team and 1 Regional Leadership Teams that are instrumental in leading efforts in the different regions of the country.  

1. Praise God for the successful completion of many TGJ graduations. 
2. Praise God for His love for the children of Malawi. Praise Him for the projects planned for 2016 to focus more on the impact of TGJ and to reach and impact Least Reached, Unreached and Unengaged People Groups (LUUPGs). 
3. Praise God for the growth in membership in some churches where children received OCC gift boxes. 
4. Pray God will give the team grace as they meet Ministry Partners and carry out trainings. Pray the whole process will be a success. 
5. Pray the Unreached People Groups program will be a success and that these areas will receive the Gospel positively.

Namibia began receiving shoe box gifts in 2000. The current National Leadership Team Coordinator is Isak Farmer. The Namibia NLT has 2 Regional Leadership Teams that are instrumental in leading efforts in the different regions of the country.

1. Praise God for the establishment of two new RLTs. 
2. Praise God for the around 800 TGJ teachers trained this year. 
3. Praise God for the committed local contacts who joined the Khomas Team. 
4. Pray for a new NLT Resource Coordinator and Prayer Coordinator. 
5. Pray for the formation of two new RLTs. 
6. Pray the TGJ teachers and local contacts will remain faithful and committed to the call of God in discipling children. Pray for diligence in reporting all that is to be celebrated from this season. 
7. Pray the new TGJ material in the Oshiwambo language will enable the Gospel to reach even further and with even greater effectiveness. 

Tanzania National Leadership Team began with its first season in 2000. Rodrick Mbwambo has served faithfully as the NLT Coordinator since that time. The NLT leads 5 Super Regional Leadership Teams and 5 Regional Leadership Teams.

1. Praise God for the successful and peaceful government elections. 
2. Praise God for the success of the nConnect held last year. Praise Him for the increase in the number of sRLTs and trained volunteers. 
3. Praise God for keeping the NLT and sRLT members safe as they traveled for trainings. Praise Him for the success of these trainings and the new MPs who participated in them. 
4. Pray the authorities will quickly release the exemption documents after the changes with the government positions in the Tanzania Harbor Authorities. 
5. Pray the children and teachers will be able to complete the TGJ classes. Pray the children will become evangelists. 
6. Pray for the safety of the NLT as they travel both domestically and internationally for their OCC duties. 
7. Pray the gift boxes will be used to fulfill OCC’s vision of sharing God’s love and salvation with the children, families, as well as the local churches’ advancement. 

   

   Madagascar Shoebox transportation by Canoe

“And he said, “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” Exodus 33:14

Just like with Moses, we serve the same God who is with us, gives us rest, and shows us where to go with these shoeboxes!

May week 1 Operation Christmas Child Prayer

OCC Mid-South (Arkansas, Tennessee & Kentucky) Requests:

1. Praising God for all of the Mid-South volunteers who attended a Connect conference this year! 
2. Pray for the Mid-South goal of 820,001 GOSPEL OPPORTUNITIES. NEA GOAL is 11,222. USA is 9,500,000. 
3. Please continue to pray for new churches to partner with us in 2016 as drop-off locations. 
4. Pray for the upcoming Connect trip to Zambia next week. Pray for safety and good health for our staff and volunteers. 
5. Pray for Franklin Graham and the Decision America Tour as they continue to travel around the United States. Praising God for amazing turnouts in Arkansas, Tennessee and Kentucky!!

OCC NEA Requests: (Craighead, Clay, Greene, Lawrence, Mississippi, Poinsett, and Randolph Counties):

1. Pray for our 2nd Quarterly Prayer Call of 2016 on May 9th – for the presenters and those joining the Skype session.

International Prayer Requests:

1. Praise God for the 52 countries that have received shoeboxes and volunteer teams are now working hard in Outreach Events to share the Good News with children.
2. Praise God that approximately 131,000 children are about to start The Greatest Journey (12 lesson discipleship program) and another 170,000 have started TGJ and are about to be presented the opportunity to receive Christ. Pray their hearts are wide open to the Gospel!
3. Pray for the shoeboxes still enroute on ships to children in five countries. 
4. Pray for tax exemption of shoeboxes in five countries primarily in Africa and South Asia. 
5. 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. 
6. Pray for Venezuela, their shoeboxes have been blocked the past 4 years. 
7. Pray as we integrate the NO CANDY and NO TOOTHPASTE into our 2017 campaign of shoeboxes. Due to increasing customs regulations, we will be phasing out these items. Candy and toothpaste have become items of regulatory issue, often causing complications with the delivery of shoeboxes. The mission of Operation Christmas Child is to share the good news of Jesus Christ using a simple shoebox gift as a platform to open doors to share the Gospel. Including these items are increasingly proving to prevent entry into a large number of our recipient countries and blocking the opportunity to share God’s love with children in need. For this reason, toothpaste and candy will still be allowed during this year’s 2016 collection, but will become official inappropriate items in 2017. To see an up-to-date list of what can and can’t go in a shoebox, visit our website here. If you have further questions, please email us at occinfo@samaritan.org

This week also join us in praying or Cameroon and Burkina Faso in Africa.
Cameroon: Shoebox gifts collected in the United States in 2015 will be delivered to 137,496 children in Cameroon. Praise God that over 539,629 children have received a shoebox since 2001, when Operation Christmas Child began distributing gifts here. Cameroon has 23.7 million people and is located in Central Africa. 43% of the population is 14 years old or younger. Only 9% of the population is Evangelical Christian.

1. Pray God will protect the volunteers and Ministry Partners in the mission field during the outreach events and trainings. Pray the ministry partners fully understand their role and continue to engage in OCC. 
2. Pray The Greatest Journey discipleship program (TGJ) will have a great impact on the children and will transform their lives. Pray the testimonies will be included in the reports. 
3. Praise God for the peace in Cameroon. http://www.samaritanspurse.org/operation-christmas-child-countries/cameroon/

Burkina Faso: is A landlocked country of the Sahel. Prone to drought and famine. Shoebox gifts collected in the United States in 2015 will be delivered to 202,200 children in Burkina Faso. Praise God that over 1,026,229 children have received a shoebox since 1999, when Operation Christmas Child began distributing gifts here. Burkina Faso has 18.9 million people and is located in West Africa. 45% of the population is 14 years old or younger.

1. Pray for the children as they complete their TGJ Bible classes.
2. Praise God for His provision for OCC.
3. Pray for the safety and the ministry of the team members as they travel to support the project. 
4. Pray God continues to strengthen and motivate partners, who hold the Gospel sacred, to join OCC. http://www.samaritanspurse.org/operation-christmas-child-countries/burkina_faso/

Children in Cameroon receiving Shoeboxes

Quarterly Day of Prayer and Fasting, May 4th, 2016 Operation Christmas Child

May 4th is the OCC's Quarterly Day of Prayer and Fasting.  That means Operation Christmas Child volunteers and staff AROUND THE WORLD are praying TODAY together for this ministry!!! Tonight I am asking you to pray for The Greatest Journey and Venezuela. TGJ is so successful that 2 kids per minute are being saved! It teaches shoebox recipients how to follow Jesus and has impacted over 2.7M children in just six years. We are working to improve this program and need your prayers.

Prayer Requests for The Greatest Journey are:

1. Pray that the Lord will guide our team in setting the best schedules for production, testing, translation, training and teaching the updated materials in the classroom. 
2. Pray for the creative team to meet the production project schedule. 
3. Pray for all of the stakeholders to have wisdom as they provide feedback so the children receive the best discipleship that is relevant in their context.

Also, pray for Venezuela - their shoeboxes have been blocked for the past 4 years.  Pray with us that these doors will be opened again.  

A boy in a slum area of Venezuela arrived at an OCC gift distribution with an old baseball glove tucked under his arm. He told a volunteer, “I wish there was a new glove in my box.” He opened his gift to find a new glove! It was the first time the national OCC team had seen a baseball glove in a box. At the same distribution, a little girl who was a dancer got ballet shoes, a tutu, tights and a tiara in her box.

Gospel Multiplication through Prayer - “How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? 15 And how shall they preach unless they are sent?” (Romans 10:14-15a)
Operation Christmas Child volunteers are the most motivated people on the planet. There is a passion for the expansion of the Gospel in the hearts of our volunteers. As stories of children’s hearts impacted by a simple shoebox gift continue to come in, we are seeing that passion grow. The effects are unmistakable – unprecedented unity is occurring among church leaders causing the church around the world to work together so children have an opportunity to hear the Gospel.

The enemy doesn’t like the passion or the unity that is taking place and resists our efforts with all his forces. But, we will not let the trials weigh us down because we remember that we are promised there will be trials. We take hope in the truth that our efforts have been orchestrated by God and the results belong to Him. Regardless of our role, it is God who works in us both to will and to do for His good pleasure (Philippians 2:13). He loves to give us the desires of our hearts as we pray and fast for the salvation of children throughout our countries. It is our heart connected to a loving and gracious Father through prayer that facilitates more prepared hearts, more Gospel seeds planted, more discipleship and more communities impacted.

Because of our prayers and efforts, Gospel multiplication is exponentially growing and young preachers are being sent to share the Good News.

Pray With Operation Christmas Child 3rd Week of April Requests for MENA Sensitive Countries

April WEEK 3:
OCC Mid-South Requests
· Pray for Connect volunteers and OCC staff as they travel to the Connect Conferences in Atlanta April 28-30.
· Pray for our 2nd Quarterly Prayer Call of 2016 on May 9th – for the presenters and those joining the Skype session.
· Pray for our Prayer Teams and Coordinators as they try to get prayer requests out to people who will commit to prayer – we are in great need of new prayer partners all over this region.

NEA Requests
· Pray for our NEA Team as we grow our team
· Pray for our goals for shoebox collections for 2016: 11,222 Gospel Opportunities!!!!!

MENA- Sensitive Country
· Pray for the provision of a warehouse for the shoeboxes and for a smooth process with customs.
· Pray God provides a Prayer Coordinator to join the team.
· Pray for the Ministry Partners and The Greatest Journey discipleship program trainings.

MENA (Middle East & North Africa) Sensitive Country
· Pray for the upcoming Outreach Events and the start of the discipleship program.
· Pray God protects the country from evil plans.
· Pray for an end to the wars in the MENA countries. Pray God will bring reconciliation and forgiveness.

Operation Christmas Child Prayer - Middle East and North Africa

April Week 2:
OCC Mid-South Requests

• Pray for Connect volunteers and OCC staff as they travel to the Connect Conferences in Atlanta April 28-30.
• Pray for all Area Coordinators as they lead, equip and encourage their area teams.

NEA Requests

• Pray for our NEA Team as we grow our team and look for Relay Centers & Coordinators, new team members, and new donor churches! 
• Pray for our goals for shoebox collections for 2016: 11,222 Gospel Opportunities!!!!! 

MENA- Sensitive Country

• Pray for the start of the discipleship program for the first time in this country. 
• Pray for the provision of storage for the shoebox gifts. 
• Pray the team is able to find more Ministry Partners to hold Outreach Events to the children.

MENA- Sensitive Country

• Pray for favor with the government so the volunteer team is able to obtain the needed tax exemption for the upcoming season.

MENA- Sensitive Country

• Praise God the team is still committed to the ministry despite the security challenges. 
• Pray for the security and safety of the team members during the civil war. 
• Pray for the residency renewal of the team members in the country. 
• Pray the team is able to travel outside the country to participate in OCC conferences.

Tony Evans says “Prayer is not the pregame; it is the game. It is not the preparation for battle; it is the war.”  “Prayer is the communication link between the visible and invisible world.”

Thank you for faithfully praying for Operation Christmas Child.

Operation Christmas Child Prayer - April 2016

Operation Christmas Child Prayer Reminders:

• Praise God for the 49 countries that have received shoeboxes and volunteer teams are now working hard in Outreach Events to share the Good News with over 7M children.
• Pray for the shoeboxes still in route on ships to children in 8 countries.
• Pray for tax exemption of shoeboxes in six countries in East and South Asia and Madagascar.
• Pray for customs clearance of sea containers filled with shoebox Gospel Opportunities in 12 countries.

OCC Mid-South Prayer Requests

• Please pray for the 2016 recommitment of Mid-South volunteers. Pray that all volunteers will prayerfully consider their continued partnership with the ministry.
• Pray for God to open doors with new churches to partner with us as drop-off locations this year.
• Pray for Franklin Graham and the Decision America Tour as it will be making a stop in Little Rock, AR on April 12th.
• Please continue to pray for the Connect conferences that will be taking place in San Francisco April 7-9 and in Atlanta April 28 – 30.
• Pray for OCC Leadership as they are very busy with Connect conferences and leading ministry.
• Pray for all Connect volunteers in Tennessee this month. For God to continue to use them to move the ministry of OCC forward in the state of Tennessee. Pray for God to open doors with churches and community groups were they have never heard of OCC. Pray for unity among all Tennessee area teams, pray that God would strengthen them, encourage them and protect them. Pray for our Tennessee Area Coordinators as they lead area teams.

OCC NEA Prayer Requests:

• Growth of our team in 2016
• Our 2016 NEA GOAL: 11,222 Gospel Opportunities!!!!! 
• Pray for our NEA Team as search for Relay Centers & Coordinators, new prayer team members, and new donor churches! Praise God for adding to our Area Team this year 
• Pray for those of us going to Atlanta Connect at the end of this month

Turning“Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”(Matthew 18:3)

We would all like to have child-like faith. Remember when you first accepted Jesus as your Savior? Your heart was completely washed clean and you had never felt like that before.

There is a freedom in children. They laugh loudly, are in awe of their surroundings, and enjoy the simplest things. Teaching children is like dipping a sponge in a bucket of water. They soak up what you say and immediately try to put it into practice.

There’s a recently released Christian song with one line that captures this idea, “May we never lose our wonder.” Isn’t that a major aspect of what Jesus means when He says, “turn and become like children?” When we abide in Him and His words abide in us, our hearts stay tender before Him. Regardless of our circumstances, that abiding relationship sparks within us a wonder at His goodness, His faithfulness, His loving kindness, His compassion and whatever we need from Him today. When we turn toward Him in wide-eyed wonder, it keeps our hearts soft. We can hear Him more clearly causing us to more fully obey what He says.

God is moved by our child-like prayers to touch the heart of a young girl or boy in another country with the Gospel. May those prayers continually be upon our lips.


Middle East, North Africa (MENA) and India Spiritual Impact Story Eurasia Sensitive Country: My name is Kajol Patro from a town in Asia. I am the eldest daughter among four. My parents work as a day labor in the tea garden and therefore we are an extremely poor as a family. Due to this extreme poverty, my parents sent me to the capital city to work as a maid servant in my childhood. Since I was working as a maid servant, I wasn’t getting proper wages or gifts from the owner’s. As a result, I was very sad with my parents. I could not figure out, why they had sent me to work as house maid in my early days, knowing that I will not have formal schooling and belong to my own family. I am a girl from a Hindu Family, but now I have received Jesus in my life and getting gifts abundantly. My family could not believe that anyone can give me such a beautiful gift. With this gift I realize that, I am not a deprived child and I am equally important to God moreover Jesus loves me. Today I am able to eradicate my sadness by means of Jesus. I would like to thank from the bottom of my heart to all the kids who have presented me with such a wonderful gift this Christmas.

International Prayer Requests - General Prayer Requests each country faces:

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

India:

Operation Christmas Child - India 2013

• Pray God will use the teams in India to fulfill His will. Pray the teams remain committed and open to serving Him.  
• Pray for wisdom for leadership.

MENA (Middle East – North Africa) - Sensitive Country

• Pray for the early arrival of the shoebox gifts. 
• Pray for the selection of areas for Outreach Events. 
• Pray for the safe storage of the shoeboxes.

MENA- Sensitive Country

• Pray for the upcoming outreach events that will be held in unreached villages.  
• Pray for the safety of the team in light of the political and security instability in the country. 

OCC Prayer: Peru, Suriname and Uruguay

WEEK 4: (March 27th-April 2nd)
OCC Mid-South Requests

1. Pray for Connect volunteers and OCC staff as they travel to the Connect Conferences in San Francisco-April 7-9, and Atlanta April 28-30. 
2. Pray for all Area Coordinators as they lead, equip and encourage their area teams. 
3. Pray for Franklin Graham and the Decision America Tour; he will be in Arkansas for a Prayer Rally on April 12, 2016 at Noon on the Capitol Front Steps at 500 Woodlane Street, Little Rock, AR 72201.

OCC NEA Requests 

1. Pray for our NEA Team as search for Relay Centers & Coordinators, new prayer team members, and new donor churches! Praise God for adding to our Area Team this year! 
2. Pray for our goals for shoebox collections for 2016: 11,222 Gospel Opportunities!!!!! 

OCC International Prayer Requests - General Prayer Requests each country faces:

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

Peru - Shoebox gifts collected in the United States in 2015 will be delivered to 258,816 children in Peru. Praise God that over 2,150,100 children have received a shoebox since 1996, when Operation Christmas Child began distributing gifts here. Peru has 30.4 million people and is located in western South America. 27% of the population is 14 years old or younger. 

Peru

Peru - The Greatest Journey

1. Pray for the procedures that need to happen with the government of Peru to free the shipping containers, especially for a favorable technical opinion so that they do not delay the containers in customs. 
2. Pray for the beginning of new work in different regions. Pray the Gospel will advance through the ministry of OCC and reach the children in the neediest areas of Peru. 
3. Pray for me and the mission team I will be traveling with – I am planning to go to Peru on a Medical Mission Trip June 22-29th. Melinda Dixon will be in Guatemala on a Mission Trip during this same time. Be in prayer for her team also. 
4. Praise God for the opportunity to reach out to the children living in the remotest places in Peru.
5. Pray for the new regions that are involved in OCC. 

• Spiritual Impact Story from Peru: The Discipleship Coordinator of Cajamarca tells us that Maria, who is 9 years old, has felt very happy during the discipleship. It has been a challenge for her to memorize the bible verses, but it has been of great value because she remembers them all the time and is able to share them with her friends at school. When they ask her where she learned them, she invites them to church. Maria says, “I like to invite my friends because I want them to know Him too, how beautiful it is to be able to feel Him when we pray or sing. I am happy I know him”. Rico’s family never went to church. He received a shoebox and, after participating in The Greatest Journey discipleship program (TGJ), became enthusiastic about God. He asked the TGJ leader if he could join her church. She went to see his parents, but they wouldn’t allow him to. Everyone began to pray for the situation; Rico prayed most fervently. The Lord answered. His mother surrendered her life to Jesus and allowed Rico to attend the church services. She even requested for the church leaders to baptize her son. 
• http://www.samaritanspurse.org/operation-christmas-child-countries/peru/ 
• Peru Video: https://youtu.be/dP_-TyAx7AY

Suriname - Shoebox gifts collected in the United States in 2015 will be delivered to 16,176 children in Suriname. Praise God that over 103,900 children have received a shoebox since 1997, when Operation Christmas Child began distributing gifts here. Suriname has 579,000 people and is located on the coast of South America. 26% of the population is 14 years old or younger.

Excitement in Suriname!

 

1. Pray that thirty churches will be motivated to participate in this year's project. 
2. Pray for financial provision for the customs process. 
3. Pray more Ministry Partners will start prayer meetings for and with children and that the MP’s will understand the mission of OCC and will be enthusiastic about reaching the children of Suriname. 
4. Pray that the children who don’t yet know Christ will be invited to participate in OCC and will become followers of Him. 
5. Pray for the formation of more regional volunteer leadership teams.

• http://www.samaritanspurse.org/operation-christmas-child-countries/suriname/

Uruguay - In Uruguay, four children arrived at a shoe box distribution without any shoes, and each of the gifts they received contained a pair of shoes. The father and many people in the neighborhood accepted Christ when they saw the power of these simple gifts. 

1. Pray for the upcoming TGJ trainings. 

Children in Uruguay receiving their Shoeboxes!

For some great Praise Shoebox stories visit: http://www.samaritanspurse.org/article/giving-god-the-glory-for-occ-miracles 

“Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.” (1 John 5:14)

WEEK 3: (March 22-29th) OCC March Prayer

WEEK 3: (March 22-29th)

OCC Mid-South Requests
· Pray for Connect volunteers and OCC staff as they travel to the Connect Conferences in San Francisco-April 7-9, and Atlanta April 28-30.
· Pray for all Area Coordinators as they lead, equip and encourage their area teams.
· Pray for OCC Mid-South staff as they travel to meet with area teams in our region.
· Pray for Franklin Graham and the Decision America Tour; he will be in Arkansas for a Prayer Rally on April 12, 2016 at Noon on the Capitol Front Steps at 500 Woodlane Street, Little Rock, AR 72201.

OCC NEA Requests
· Pray for our NEA Team as we grow our team and look for Relay Centers & Coordinators, new prayer team members, and new donor churches!
· Pray for our goals for shoebox collections for 2016: 11,222 Gospel Opportunities!!!!!

South America is where we will be focusing our prayer this month!
OCC International Prayer Requests
General Prayer Requests each country faces:
· Wisdom to recruit, select and lead new and/or transitioning volunteer leadership team members.
· Provision of resources to reach their God-sized goals for the current year.

Guyana Shoebox gifts collected in the United States in 2015 will be delivered to 32,352 children in Guyana. Praise God that over 314,900 children have received a shoebox since 2000, when Operation Christmas Child began distributing gifts here. Guyana has 735 thousand people and is located on the Caribbean coast of South America. 28% of the population is 14 years old or younger.

Guyana OCC Distribution

· Pray for the TGJ teacher trainings that are happening across Guyana. Pray the teachers will disciple each child that receives a gift box.
· Pray for the NLT. Pray for their health and strength as they cope with a large amount of work during the distribution period.
Video & Stories from Guyana: https://youtu.be/arqB4I97Y-o http://www.samaritanspurse.org/operation-christmas-child-countries/guyana/

Panama is just north of Colombia. 40% of Panamanians live in poverty. Shoebox gifts collected in the United States in 2015 will be delivered to 121,320 children in Panama. Praise God that over 1,236,400 children have received a shoebox since 1996, when Operation Christmas Child began distributing gifts here. Panama has 3.6 million people and is the southernmost country of Central America. 27% of the population is 14 years old or younger.  

· Pray the team is able to grow their prayer network and to continue to form active prayer warriors for the Gospel.
· Pray that OCC will be able to reach all of the indigenous groups safely and without influence from insurgent groups, politicians, and customs that can hinder the work of the Lord.

Video and Stories from Panama: https://youtu.be/KS8wbbV0r60 http://www.samaritanspurse.org/operation-christmas-child-countries/panama/

Panama OCC Distribution

Paraguay is west of Brazil and only 6% Evangelical. 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. 

Paraguay OCC Distribution - The Greatest Gift

· Pray for Paraguay as the country is dealing with a time of flooding, in which more than 100,000 people have lost their homes and are now living in terrible conditions.

Stories from Paraguay: http://www.samaritanspurse.org/operation-christmas-child-countries/paraguay/

Deuteronomy 16:17 – "Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the LORD your God which He has given you."  
We are so blessed in the U.S.A., please pray about how many Shoebox Gospel Opportunities YOU should pack this year! 
Join my Shoebox Challenge!
Join my "Build One With Me" Build A Box Online Challenge: Build One With Me Challenge Link and help me reach my goal by packing your own online boxes today!