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!

The Greatest Journey & Christopher's Story

After receiving a shoebox gift, children have the opportunity to enroll in The Greatest Journey, Operation Christmas Child's dynamic, 12-lesson Bible study course guiding them through what it means to faithfully follow Jesus Christ.

Every shoebox gift delivered by Operation Christmas Child is a tangible expression of God’s amazing love, but a shoebox is just the beginning. It also presents an opportunity in more than 100 countries for our church partners to invite children into a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ through The Greatest Journey. Since 2009, millions of children around the world have learned what it means to faithfully follow Jesus Christ through The Greatest Journey. As a result, lives are being changed for eternity and new churches are springing up in communities across the globe. TWO children EVERY MINUTE around the WORLD are ACCEPT JESUS as their SAVIOR through The Greatest Journey!
We praise the Lord for making The Greatest Journey one of the largest discipleship programs in the world today. But there are many more boys and girls we still urgently need to reach with the truth of God’s Word.
CLICK HERE for a video link about Christopher's Story and The Greatest Journey 

The Greatest Journey Haiti 

Peru

Will you help us “go and make disciples of all nations” as Christ commanded? Sign up for a monthly gift of $6, and each year you will give 12 children study materials, a New Testament, and the opportunity to learn what it means to devote their lives to sharing the Good News of eternal grace through Jesus Christ.  Donate Now to TGJ

QUICK LINKS FOR RESOURCES:

1.      To order free and specialty resources: Click Here

2.      To order GO (Gospel Opportunity) Boxes: Click Here

3.      To follow your shoebox online and learn its destination country: Click Here

4.      To learn how to disciple children in The Greatest Journey: Click Here

5.      To build a shoebox online: Click Here

6.      To print off “How to Pack a Shoebox” instructions & labels for your group: Click Here

7.      Find Your drop-off location: Click Here

8.      Read Shoebox Stories: Click Here -“It wasn’t just a gift—it was a life-changing experience. I received a tool to transform my life! – Devon, Shoebox Recipient.

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.

May Items of the Month Operation Christmas Child & FFWBC

Our May items of the month are girls toys, dolls and accessories. Here are 2 sweet photos: 

Meet Dora, a 4th grader,  from Guyana. She came to the OCC Outreach Shoebox Distribution Event with her Dora the Explorer backpack and guess what was in her shoebox...her very on DORA DOLL right on top! God orchestrates little details of our lives and HE has a specific child in mind for each shoebox Gospel Opportunity that you pack! 

The little girl from Trinidad was thrilled about her accessories she received!!!! Each gift can touch a child's life forever. 

#behindthebox #neaocc #ipackedashoebox have you?  

What goes in the box is fun but what comes out is eternal! 2 kids per minutes are accepting Christ as their personal Savior through The Greatest Journey discipleship program that the children can go through after receiving their gift-filled shoebox! #wemakedisciples 

April Item of the Month Operation Christmas Child

What's your favorite "wow" item for your gift-filled shoeboxes? What goes in a shoebox is fun...what comes out is eternal! I like to put a soccer ball or a stuffed animal! Our APRIL item of the month is stuffed animals. 

Here is a story for you:

“My name is Sveta, and I am nine years old. I have dreamed all my life about a doll with long black hair. We knew that someone was going to bring presents to our orphanage, but I could not even begin to think that in that present I would see what I wanted! I prayed and said, 'Lord, all that will be there I will accept with great joy and excitement and be thankful and will try not to sneak a peek early.' And then when I opened my gift box I saw a doll! Can you believe that she had long black hair! I believe that I was at that moment the happiest person in the world! I am so thankful to God that he loves me so much and takes care of me.” 

This little girl from Colombia held on tight to the stuffed animal she received in her shoebox gift. You can send this kind of joy too when you include a stuffed animal packed with prayer. 

When you pack a stuffed animal in a shoebox, you give a child something they can hold and love. This little boy from Bulgaria couldn't contain his excitement over the bear he received in his gift!