THANK YOU to all who partnered with Operation Christmas Child during 2022, God did remarkable things around the world through this amazing ministry.
We are thankful to Him for all the boys and girls who have had an opportunity to hear the Good News that “whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved” (Romans 10:13)
* Includes 1,027 shoeboxes sent to a sensitive country.
Cambodia
Philippines
Papua New Guinea
Fiji
Philippines
Ukraine
Children enrolled
Decisions for Christ
Former shoebox recipient Elizabeth Groff participated in a cross-country tour where she travelled to U.S. drop-off locations and processing centres with the symbolic 200 Millionth Shoebox to encourage people to prayerfully pack boxes in Jesus’ Name.
Elizabeth then took the gift to Ukraine, where she delivered it into the hands of Natalya, an 8-year-old living in an orphanage. Natalya said that her favourite gift in her shoebox was a yellow torch because it will help guide her as she seeks cover in a dark basement during overnight air raids.
Like Natalya, Elizabeth also spent most of her childhood in an orphanage in Ukraine. She was 7 when she and her younger sister ran away because her father died and her grieving mother turned to alcohol. Elizabeth’s shoebox gift reminded her that God had not forgotten her—and she prays that Natalya will also experience the Saviour’s faithfulness and love.
“I pray that this child realises that she isn’t alone.” Elizabeth said. “I want her to know the hope of Jesus.”
In 2022, 10.6 million shoeboxes were prayerfully packed for boys and girls all over the world by people from 11 countries.
Operation Christmas Child would not be possible without the 2,136 Australian and New Zealand volunteers who served to prepare shoeboxes for international shipment. We also thank God for the 16,816 volunteers who served year-round globally with Operation Christmas Child.
Among the children who received gift-filled shoeboxes were the Himba people of Namibia.
These boys and girls belong to an unreached people group that worships their ancestors. God used Operation Christmas Child and The Greatest Journey to open doors for the Gospel and for churches to be started among the Himba.
In a fishing village in Benin, 12-year-old Alphonse received Jesus as his Lord and Saviour after receiving a shoebox gift and attending The Greatest Journey. Brothers Conrad and KD, who live in the Pacific islands, both came to faith through Operation Christmas Child—and then led their father to faith in Christ!
More than 283,000 children like Conrad and KD in over 960 Pacific Islands have received shoebox gifts and have had an opportunity to respond to the Gospel.
More than 4.4 million children participated in our follow-up discipleship program, The Greatest Journey, and 2.4 million boys and girls made decisions for Christ. Through these classes, children are learning more about God and how to share their faith with friends and family.
Thank you for journeying with us as we reflect in our 2022 Impact Report on the BIG IMPACT your support made possible.
In this report you’ll see updates from all of our projects, including Operation Christmas Child and our International and Australian Disaster Response teams. We hope and pray that you will continue walking with us on this journey through 2023 and beyond.
