International Ministry Kicks Off Annual Christmas Drive for Needy Children
by Allie Martin
November 19, 2003
(AgapePress) - Children in the United States and other developed nations are participating in the world's largest Christmas project in order to send hope to more than seven million hurting children worldwide.This week U.S. children, families, churches, schools, scout troops, and civic organizations are sending shoeboxes filled with gifts to be hand-delivered to children of other nations who are suffering from the effects of war, terrorism, disease, famine, and other natural disasters.
This is all part of Operation Christmas Child, an annual project of the international Christian relief organization known as Samaritan's Purse. Ministry president Franklin Graham says the gifts given through Operation Christmas Child shine a ray of light into the difficult lives of needy children all around the world.
Franklin Graham | |
"Most of the children we give these boxes to are kids who have really lived in poverty in the worst way, and the gift brings such joy," Graham says. He notes that many of the children the project targets are "kids with no hope," and then, he says, "here comes this box and somebody with love, giving them a gift and bringing, all of a sudden, a breath of hope into their life."The gifts will go to children in 95 countries, including 80,000 to needy children in Sudan. Graham says the project requires lots of volunteers and lots of prayer. "It's a global effort," he says, "and it's getting bigger every year."
The Samaritan's Purse president describes Operation Christmas Child as an intense multinational collaboration, with numerous volunteers and ministry staffers working together and coordinating their activities in order to reach as many kids as possible with the truth of God's love.
"When you get people in 11 different countries, millions of people, praying for children around the world, I believe God's going to hear those prayers, and He's going to answer those prayers," Graham says.
Since 1993 Operation Christmas Child has hand-delivered more than 24 million shoebox gifts to children suffering under adverse conditions in more than 100 countries.
