Christmas, a holiday celebrated globally and associated with a jolly old Santa Claus and a twinkling tree often brings along thoughts of warmth, peace, and joy. Operation Christmas Child is an organization that spreads hope and tackles global poverty during the holiday season. The organization is inspired by the story of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:30-37), which describes God’s desire for individuals to help those in need, wherever they me be found.
The Operation Christmas Child website provides background information on their project. Bob Pierce, inspired by a visit to suffering children in Korea, founded Samaritan’s Purse in 1970 with a mission to address emergency needs in crisis areas through existing evangelical mission agencies and national churches. Pierce’s vision was ignited during his travels in Asia after World War II, where he encountered courageous individuals caring for people less fortunate, prompting him to seek and support Christians combatting global poverty. Franklin Graham, Pierce’s eventual successor, was captivated by the cause during a transformative tour in 1975. Despite Pierce’s death in 1978, Graham led the organization through decades of global crises, embodying the Good Samaritan’s ethos. Samaritan’s Purse not only provides immediate relief but also aids in long-term recovery, offering hope through the message of Jesus Christ.
Samaritan’s Purse, which is behind Operation Christmas Child encourages individuals, families, churches, and groups to pack shoeboxes filled with school supplies, personal care items, and toys during National Collection Week (Nov. 13–20, 2023). With over 4,500 drop-off locations nationwide, the organization collects these gift-filled shoeboxes. Guidelines exclude certain items like candy, used or damaged goods, war-related toys and liquids. Some encouraged donations include sketchbooks, crayons, LEGOS, stuffed animals, and stationery. Donors can contribute $10 per shoebox gift online, receive a tracking label, and follow its destination. Alternatively, online shoppers can customize virtual shoeboxes with age-appropriate gifts, and add a photo and personal note. Donations are also accepted and processed at eight major centers across the U.S.
Operation Christmas Child’s boxes are distributed through local churches, providing an opportunity to share the message of Jesus Christ and God’s love, starting a wildfire of difference. On their website, it is reported that since 2009, over 35.4 million shoebox recipients have participated in The Greatest Journey, a 12-lesson discipleship course, with more than 24.9 million children graduating and over 17.4 million making decisions for Christ. In 2023, the initiative is celebrating having reached 50 million children globally. The impact extends to various countries, including the Philippines, where impoverished children receive not only essential items but also an opportunity to learn about the Gospel. Additionally, Truett McConnell University highlights the global impact of Operation Christmas Child, noting their donation of 512 shoeboxes in 2020, emphasizing the tangible opportunity it provides to share the gospel with children worldwide.
Even though Operation Christmas Child has brought joy through their shoeboxes to millions of children, it has also been faced with criticism. Journalist Polly Toynbee of the Guardian discussed concerns about Operation Christmas Child. While the organization encourages people to pack shoeboxes with gifts, it is revealed that the organization behind it, Samaritan’s Purse, is a fundamentalist American evangelical Christian mission. The boxes, once dispatched, are accompanied by a missionary book of Bible stories, and there are claims of conversion efforts, such as a story of a Muslim family converted to Christianity through the shoebox. Toynbee highlighted the anti-Muslim and anti-gay views of Rev Franklin Graham, who has been the recent lead of Samaritan’s Purse, raising concerns about the hidden agenda behind the seemingly charitable act and calling for reconsideration of support.
Operation Christmas Child, an initiative by Samaritan’s Purse, spreads hope and combats global poverty by encouraging individuals, families, churches, and groups to pack gift-filled shoeboxes during National Collection Week. Inspired by the Good Samaritan story, the organization, rooted in evangelical Christian principles, provides both spiritual and physical comfort globally. However, criticism arose due to the evangelical mission’s alleged conversion efforts, highlighting concerns about hidden agendas and anti-Muslim views, urging reconsideration of support. Despite this, the impact of Operation Christmas Child is evident in the tangible opportunities it provides to share the gospel and bring joy to millions of children globally.
