Operation Christmas Child
Sharing Good News and Great Joy
Operation Christmas Child is a project of Samaritan’s Purse. It is a hands-on way for you to bless children in need across the world by filling shoeboxes with toys, personal care items, school supplies, and fun gifts.
The mission of Operation Christmas Child is to demonstrate God’s love in a tangible way to children in need around the world. Through this project, Samaritan’s Purse partners with the local church worldwide to share the Good News of Jesus Christ and make disciples of the nations.
Get Involved
How to Pack a Shoebox
A step-by-step guide of how to pack a gift-filled shoebox with Operation Christmas Child
Build a Shoebox Gift Online
Simply select toys and other fun items you’d like to include from our collection, and personalise your gift with your own letter and photo. We’ll pack the gift for you and send it on its way to bless a child.
Resources Hub
Share the Good News about Operation Christmas Child! Download or order printed resources to share with your group, church or community.
Donate & Follow Your Box
Make your suggested donation online to cover project costs for each shoebox you have packed. You will receive a barcode allowing you to discover which country your gift is sent to.
Drop-off Locations
Each year over 1000 drop-off locations open across the UK to receive your gifts during National Collection Week. You can find your nearest by using our look-up tool.
Give to the Operation Christmas Child Project
Please note this is a general donation to Operation Christmas Child and DOES NOT generate a Follow Your Box barcode. To make your project donation and receive a barcode please click here.
Can sponsor the costs of sending one shoebox gift to a child in need.
Could help with processing and shipping two shoebox gifts to children in need.
Can provide local churches with training and resources to distribute shoebox gifts at outreach events.
The Greatest Journey
After receiving a shoebox gift, children have the opportunity to enrol in The Greatest Journey - 12 fun and interactive Bible lessons, where they get the chance to discover who Jesus is and how to begin their own journey of faith.
Continuing What Jesus Started
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.
Our Goal
The goal of the programme is for children to become faithful followers of Jesus Christ in their daily lives as they share Him with family and friends. And it all starts by training local teachers who love kids and are passionate about making disciples. More than 35.4 million children have enrolled in The Greatest Journey since 2009.
A Graduation Ceremony
After completing The Greatest Journey, children attend a graduation celebration and receive a certificate. Most importantly, they are given a Bible that includes the New Testament in their own language. Complete with illustrations, it is often the first copy of God's Word the child, or their family, will own. After seeing the transformation in the students, their loved ones' hearts are open to hearing the Good News for themselves.
