occ greatest journey

THE GREATEST JOURNEY

Discipleship program, help children grow in christ..

After receiving an Operation Christmas Child shoebox gift, children have the opportunity to enroll in The Greatest Journey, our dynamic, 12-lesson Bible student course guiding them through what it means to faithfully follow Christ. Just $8 provides a child with Bible study materials, a New Testament, and a graduation certificate.

Offered through local churches around the world, this course developed by Samaritan’s Purse and the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association teaches boys and girls how to know Christ, grow in their faith, and share this Good News with others. Teachers are trained to engage their classes in child-friendly ways, including colorful Bible stories and Scripture memorization. As a result of The Greatest Journey, families are reached, churches grow, new churches are started, and communities are transformed.

The Greatest Journey is a 12-lesson discipleship course designed for Operation Christmas Child shoebox recipients. Children who participate in the program learn how to follow Christ and share Him with others. As they do, entire families and communities are transformed by the power of the Gospel, and churches are started.

Every $8 gift provides one more child with an opportunity to learn about God’s love for them as they study the Bible and are taught by a trained local teacher. Upon completion of the course, they receive a graduation certificate and a New Testament in their own language.

Give a shoebox recipient the opportunity to attend

Number of children, total amount.

One Child: $8   One Thousand Children: $8,000

“Through The Greatest Journey, children are invited to trust Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, and they learn how to prayerfully share the Gospel with family and friends.”

—Franklin Graham

President, Samaritan’s Purse

Discipleship

Many boys and girls are invited to participate in the greatest journey discipleship course., the greatest journey.

A fter receiving shoebox gifts, many children are invited by the local church to participate in our discipleship program, The Greatest Journey, a 12-lesson course that includes Bible stories and Scripture memorization. The goal of the program 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 40.5 million children have enrolled in The Greatest Journey since 2009.

The Greatest Journey Teacher Guide

View excerpt.

The Greatest Journey Student Workbook

A Graduation Celebration

A 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 and selected Old Testament stories along with a dictionary of Biblical terms and a map of Bible lands. Complete with illustrations, it is often the first copy of God’s Word the child, or their family, will own.

Family and friends who attend the ceremony hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ. After seeing the transformation in the students, their loved ones’ hearts are open to hearing the Good News for themselves. Praise God, many of them come to faith in Christ.

A New Testament in the student’s language

Graduation Certificate

Uganda: Children rejoice attheirgraduation from The Greatest Journey.

Multiplication

As shoebox recipients and the greatest journey students share their faith with others, these friends trust in christ and witness to even more people., believers multiply.

S ince 2009, more than 20.3 million children have reported decisions for Christ while taking The Greatest Journey. These children as well as those who hear the Gospel at shoebox outreach events share their faith with friends and family—who in turn disciple others.

Discipleship Leads to Multiplication

In Colombia, a boy who came to Christ through The Greatest Journey began praying for his parents who were struggling with drug dependency. As a result, his mother and father accepted the Lord, started attending a Bible study begun by our ministry partners, and became leaders in a drug rehabilitation center. A new church was also started as an outgrowth of this ministry. “One of our original prayers was that The Greatest Journey experience would bring whole families together,” said a local prayer coordinator. “And God answered!”

National Leadership Teams consist of year-round volunteers from various evangelical denominations. Together they strategize how to reach all the children in their country with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. With this approach, local Christians who know the culture and language best are given effective resources and a solid Biblical foundation so that they can communicate the Gospel within their own communities.

To ensure quality in our outreach events and The Greatest Journey courses, our National Leadership teams train Master Trainers who then train Trainers, who in turn, train local teachers.

F rom the shoebox packers who pray for the boys and girls who will receive their gifts to the local teachers who pray for the children who attend The Greatest Journey discipleship classes, prayer is key to the work of Operation Christmas Child.

Honduras: A little girl prays to thank God for her shoebox gift. Prayer is an essential element of outreach events around the world.

“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations.”

Matthew 28:18-20 (NKJV)

It Starts with You!

• Pack A Shoebox

Helpful Links

Evangelism & Discipleship

The Journey of a Shoebox

Frequently Asked Questions

Have questions or suggestions? Email [email protected]

You are visiting the Samaritan’s Purse website for Operation Christmas Child Canada.

Click below if you would rather visit the site of one of our samaritan’s purse affiliate offices:.

• Operation Christmas Child Australia & New Zealand
• Operation Christmas Child United States of America
• Operation Christmas Child United Kingdom

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This in-depth manual helps instructors apply Bible stories

to their students’ lives to encourage the boys and girls to

re-tell them to others. With the help of this resource, The

Greatest Journey teachers are taught to be good

storytellers who ask questions of children to keep them

engaged. This method allows nonliterate cultures to

participate and equips teachers to continue discipleship

lessons with their students long after they complete the

This colorful 12-lesson resource equips the student to

follow along with the story, memorize verses, and do

activities in class or as homework.

In addition to receiving a certificate, The Greatest Journey

graduates receive a New Testament in their own language.

This may be the first copy of the Scriptures they or their

family have ever owned.

Children who complete all 12 lessons receive a certificate

at graduation. This official memento of their

accomplishment is a treasured keepsake for many.

Operation Christmas Child Overview 2020, Full

Operation Christmas Child | 7:54 OC-200101_OCC-Main_Report_MIXED.mp4

Operation Christmas Child gift-filled shoeboxes open the door for the Gospel to be shared with children all around the world. And after they receive their gifts, they are invited to participate in The Greatest Journey discipleship course where they learn more about the Bible and God's great love for them. (7:54)

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Operation Christmas Child Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently asked questions, operation christmas child, packing your shoebox.

• Evangelism & Discipleship

Serving with Operation Christmas Child

Project overview.

Operation Christmas Child is a project of Samaritan’s Purse, an international relief organization. Our mission is to provide local partners around the world with shoeboxes filled with small toys, hygiene items, and school supplies as a means of reaching out to children in their own communities with the Good News of Jesus Christ. We ship these simple gifts outside the United States to children affected by war, poverty, natural disaster, famine, and disease.

Yes! You can discover the destination country of your shoebox gift by making your $10 per shoebox suggested donation online. Activate your shoebox tracking label at samaritanspurse.org/activate or print your own label by donating on our Labels Landing Page .

The program was started in the United Kingdom in 1990 by Dave and Jill Cooke. Three years after this beginning, the Wales-based shoebox gift project merged in a partnership with Samaritan’s Purse, allowing us to share 20 years of expertise in relief and aid work with the project, and expand the reach of the shoebox gifts to more than 28,000 children that year. Since 1993, Operation Christmas Child has delivered gift-filled shoeboxes to over 220 million children in more than 170 countries and territories.

Shoebox gifts demonstrate God’s love in a tangible way to children in need around the world. By partnering with the local church worldwide, each shoebox gift is a powerful tool for sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ.

Local ministry partners distribute your gifts to children in their communities. After receiving shoebox gifts, many boys and girls are invited to enroll in The Greatest Journey, our 12-lesson discipleship program. Through the program, ministry partners are able to establish long-term, caring relationships with children and families, sharing the love of Jesus Christ. Learn more about how God is using Operation Christmas Child in the work of evangelism, discipleship, and the multiplication of believers.

Shoebox gifts are shipped out from our Processing Centers by the middle of December, and depending on the distance they must travel, some are delivered by Christmas—primarily those in Central/South America and Eastern Europe. Most of the gifts are sent via ship. Although the collection of Operation Christmas Child gifts is during the Thanksgiving/Christmas season, the delivery of some gifts may be delayed due to complex international shipping procedures. They may not clear customs in receiving countries until spring. In addition, many countries that receive shoebox gifts must transport the gifts to rural areas using very poor roads. Distributions typically occur from late December through spring each year, extending the joy of Christmas to children that receive them!

Operation Christmas Child is unable to facilitate this; however, you are welcome to include personal contact information at your own discretion in hopes of establishing communication with the child who receives your gift. With a $6 donation to The Greatest Journey , you can also sponsor one shoebox recipient’s complete participation in our follow-up discipleship program, including workbook, graduation certificate, and a copy of the New Testament written in his or her own language. Samaritan’s Purse also has a gift catalog with a variety of items that support the needs of children and families outside of shoebox gifts.

Global Influence of Operation Christmas Child

Operation Christmas Child is a global program facilitated through hundreds of thousands of trained volunteers. Local believers in more than 170 countries deliver Operation Christmas Child shoebox gifts, present the Gospel, and facilitate our follow-up discipleship program, The Greatest Journey.

With this approach, local Christians who know the culture and language best are given effective resources with a solid biblical foundation to share the Gospel in their communities. We equip ministry partners—local pastors or church leaders—to be our volunteer representatives by providing thorough, detailed training for them to be able to facilitate a shoebox outreach event and present the Gospel.

Trained National Leadership Team members, ministry partners, and The Greatest Journey teachers are volunteer roles filled exclusively by these national Christians. To learn more about these roles, visit our Volunteer Network page.

The mission of Operation Christmas Child is to provide local churches who are our ministry partners around the world with shoebox gifts as a way to reach children in their communities. For many children, this is the first gift they will ever receive. More important than the items inside the shoebox, the gifts are an opportunity to share God’s love—and the Good News of Jesus Christ—with children in need.

In each shoebox receiving country, we partner with a National Leadership Team that consists of year-round volunteers from various church denominations. Together, they strategize how to reach children in their country with the Gospel. It is our desire to give one shoebox to a child in his or her lifetime, and this is the model used in our training. Local churches distribute shoebox gifts to children in different communities each year to avoid giving the same children gifts year after year. Because of this strategy, the economic impact on a community is minimal and allows us to reach millions of new children every year with the Good News of Jesus Christ. We disciple thousands of these boys and girls each year, with millions now sharing their faith with their friends, family, and beyond.

According to Henry Manthanamba, Operation Christmas Child prayer coordinator in Malawi, “If shoebox gifts impacted our local economy negatively, the government would never allow them. They see it as a blessing to the children of Malawi.”

In more than 170 receiving countries, shoebox gifts are used by local Christians as a strategy for evangelism, discipleship, and the multiplication of believers and churches in their communities. More important than the items inside the shoebox, the gifts are an opportunity to share God’s love—and the Good News of Jesus Christ—with children in need. Local Christians who know the culture and language best are given effective resources in their own language and a solid Biblical foundation so that they can communicate the Gospel within their own communities through shoebox outreach events and The Greatest Journey discipleship program.

For example, in Fiji, a pastor hosted an Operation Christmas Child shoebox outreach event in a rural community that had no church. He then invited the children to attend The Greatest Journey follow-up discipleship program. As the students gathered for the discipleship lessons , their parents grew curious and began attending, too. The village elder became a believer and offered his property as a place for the new church to meet. Today 80 people attend regularly, and five additional churches have been started in surrounding villages! This is one example of over 1,000 churches planted annually as a result of Operation Christmas Child in regions where we work.

The evangelism and discipleship resources utilized by Operation Christmas Child were intentionally developed with input from local believers in 16 countries, from six continents, and are specifically focused on children.

In the 11 countries where shoebox gifts are packed, Operation Christmas Child provides an opportunity for participants to be a part of fulfilling the Great Commission. Jesus said “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19). In this church-to-church ministry model, churches who pack shoebox gifts partner with local churches around the world as they share God’s love with children in need and provide follow-up discipleship through The Greatest Journey.

More than 81,000 pastors and church leaders share the Gospel every year at outreach events where shoebox gifts are delivered. The shoebox outreach events are planned and implemented by volunteers in the local church who know the culture and language best. Through our volunteer National Leadership Team, local believers are trained to present the Gospel in a child friendly way. We work with the volunteer National Leadership Team to develop an annual strategy for evangelism, discipleship, and multiplication of believers and churches in their communities.

Shoebox gifts are given to children regardless of their gender, ethnicity, or faith. We seek to demonstrate God’s love in a tangible way through each shoebox gift. Children do not have to do or say anything to receive the gifts. We work in and through local Christians in each country who understand the context in their area. Simple gifts—packed with love in Jesus’ Name—deliver hope and joy to children all around the world, regardless of their faith or religious background.

Operation Christmas Child is not intended as a solution for meeting physical needs, but rather a strategy for the local church to meet spiritual needs of children in their communities. The unexpected gift delights and sparks hope in the life of a child as they hear of Jesus’ love for them. Shoebox gifts are given freely in Jesus’ Name.

Samaritan’s Purse and Operation Christmas Child seek to demonstrate God’s love in a tangible way through each shoebox gift. One of our core values is to never be manipulative. We work in and through volunteers in each country who understand the local culture and context and are respectful to the people they serve. At the same time, we do seek to share the Gospel wherever we go, which can be challenging at times. In some regions, we are not permitted to distribute literature, but we are still grateful for the opportunity to bless the children with gift boxes carefully prepared by people who want them to know they are loved. Boys and girls do not have to do or say anything to receive their gifts.

Packing and Delivery

You can learn all about how to pack a shoebox gift . This includes what kind of box to use, which items can and can’t be included, how to label your gift, and where and when to drop it off near you.

You can use any empty shoebox or shoebox-sized plastic container. Operation Christmas Child also has red and green preprinted boxes that are available to order year-round .

See our lists of suggested items for shoebox gifts and also learn which items should not be included.

Learn more about your shoebox label options on our Labels landing page .

The $10 per shoebox is a suggested donation. This amount is critical to cover project costs involved in collecting, processing, and shipping your shoebox gifts to over 170 countries. It also provides for ministry materials such as The Greatest Gift Gospel Booklet and The Ministry Partner Guide. We encourage those who are unable to include $10 per box to consider asking a group in their church or a family member to sponsor this part of the shoebox gift. Learn more about what the $10 covers .

For easiest processing, we recommend you give your $10 suggested donation per shoebox online. To do this, Follow Your Box or visit our Ways to Give page . Or, if you have a copy of the How to Pack a Shoebox brochure—available from our free materials —use the enclosed postage-paid envelope to mail us a check. If none of these options work for you, you can always include your donation in your shoebox gift and it will be collected during processing.

We open thousands of drop-off locations across the United States during National Collection Week, the third week in November each year, so there should be one near you. You can also physically drop off shoebox gifts year-round at any one of our Ministry Centers. Only our Boone and Charlotte locations are able to accept mailed gifts. For more drop-off information and addresses, visit our drop-off location landing page .

Thousands of drop-off locations open across the country during National Collection Week, the third week in November every year. Our next National Collection Week will take place Nov. 18–25, 2024 . You can also physically drop off shoebox gifts year-round at any one of our Ministry Centers. Only our Boone and Charlotte locations are able to accept mailed gifts. For more drop-off information and addresses, visit our drop-off location landing page .

We understand and respect that you carefully choose the items you include in your shoebox gifts. Volunteers at our Processing Centers are trained to remove only items on the “Do Not Include” list . Any items that must be removed because they cannot be shipped are donated to local charities who have a need for these items. We do not empty and repack your gifts, nor do we remove items from a very full shoebox to help fill another. There are buckets of items at each processing station donated specifically for the purpose of filling shoebox gifts in need of something more.

Receiving countries vary from year to year. If you make your $10 per shoebox suggested donation online by either activating your shoebox tracking labels or ordering printable Follow Your Box tracking labels to attach to your gifts, you can discover the destination country of your shoebox gifts! A more complete list of receiving countries is available.

Each year we collect and distribute millions of shoebox gifts in nearly 170 countries and territories. Because of the tremendous growth of Operation Christmas Child, the logistics involved in collecting, processing, and distributing this many boxes prevent us from designating specific boxes for certain countries or climates in advance. We can assure you that whoever receives your box will both need and appreciate your gift.

We prefer that you secure your shoebox gifts with rubber bands. This way gifts can be processed more efficiently at our Processing Centers. If wrapping your gift, be sure to wrap the box and lid separately so that it can be easily opened without ruining the wrapping.

No, you’re welcome to remove any item from its original packaging in order to better fit these items into your shoebox gifts.

Gift Suggestions

Want to check on another item? Use our Gift Look-up Tool.

Camouflage or Military-Related Items: Wearable traditional camouflage is not allowed; pink or bright colored camouflage is OK. Camouflage pencils or other non-wearable items are likely fine to include. The words “Army,” “Navy,” etc. are also acceptable when not part of a wearable camouflage item or a military-related toy. Military games like Battleship® should be avoided.

Tool Kits; Multi-tools (No Blades): Tool kits are not recommended for shoebox gifts. Most standalone tools are OK to include, with the exception of knives, saws, or razor blades. Hammers, nails, screwdrivers, etc. are fine to include. Entire tool kits can create importation challenges, which are avoidable by opting to pack other toys instead of tools.

Fishing and Sewing Kits: Small fishing and sewing kits are fine to include in shoebox gifts. It is acceptable to upcycle clean label-free bottles, such as prescription bottles, to be used as containers for your kits. Small fishing hooks and sewing pins and needles are all fine to include in your kits.

Homemade Maracas, Bean Bags, or Stuffed Toys: Any homemade items with filling MUST have synthetic filling such as plastic beads or pellets. Rice, beans, rocks, aquarium gravel, sand, wood pellets, or any other organic filling are not allowed. A note regarding filling can be included for clarification during processing.

Seashells: Store-bought items such as jewelry, picture frames, or other décor that include shells should be fine to include. Seashells that were collected from nature, even when cleaned and polished, are not allowed in order to comply with customs regulations that prohibit this type of item from entering the country.

Playdough, Slime, and Sand: Commercially packaged playdough, slime, or kinetic sand are fine to include in shoebox gifts. Homemade playdough and slime are not considered appropriate. Packaged synthetic play sand shouldn’t create any problems.

Soap: At this time, there are no specific requirements for packing bar soap, but it’s worth noting that bar soap has become an item of increasing regulatory concern. It’s best to keep soap in original packaging with an expiration date of at least six months after National Collection Week. For the same reason, homemade bar soap is discouraged. That said, at this time, all types of bar soap are acceptable to pack, regardless of what kind or how it is packed. The only reason soap may need to be removed would be in the unlikely event it has grown mold or mildew, rendering it unsafe to send. This is a rare occurrence but can happen when soap and washcloths are placed together in air tight containers or plastic bags and stored at temperatures or in conditions ideal for organic growth.

Chapstick and Deodorant: Solid, non-medicated lip balms and deodorants are fine to include in shoebox gifts. Look for red flags such as drug facts with active ingredients of medication, which is not allowed in shoebox gifts. Liquid lip glosses or gel deodorants should not be packed into shoebox gifts.

Alcohol Wipes and Bandages: Plain alcohol wipes and adhesive bandages are fine to include in shoebox gifts. Avoid any bandages that are pre-medicated with antibiotic ointments. The word “antibacterial” does not necessarily indicate whether or not a bandage can be included. Consider packing fun, colorful bandages that the child might be more excited to see in their shoebox gift.

Bugs, Snakes, etc. Toy bugs and snakes, etc. are all fine to include in shoebox gifts. Avoid including items that might reasonably scare a child when opening the gift such as a frightening mask or grotesque toy. Understand that volunteers who process your gifts may retain a bit of personal discretion when considering what makes the item scary. We encourage you to pray over the decision to pack the item in question.

Any further questions regarding a specific item may be e-mailed to [email protected]

For a list of recommended items, see our Gift Suggestions PDF .

Shoebox Labels

Labels overview.

Visit our Labels landing page to see the different ways you can indicate the gender and age intended for your gift. If you make your suggested $10 donation online, you can Follow Your Box and discover the country destination of your shoebox gift.

• Adhesive labels are available in sets of 50. The whole set can be activated by scanning or entering the code of just one label. The item still serves as a shoebox label even if it is not activated for tracking with your donation.
• If you choose a printable QR-coded label, it will be displayed on the payment confirmation screen and delivered to you via email from Samaritan’s Purse ([email protected]).
• Each How to Pack a Shoebox brochure, available to order from our free materials also comes with a shoebox label ready to attach to your gift. You can still discover the country destination of your gift by scanning its QR code and giving your $10 suggested donation online. Or, if you prefer, you can use the label without its tracking feature and mail your donation in the enclosed postage-paid envelope.
• You can also print basic labels here . These labels that do not have a QR scanning code can’t be used for tracking. However, we still recommend you give your $10 suggested donation online via our Ways to Give page , or mail a check to our headquarters at PO Box 3000, Boone, NC 28607. You can also learn more about why $10 is critical to the project.

Follow Your Box describes the feature available to you when you use a QR-coded shoebox tracking label. By making a donation online to activate a shoebox label or receive a printable label, you can discover the destination country of your gifts.

Be sure to attach your label to the lid of your shoebox gift before you drop it off. We don’t recommend taping directly over the QR scanning code as this may create problems with the scanner’s ability to read the code. Remember it’s best to adhere your label on the lid of your shoebox, preferably toward one end (away from the center) of the box. In the Processing Centers, boxes are taped in the middle, so proper placement eliminates taping over the labels.

Printable Shoebox Tracking Labels

After making your $10 suggested donation online, you should be able to view your label from the confirmation screen. We will also send you an email with a link to your labels later. Click the link in your email to view the printable version of your label, right click, and select “Print”. You can also go to File/Print in your browser navigation bar, or hold down the Ctrl + P buttons on your keyboard. Print or save the labels to your computer.

If you don’t have access to a printer, you may try asking at a local library or office supply store if they are able to print the labels for you, or email them to a friend or family member who can help you print.

Yes, we will only generate one new code for each individual transaction. The code on your label is associated with your email address, so each time your specific code is scanned, your information will be updated in the shoebox tracking tool. Even though you have multiple gifts, they are all trackable with the same coded label. That said, each new destination country will appear only once per year in the tracking tool, so if all of your gifts are sent to only one or two countries, only those countries will appear. We are not able to let you know exactly which gift was sent to which country. If you’d like to have unique label codes generated for your different gifts in order to track them individually, please email [email protected] or try our new adhesive tracking labels. These come with unique codes for every label but must be activated online in order to be searchable in the tracking tool.

Samaritan’s Purse sends an email receipt with a copy of your shoebox tracking label to the email address entered when making the suggested donation online. Please note that when you donate via PayPal the electronic receipt will be sent to your PayPal email address. Refresh the inbox of the email address you used to complete the online donation and search for an email from [email protected]. Be sure to check your spam folder or junk mail inbox for the email. You may need to add Samaritan’s Purse [email protected] and [email protected] to your safe senders list to ensure you will receive communication from us. If you still can’t locate your email receipt and tracking label, email [email protected] or call 1-800-353-5949 and a representative will help you obtain a new copy of your label.

Label activation is only required for adhesive shoebox labels or those cut out from the back of our brochure. If you make your $10 suggested donation online to receive a printable tracking label, your label with the 15-character code is already activated and associated with your email address. Just print this label and attach the label to your shoebox gift before you leave it at a local drop-off location, and we will scan your gift to let you know where it is sent this year.

Adhesive Shoebox Tracking Labels

Visit our labels landing page to order adhesive labels in sets of 50.

To activate your label(s), scan the QR code with your smartphone camera or QR scanning app, and follow the pop-up link to the website. Your label will automatically appear in your cart for checkout. You can add more labels to your cart by scanning more QR codes, or by manually entering the nine-digit code on each one.

Yes! You can make one combined donation for all 50 labels. Simply scan one label and select the option to activate the whole pack. If you need to make the donation for 100 or more labels at once, more than one set of 50 can be entered at a time. Just scan one label from each pack and choose to activate the whole pack to add a new pack of labels to your cart. Even if you only use some of the labels now, all are activated to your email address for tracking and can be used at another time.

There are a couple possibilities here. Either your label was damaged or activation was not completed. Be sure you are entering the same email address used to complete the online activation donation or the correct alphanumeric code from your label. If you donated via PayPal, you will need to enter your PayPal email address for tracking. Email [email protected] for further assistance.

Yes, you can complete your packing event and then activate your labels at a later time. If you are activating more than 50 labels, we recommend donating through the bulk activation option prior to sticking the labels on the shoebox gifts so that you don’t lose track of which labels belong to which pack. However, if you’re not able to make your donation prior to sticking the labels on the shoebox gift, be sure to keep one label stub or code from each pack in order to activate in bulk when you’re ready to make your donation.

Once your label has been activated you will receive a confirmation email that should list which codes you have activated. Please note that when you donate via PayPal the electronic receipt will be sent to your PayPal email address. Refresh the inbox of the email address you used to complete the online donation and search for an email from [email protected]. Be sure to check your spam folder or junk mail inbox for the email. You may need to add Samaritan’s Purse [email protected] and [email protected] to your safe senders list to ensure you will receive communication from us. If you still can’t locate your email receipt and tracking label, email [email protected] or call 1-800-353-5949 and a representative will be happy to send a new receipt.

Yes, you can still use an adhesive label even if it has not been activated. You do not need to mark through the QR code or alter the label in any way. However, please note that in order to discover the destination of your gift, the label must be activated.

That label or pack may have been activated by someone else in your church or group. We encourage you to reach out to your Project Leader to inquire, or donate to receive a printable tracking label specific to your email address.

Yes, there is an e-check option in the checkout. You can pay e-check for single and bulk activations. If you have additional questions or details regarding label activation, contact [email protected] .

Labels can only be activated once. If you attempt to activate a label that has already been activated, you will receive a notification informing you that this action has already been performed. If you receive this message and did not previously activate the label, please check with your project leader to find out if your church has already activated labels on your behalf. You’re also welcome to donate to receive a printable tracking label specific to your email address.

Tracking Your Shoebox Gift

Start by visiting our shoebox tracking tool . Enter either the email address used to place the online transaction or the alphanumeric code as it appears on your label for tracking results. This should be a nine-character code for adhesive labels or a 15-character code for printable labels. Any printable shoebox tracking label is automatically connected to the email address you use to complete the transaction. Adhesive labels or those cut out of a brochure can be connected to your email address by activating them online. Please note that when PayPal is used to complete the transaction, your labels will be connected to your PayPal email address. The QR scanning code on your shoebox label enables us to scan shoeboxes during processing and record their shipping status and destination country in our tracking tool. Shoebox tracking information will only display in the tracking tool after your shoebox gifts have been processed. Before they are processed you may receive an error code or only be able to view past years’ results. Please allow time for us to process your gifts. Processing typically occurs from late-November through mid-December.

You will be able to view the status of your shoebox gifts at two stages:

• after they have been processed and are awaiting overseas shipment, and
• after they have been shipped to a destination country

Most shoeboxes are processed in the weeks following National Collection Week, late- November through mid-December each year. After your gift has been processed, it will be noted in the shoebox tracking tool that your shoeboxes are awaiting shipment. The tracking tool will also note when the shoeboxes have been shipped to destination countries. This could happen in quick succession or a shipment could be delayed because of customs procedures. If you have any questions about the status of your shoebox gifts, email [email protected] .

No, Samaritan’s Purse will send you two emails regarding tracking. The first will be your donation receipt. If you made a donation for printable labels, this receipt will have copy of your label linked for printing. If you activated QR-coded shoebox labels online, your receipt should note those codes. We recommend retaining a copy of your receipt for tracking in the look-up tool later. Later, once most gifts have been processed, Samaritan’s Purse will send you an email letting you know that your tracking results are ready to view in the tracking tool. Enter either your code as it appears on your label or the email address you used to make the donation.

If you sent multiple gifts, you can simply enter your email address to view a complete list of countries where your gifts were sent. Adhesive tracking codes work individually. You will need to enter every code to learn where each gift was sent.

The only way to be able to track your gift is by using an active QR-coded shoebox tracking label. If you need to cover several gifts but can’t make a large donation online, we recommend that you donate online (electronic check, credit card, and PayPal accepted) for just one printable label. Print and attach this label to all of your shoebox gifts. The remaining $10 per shoebox suggested donation can be mailed to our headquarters at PO Box 3000, Boone, NC 28607. At this time adhesive labels are only searchable in the tracking tool if they have been activated online.

When you use printable tracking labels OR an email address to look up your shoebox tracking results, you will see a complete list of unique countries where your shoeboxes were shipped. The code on your labels is associated with your email address for tracking, so each time your code is scanned your information is updated; however, each unique destination country will only appear once per year in the tracking tool. If you are only seeing one country but sent multiple gifts, this just means that your gifts were likely processed together and all shipped to the same country. The only way to be sure where each individual gift was sent is by using unique tracking codes on each gift. This can be done with our new adhesive tracking labels or by making a request to [email protected] to have unique codes generated for you to print for each of your shoebox gifts.

If you looked up your shoebox gifts using an email address instead of your label number, make sure that the email address is the same one you used when making your online donation. If you paid via PayPal this will be the email address connected to your PayPal account.

At this time nine-digit shoebox label codes are only searchable if they have been activated online. Non-activated labels will not yield results in the tracking tool. If your label gets ripped or separated from the shoebox while it’s being transported, it may prevent us from informing you where your gift was delivered. If you continue to have difficulty tracking your gifts, please email [email protected] .

For the safety of our ministry partners and local believers living in hard-to-reach areas, we cannot disclose the names of these countries. Some countries are hard-to-reach because they are experiencing a form of conflict that complicates the delivery of shipments. Others are considered hard-to-reach because of particularly high levels of scrutiny in customs creating special importation challenges for the ministry. In these cases, precautions must be taken both to ensure the safety of our volunteers and ministry partners and to secure our ability to continue to import gifts to these countries. We encourage you to learn more about how Operation Christmas Child is making a difference in hard-to-reach areas .

The shoebox tracking label is scanned during processing which occurs from late-November to mid-December. Most shoeboxes are shipped immediately after processing, but some shipments may be delayed by customs procedures. The destination country of your gift will display in the shoebox tracking tool as soon as its shipment has been confirmed. Shoebox outreach events typically occur from late December through mid-year as National Leadership Teams and local believers coordinate shoebox distributions in the communities they have identified.

Build a Shoebox Online

Build a Shoebox Online is a convenient way to pack your Operation Christmas Child shoebox gift right from home. Choose from our selections of toys and other fun items to include in your gift. Then, personalize it by adding your own letter and photo. For a suggested donation of $25 per gift, we’ll pack everything for you and send it on its way with the message of God’s love for a boy or girl in need around the world.

No. As with all shoebox gifts, there is no way for us to designate the specific country to which your gift will be sent. However, because all items available for you to choose are part of a preapproved list of items that can pass with relative ease through international customs, shoebox gifts built online are designated for hard-to-reach countries. Learn more about how your shoebox gift built online is taking the Gospel to the ends of the earth .

Shoebox gifts built online will be packed with the items you have selected or a comparable item. Occasionally we have to switch out similar items based on demand and availability.

You can build a shoebox online year-round, but keep in mind that shoeboxes built after December 31 will not count in the current year’s shoebox total.

The essential items cover personal care items and school supplies. They vary slightly depending on the age and gender for which you are packing. These items include chalk (age 2-4), crayons, colored pencils, notebook, pencils, pencil sharpener, pens (age 5-9 and 10-14), a comb or brush, and a toothbrush.

Yes, the $10 donation per shoebox gift is already included in the price of building a shoebox online.

Yes, by building a shoebox gift online, you will be automatically enrolled in our shoebox tracking tool through the email address you use to make your Build a Shoebox Online donation; however, shoebox gifts built online are generally sent to hard-to-reach areas. Once your gift has been assembled and shipped, your tracking information will appear in the tracking tool. Learn more about how shoebox gifts built online are taking the Gospel to the ends of the earth .

Shoebox gifts donated from our Build a Shoebox Online page can’t be assigned to a specific church or group; however, you can encourage your church or group project leader to create a Build a Shoebox Online Goal Page where they are able to set a specific goal and deadline for shoebox gifts built online. A shoebox tracker on the page keeps track of the donations made toward meeting this goal. We encourage you to connect with the project leader of your group to find out if there is a Build a Shoebox Online Goal Page already set up where you can donate toward your church or group goal. You must build your gift through the group’s Goal Page in order for it to count toward the goal.

Build a Shoebox Online Goal Pages

Ideas and resources for creating and promoting your Goal Page are available in our Goal Page Tips PDF .

No, after you create your Goal Page, you’ll receive an email with an invitation to confirm the page as well as the email address associated with your page. This will generate an email to Operation Christmas Child, who will approve or reject the page within 24 hours.

No, the system is only able to count transactions that were placed through the designated Goal Page.

Yes, changes can be made to a published Goal Page. Adjustments made that only change the deadline of your goal or the number of shoeboxes to meet your goal will be automatically approved. All other changes made to your page (images or writing) will be sent to Operation Christmas Child for approval. Please allow up to 24 hours for edits to be approved.

You will decide the time frame needed to reach your goal. Goal Pages can be created with deadlines up to 365 days out. After the established end date, users can no longer contribute shoeboxes gifts to your current Goal Page. Please note that any shoebox gifts built after December 31 will not be counted in the current year’s shoebox total.

No, once your campaign ends, your page will expire. You can still direct individuals to pack through Build a Shoebox Online, but your Goal Page will no longer be active, and gifts built online can no longer be counted toward meeting your goal.

You can search for Goal Pages using our website here .

Give for Others to Build

You donate a certain number of shoebox gifts and then others can have the experience of building a shoebox online without cost to them. Simply answer a few questions and let us know how many shoeboxes you want to provide. After you submit your payment information, you’ll receive two emails: first a receipt or confirmation email, and second an email with a shareable link to forward to others. That link unlocks the chance for your fellow church members, family, or friends to build a shoebox gift online free of charge, thereby sending Good News and great joy to boys and girls in need around the world!

If Give For Others to Build shoeboxes aren’t redeemed by 12/31, all unredeemed shoeboxes will be fulfilled by Operation Christmas Child. This is necessary to get shoebox gifts into the hands of children promptly.

Those who you invite to build a gift using your unique link will only be able to redeem one free shoebox gift per visit.

Simply visit the link you were given, which will show the status of how many boxes have been built.

At this time, Give for Others to Build and Build a Shoebox Online Goal Pages are handled separately. If you would like for your Give for Others to Build donation to count toward your group’s goal, please let your Project Leader know so that he or she can take this into account when totaling your church’s online donations this year.

Evangelism & Discipleship

The greatest gift and the greatest journey.

The Greatest Gift Gospel booklet, available in more than 100 languages, is given out alongside your shoebox gifts. With the Apostle John as narrator, the booklet shares 11 Scripture stories in a child-friendly manner and invites children to follow Christ.

The Greatest Journey is a discipleship experience offered by local churches to many of the children who receive shoebox gifts. The 12-lesson program introduces boys and girls to salvation through faith in Jesus and encourages them to grow as faithful followers. The program also connects children to local churches who can, through discipling relationships, teach and nurture children in faith.

It takes $6 to provide a child the opportunity to participate in The Greatest Journey and receive discipleship materials, including a graduation certificate and New Testament written in the child’s language. The Greatest Journey is an investment not only in children, but also in the teachers and the local churches that will learn, grow, and continue to serve Christ with the momentum gained through the program. You can support The Greatest Journey , making disciples around the world through a monthly donation or one-time giving.

The Greatest Journey in the U.S.

Yes! The Greatest Journey is also available to bring to children in your church. Discover this exciting opportunity to teach children about what happens after their shoebox gifts are delivered, as they dive deeper into what it means to follow Christ and share the Good News with others. Learn more .

Although the material can be used for any age, we have found that 6-12 years old is the ideal age for The Greatest Journey.

When you purchase a Leader Guide, you will also be sent exclusive online training. This training is a crucial component of The Greatest Journey experience and will help both you and the children to receive the most benefit. As a discipleship leader, you’ll also receive an online handbook to help you plan the training event, kick-off event, and graduation ceremony. If you have trouble finding your online training, please email [email protected] .

GREATEST JOURNEY app

GREATEST JOURNEY is a free, fun, and exciting app for kids to explore the Bible and learn how to follow Jesus! Aboard a time-traveling spaceship where players become captain, GREATEST JOURNEY gives kids a bird’s-eye view of the Old and New Testaments, introducing them to major events in the Bible and focusing on the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. GREATEST JOURNEY is based on the international discipleship course created by Samaritan’s Purse for children who receive Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes.

This app is targeted to 5- to 9-year-olds.

It’s currently available for free with no in-app purchases on the Apple App Store and Google Play .

We are currently exploring additional App Stores, such as Amazon—but right now the GREATEST JOURNEY app is only available through the Apple App Store and Google Play .

GREATEST JOURNEY is available for download in over 140 countries, currently in English only. Check the Apple App Store and Google Play for the latest download.

Yes. This game manual will walk you through how to build a character and play all of the mini-games.

Currently, the App is available in English, but a Spanish version will be available later this year.

For any additional questions, concerns, or feedback please email us directly.

Volunteer Opportunities

Starting in the fall, we also offer an exciting short-term volunteer opportunity to work in one of our Processing Centers .

If you’re interested in becoming Project Leader—leading a church or group effort in packing shoebox gifts—we’ve designed a resource page full of ideas and materials that will help you, your family, church, business, or community center get involved in Operation Christmas Child. You can even join our online community of Project Leaders to share your questions, tips, ideas, and encouragement with thousands of others leading their own shoebox-packing groups across the nation.

Processing Center Volunteering

Before the millions of shoebox gifts collected each year can bring hope and joy to children around the world, each one has to be carefully inspected and made ready for international shipment by volunteers like you. Tens of thousands of volunteers serve annually at shoebox processing centers across the United States.

Currently, there are six permanent Processing Center warehouses located in Aurora (IL), Boone (NC), Charlotte, Dallas/Ft. Worth, Denver, and Orange County (CA). Other Processing Centers will open in Atlanta and Baltimore/Washington; however, the exact address will vary year-to-year, depending on warehouse availability. You can use our Processing Center volunteer page to view exact addresses for permanent warehouses and for seasonal locations once the addresses have been secured.

You can sign up to volunteer at a Processing Center through occvolunteersignup.com . Create or log in to your account, and you will be ready to register once registration opens in your area.

Volunteer registration won’t open until the fall. Exact dates are posted on our volunteering page sometime late summer.

Processing Center volunteering opens the Tuesday after National Collection Week Nov. 18–25, 2024 and runs Monday-Saturday from 9am-10pm except Thanksgiving Day. Volunteers typically sign up for at least a four-hour time slot.

Every volunteer in the Processing Center plays an important role in the ministry of Operation Christmas Child, ensuring the integrity and successful delivery of the gifts. Volunteers in the Processing Center form teams and perform all the tasks necessary to process the shoeboxes at one location. Teams are responsible for inspecting the gifts, sorting inappropriate items, working with filler items, separating boxes by age and gender, and boxing shoeboxes in designated cartons. Due to the fast-paced environment of the warehouse and changing needs, you may be asked to do different tasks during your shift. We appreciate your flexibility.

You can manage your reservation at occvolunteersignup.com. If your group size decreases, it is critical to the operation of the Processing Center that you notify us so these spaces may be made available to volunteers on our waiting list. To increase your group size, check availability at occvolunteersignup.com .

Yes, visit seasonal employment opportunities to find out more.

All volunteers must be at least 13 years of age, regardless of a student’s grade level. Due to the warehouse environment, we cannot make exceptions to this age requirement. At least one chaperone for every four youth is required (youth volunteers include any volunteers between the ages of 13-17). The primary responsibility of a chaperone is to ensure the safety and appropriate behavior of your youth. For the safety of all volunteers in the warehouse, Processing Center staff reserve the right to ask any group not acting in accordance with safety procedures and outlined policies to leave the building at any time.

Our Processing Centers are set up in warehouses, so please make proper provisions to be comfortably and appropriately dressed for this environment. It is best to be prepared with closed-toe shoes, appropriate for standing for long periods, and warm, layered, casual clothes as the temperature inside can vary. Breaks are available as needed.

You are welcome to take breaks as needed during your time with us. A break area in the Processing Center has vending machines and space to store your meals and snacks. Ice is not provided; however, you may bring your own coolers. All food and drinks must remain inside the break area. Please be advised that tobacco products are prohibited on the property.

First, join the waiting list for your preferred time, then search for other available options. We typically have the most open time slots on weekdays and in the evenings. After that, check back throughout the season—time slots open regularly as registered group sizes decrease.

A FAST PASS allows your group to expedite check in at the Processing Center and provides each group member with a printed name tag. There are two qualifiers for a FAST PASS:

• Every member in a group must complete their online waiver before arriving at a Processing Center.
• A group size must match the number of reserved spots. If a reservation is for 10 spots, all 10 members must show up to be eligible for a FAST PASS. If a member is unable to attend, the reservation must be updated to reflect the new group size.

When Volunteer Coordinators invite group members to join a reservation, an email is sent to each group member with a link that will guide them through submitting their waiver. In order for your group to qualify for a FAST PASS, all group members must complete their online waiver.

Volunteer Coordinators will receive an email with a QR code when they have qualified for a FAST PASS. When your group arrives at the Processing Center, there will be a priority line where you can scan your QR code and go straight to orientation.

Helpful Links

How to Pack a Shoebox Resource Hub

Have questions or suggestions? Email [email protected]

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You are visiting the Samaritan’s Purse website for Operation Christmas Child United States.

Click below if you would rather visit the site of one of our samaritan’s purse affiliate offices:.

• Operation Christmas Child Australia & New Zealand
• Operation Christmas Child Canada
• Operation Christmas Child Germany
• Operation Christmas Child Korea
• Operation Christmas Child United Kingdom

It only costs $6 to provide lesson books and a Bible for a boy or girl participating in this discipleship program by Samaritan’s Purse.

It only costs $10 to provide a Bible or Christian literature for a family in need through the Christmas catalog.

You are visiting the international website for Samaritan’s Purse, headquartered in the United States.

You also may be interested in visiting and giving through our affiliate sites:.

• Samaritan’s Purse Australia and New Zealand
• Samaritan’s Purse Canada
• Samaritan’s Purse Germany
• Samaritan’s Purse Korea
• Samaritan’s Purse United Kingdom

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Operation Christmas Child

Help us reach 5,000 children with the good news this Christmas season

With your help, we want to reach 5,000 children with the good news this Christmas season!

Sponsor a 'special access' box full of toys and supplies for a child in need and, more importantly, create an opportunity for them to be invited into spiritual conversations and a discipleship program with their local church.

These shoebox gifts will go to restricted access areas, some of the most spiritually dark, closed countries of the world.

Thank you for helping us reach our 2023 goal to pack 5,000 boxes and raise $168,000+ to cover the expenses!

Make a spiritual difference in the life of a child

Your sponsorship covers the cost of a shoebox filled with essential items, toys, and accessories, along with overseas shipping costs for OCC, and the opportunity for each child to attend the discipleship program The Greatest Journey .

What is The Greatest Journey?

After a child receives a shoebox gift through the local church, they are invited to participate in a 12-lesson, follow-up discipleship program. The Greatest Journey is where they learn to follow Jesus and share Him with others. This program equips and empowers the local church to pursue children through evangelism, discipleship, and multiplication.

You can also experience the same discipleship program as our box recipients by purchasing The Greatest Journey for your family!

Ridge Missions Team

Showing 5 of 5

Becky Belew

Missions Ministry Assistant

All Campuses

Becky was born and raised in New Orleans, but moved to Texas in 2005. She married her best friend, Jon, in 2009. She is blessed with her wonderful daughter, Evelyn, and her stepson, Austin. Becky has more than 15 years of executive assistant experience and has attended the Ridge for nearly a decade. She loves scuba diving, going to Christian concerts, and playing games with her friends and family. She is grateful and excited to utilize her gifts to pursue God’s mission for the Ridge community locally and abroad.

Christine Stehno

Missions Project Coordinator

Christine was born and raised in Omaha, Nebraska. She received her degree in Recreation and Leisure Studies at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. Since college, Christine has spent time working in Parks and Recreation as well as at a Christian Camp in Sequoia National Forest in California. A trip to Nepal really opened her heart to all aspects of missions. She loves being outside in the sunshine as much as possible, reading, pick-up pickleball games, and watching Husker sports – especially football. Go Big Red! She’s excited to be living in the warmth of the south and grateful for this chapter working in ministry and getting to pursue her passion for people.

Clark Richardson

Missions Director

Clark is a Waco native and a Dallas Baptist University graduate. His non-traditional college and career track within the landscape industry and fundraising/development unknowingly prepared him for such a time as this. Over a number of trips to Uganda, God opened his eyes to how he could use his gifts and talents both locally and globally for the Kingdom. That led him to put his “yes” on the table in 2016, and the rest is history. He married up when landing his beautiful wife, Natalie, in 2010, and they have three children, Graham, Isla, and Cora. He is a jack of all trades and master of none. He enjoys being a dad of three, and when there is time, hunting, sports, dabbling with smoking meat, and campfires.

Donald Dumbacher

Local Outreach Director

Don was born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio. He met his wife, Shelli, at The Ohio State University. They have four married children living all around the world, and five grandchildren…so far.

Don Ellsworth

Missions Pastor

Born in New York and raised in Pennsylvania, Don's family relocated to San Diego so he could meet his beautiful wife, Becky. They are blessed with and entertained by their four married kids and kids-in-law, and awesome grandchildren. Don graduated from San Diego Christian College and Dallas Seminary. Don loves going on dates with his wife, anything at the beach, USC football, college football and basketball, Hula Hut, reading, and chocolate. As Missions Pastor, Don loves his job of helping the Ridge reach the unreached and serve the vulnerable in our city and around the world.