Overcoming Grief with Good News
Operation Christmas Child
YES! is collaborating with Samaritan’s Purse and Operation Christmas Child in a special way this year to help spread the word about this amazing serving opportunity. This is the third of four stories we’re pleased to share.
Doris Row, 70, hosts an annual Operation Christmas Child packing event at her Tishomingo, Oklahoma, ranch on the first Saturday in November. Dozens of people from her community come to prayerfully prepare thousands of shoebox gifts for children in need around the world.
Doris started packing shoeboxes in 1995 after her 13-year-old son died at Christmastime the year before. She was determined not to live in grief, but to do something good to help overcome it. She chose to begin shopping for and packing shoebox gifts so boys and girls across the globe could hear the Good News of Jesus Christ.
“The most important thing in life is knowing Jesus Christ as our personal Savior,” Doris said. “These kids, once they get that gift, their hearts are open. And through that box I'm telling that child 'I love you and I care about you.'”
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.
Whether you pack one shoebox or several, you can make an eternal difference in the life of a boy or girl.
“It does not matter how many boxes we do. Every box is important,” Doris said. “We have the opportunity to tell children about Jesus Christ and what Jesus has done for them.”
To learn more, visit the Operation Christmas Child Ways to Volunteer page.
Declare His glory among the nations!
Psalm 96:3
Franklin Graham,
President
