Operation Christmas Child

For those who have packed an Operation Christmas Child shoe box, or many, it was the chance of a lifetime.
“I've packed shoe boxes for several years at churches and knew there was a big impact, but until this journey, I had no idea how great of an impact it has,” said Kristi Shurden.

Kristi and Jeffrey Shurden won the opportunity through a Christian music radio station to witness kids on the island of Grenada receiving their shoe boxes.

“It was just incredible, it was an incredible experience to get to share God's word with these kids and just to see them light up when they opened the shoe boxes,” says Jeffrey Shurden. “Some of the kids acted like they had never gotten anything before.”

The Shurdens enjoyed the opportunity along with many other Operation Christmas Child partners, like those who manufacture the toys, transport the shipping containers, or promote the effort on the radio.

“Our partners and people that are packing all around the world sometimes don't get to see the other side of it, and we want to see them to see the other side of the shoebox,” says Lizette Miller, Operation Christmas Child media relations manager.

Operation Christmas Child staff work with a leadership team of volunteers in Grenada who coordinate with local churches and ministries to reach children in their communities. Some even go door to door to invite families.

Francine Foster, Discipleship Coordinator for the OCC Grenada Leadership Team says, “We planned, we did all we could have done, and I was excited to see God exceed those plans to cause those children to come to know Him.”

“So it's locals that are volunteering their time because they are truly passionate about sharing the gospel with the children,” Miller says.

The Grenada OCC team works to ensure local partners are prepared to host outreach events and share much more than shoe boxes. “We really believe the shoebox is just the beginning, the opportunity for us to share the gospel, because that's what it's all about. We get to share the greatest gift ever, and that's Jesus and the love of Jesus and what he did for us,” Miller says.

“Sometimes we focus on the box and the gift, but I know the light in the child's eye, what that means to that child and what that means to us,” says Foster. “Because they would have heard the gospel, some of them for the very first time.”

The children receive their own copy of the Gospel story and are invited back to learn more in the 12-lesson discipleship program, The Greatest Journey. I’m just excited that the children will get to know Jesus in a more deeper and intimate way,” says teacher, Anesha Noel.

Then, as a tangible sign of God’s great gift, they each receive a shoebox gift. “To see the joy and hope on a little girl or boy's face when they open up that shoebox is pretty priceless,” says Miller.

“It may sound like simple gifts, but they go a far way to light up a child's life,” Foster says. “And when they can understand that I can get a free gift from very far away, God who I don't see and I may not know, loves me so much that he gave me a free gift, the correlation will cause a real impact in their lives.”

Operation Christmas Child volunteers work to continue the joy and excitement about God’s gift through the following weeks. “And so even if they only saw the shoebox, I'm quite sure by lesson three, they will understand who God is and by lesson 6, they will make that decision to serve him as their Lord and Savior,” Foster says. “By lesson 12, they'll be preaching to their friends and their families about who God is and get them to accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior.”

While the smiles on the kids’ faces were a joy to see, partners like the Shurdens are especially excited about what’s happening in their hearts. “It was just an absolute amazing journey to see God at work through all of the mission people here in Grenada and all of these children that are just so eager to learn more about God,” says Kristi Shurden. “We can't wait to go back and say, you know it is so much more than just packing a shoebox.”


Linda Simmons
Account Executive
Bott Radio Network
Springfield, MO
(417)864-0901 office
https://bottradionetwork. com/