Operation Christmas Child FAQ Answered

Now that you know where Operation Christmas Child began and what they're all about, I bet you still have a few other questions.

I'd LOVE to answer some of them today. Some of these are not easily found but that's right! Thanks to Allume & the OCC team, bloggers can now find direct links to find answers for You. 😉 So here we go...our questions answered, direct from the organization:

What gospel centered pamphlet do you add to the boxes?

OCC distributes Gospel booklets (The Greatest Journey) in the children’s local languages alongside most shoebox gifts, but we do not put any literature inside the shoeboxes. The Greatest Journey is a dynamic evangelism and discipleship program offered as follow-up to the shoebox gift. During a 12-lesson Bible study, young people gain a deeper understanding of what it means to have a relationship with Christ and how to share their faith with others. These children graduate as Disciples of Christ. Note that they are not required to participate in this discipleship program and they will receive a shoebox gift either way.

I know there are some countries that need more specific items eliminated from boxes due to cultural differences. These boxes are often filled via the online "build a box". Do you have a list of the "tough to reach" countries that you said the online boxes tend to be sent?

These are sensitive countries that we cannot name in order to maintain the safety of our ministry partners who live and work there.

Who delivers the boxes?

OCC is a unique tool for evangelism, and the project is intended to aid and empower the local body of Christ in its own efforts to reach and teach unsaved neighbors, families, and children. We have discovered that the most effective way for this to happen is to work through partners on our local National Leadership Teams--volunteers who live and work in the countries that receive the gifts--who will be there long-term to continue to minister to their communities long after the boxes and their contents are gone. We occasionally organize a group to go deliver to a certain country, but we try to keep to focus local – we equip the churches to hand out the shoeboxes.

How do you decide where the boxes are sent and within those countries which children/orphanages receive the boxes that year?

OCC works through national leaders in each country where shoebox gifts are sent to train ministry partners that will distribute the gifts. Ministry partners may consist of churches, schools, orphanages and other organizations that hold special events to deliver the gifts to groups of children. They are the ones who submit the requests for shoeboxes.

What happens with these kids after they receive OCC boxes?

warning: possibly too graphic for littles

Do you have other questions that weren't answered today? PLEASE, ask away in the comment section, the as Jules is going Facebook page, or via email!