What if one simple gift could make the difference between despair and hope? For Alex Nsengimana, a survivor of the Rwanda genocide, a shoebox from Operation Christmas Child helped restore his hope and put him on the path toward faith in Jesus Christ.

Alex questioned whether God existed when, as a child, he witnessed the brutal murder of his grandmother and uncle. But then God used a simple, gift-filled shoebox to show him that he was loved and not forgotten – and led him to eventually forgive the man who killed his family members. “I was reminded of God’s love for me and the hope that I had in Him,” Alex said. “Receiving that shoebox was just the beginning of my faith.”

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the involvement of Samaritan’s Purse in Operation Christmas Child. Since 1993, more than 100 million children have been touched by the power of a simple gift. Every shoebox is a tool that can be used by God to reach one more child-like Alex with the Good News of Jesus Christ.

Click here to read more of Alex’s Story

The Gift of Forgiveness: Alex’s Story

The Peace of Letting Go: How One Rwandan Forgave

REACH ONE MORE CHILD

Visit our Operation Christmas Child page to find everything you need to get started packing shoebox gifts, including free materials that will help you spread the word about Operation Christmas Child, pre-printed decorative boxes, and great resources for your group.

Alex