Stories From Ukraine

Shoebox Gifts Bless Children in Ukraine

Hear from Pastor Vitaly in Ukraine, about what their people are going through and watch how gift-filled shoeboxes are blessing the lives of children, even in the midst of such a difficult situation.

The 200 Millionth Shoebox!

Elizabeth Groff, now 28 years old, will never forget receiving a shoebox gift from Samaritan’s Purse when she was living in an orphanage in Ukraine. Here is the special moment when she lovingly placed the special 200 millionth box into the hands of another young orphan girl in Ukraine.

This special shoebox contained items chosen by supporters from the UK, Canada, Australia, Germany, South Korea, and the USA, to celebrate the milestone of sending 200 million shoeboxes since Operation Christmas Child began.

Nyeva’s Shoebox

After a recent trip to Ukraine a Samaritan’s Purse staff member shared the following story:

In the past two days, hundreds of Ukrainian children have received shoebox gifts and heard the Gospel. These included orphans and children who have been displaced by the conflict. One of those was 6-year-old Nyeva, who fled with her mother and younger brother from Melitopol. They lived under occupation for months, under a cloud of fear, with very little to eat or drink. Her mother became quite sick because she was giving all of the food to the children. After their neighbours were killed, the mother Yulia, decided she had to get out of there. They boarded a bus in the middle of the night and prayed for safety. It took 18 hours to make the trip. Nyeva is very scared of noise and the dark. She has nightmares. They had left everything behind, including toys. When Nyeva received her shoebox, her eyes lit up, and she smiled. It brought tears to her mother’s eyes. Also, Nyeva’s brother loves Lego but hasn’t had any since they fled their home. Yulia said he often asks when he can have Lego again, but she doesn’t have the resources to buy anything extra. There was Lego in his shoebox!

Twice Refugees Find Peace in the Midst of the War

In a city to the east of Kyiv where many refugees pass through on their journey to the west, one Operation Christmas Child ministry partner church has been part of supporting over 400 refugees by preparing hot meals and providing shelter.
Volodymyr shared how he had met two Afghan families (four adults and 12 children) who had come from Kharkiv. After fleeing Afghanistan some time ago, they moved to Ukraine with the hope that they could finally enjoy life free from war, but once again conflict uprooted their lives forcing them to leave their home. Volodymyr’s church provided the families with food, necessities, temporary accommodation, and the special surprise of a shoebox gift for each child. Volodymir enjoyed seeing the children happily opening their shoeboxes, with no sign of fear of war on their faces, and the parents smiling as they watched. With their agreement, he was also able to share God’s love and the Good News of the Gospel with the families.
Soon after, the volunteers helped the families to get the evacuation transport through western Ukraine into Germany to continue their journey. Volodymyr believes that these “twice refugees” found peace in the midst of the war and he prays that the seed of the Gospel will bear the fruit of salvation in Christ.

A Light in the Darkness

During the early days of the Ukraine crisis, an Operation Christmas Child outreach event for refugees touched the lives of many families.

“It was the most emotional event,” shared one of our local ministry partners. “We told each child how much God loves and cares for them. When they opened the gifts, it was like the gift boxes were packed especially for them. Many families came without anything; they just managed to grab their children and run. In the gifts there were so many things they needed.”

Since the beginning of the crisis in Ukraine, thousands of Operation Christmas Child gifts have been distributed to children there and in surrounding countries by our local church partners.

Shoeboxes Filled With Love Change Lives in Ukraine

Samaritan’s Purse has been working in Ukraine for over 20 years, with 3,200 churches currently. In 2017 local partner Mykhailo Glushchenko shared how Operation Christmas Child was making a difference in his community.

Elizabeth’s Shoebox

Elizabeth Groff received an Operation Christmas Child gift-filled shoebox when she lived in an orphanage in Ukraine. The box opened her heart to God’s love and gave her hope for the future.