It's amazing what a simple gift-filled shoebox can do for a child in need. It can put a smile on a face. It can make a child feel loved. It can even bring lasting joy into difficult circumstances.
Here are just a few shoebox stories to show just what can happen when shoeboxes packed with love are sent to a child in need...
Surrounded by Mountains
Central Asia
Alan Cutting tells us about distributing shoeboxes to disabled children in their homes in in mountainous areas in Central Asia.
The Warm Embrace of Hospitality
Central Asia
Paul Houiellebecq & David Collins reflects on their recent visit to Central Asia to meet the partners as they distribute shoeboxes.
Olya Smiles at Last
Belarus
This little girl is Olya, age 5, from Mogilev district, East Belarus
Why the Young Man Cried....
Central Asia
David Collins tells us about a young man he met, who, despite his shoebox could not withold the tears.....
Moving Mountains
Azerbaijan
Alan Cutting, SP's Regional Manager for Eastern Europe and Central Asia, spent three wet and windy days in Baku, Azerbaijan in March. As well as introducing local pastors and leaders to SP's HOPE envisioning programme, Alan and his wife Bela (who was the Azerbaijan OCC lead partner in Baku back in 2003!) spent time with those who "moved mountains" to restore the OCC programme to this fascinating country in the South Caucasus.
A Mother's Care
Belarus
The team visiting Belarus with shoeboxes were moved by the dedication of this young mother....
Abraham Waits His Turn
Liberia
Abraham lives in Cotton Tree which is long way from the nearest town - the gifts in his shoebox will help him through school.
Humphrey's Big Surprise!
Liberia
Read this lovely story about Humphrey discovering something in his shoebox he had never seen before!
Povery in Bacau
Romania
For many children from Dodeni - a poor gipsy neighbourhood from Bicaz, the shoeboxes received from the Baptist Church was the only gift they received and theydon't forget easily.
Christmas Day - but nowhere to go...
Ukraine
Jo Fox meets a little girl with a sad story to tell....
Kristina's Silent Joy
Belarus
Kristina was a lovely little girl we met in an Educational Centre for children with special needs/disabilities.
Difficult time for Ellina
Belarus
Ellina has many very difficult circumstances in her life and it was very humbling listening to her story.
Meg's Shoebox Mission
Belarus
DURING the week, Meg Stevens is office manager at a flooring contractors. But each year, she doubles as a charity organiser when she encourages all the staff to collect shoeboxes. This year she was able to go on a distribution trip to Belarus.
Kara's Big Smile
Belarus
Kara was stood off to the side as we began giving out the boxes.I asked one of the translators to find out her age but before the translator could answer she told me herself in English that she was 10 and smiled a big smile at me.
A Mother's Love
Belarus
Standing by her son's bedside in a side room all alone was Anya who travels 50km to the hospital each day to be with her 9 year old son Sergei who is suffering from Cerebral Palsy.
Home Full of Love
Belarus
Climbing the stairs to the little flat we were visiting seemed to take forever. The stairwell was dark, dingy and depressing. But walking through the door of the flat we met a huge contrast.
Ana's Special Day
Belarus
Ana has cerebral palsy but the first thing I noticed about her was her smile - so full of life as she clutched the shoebox full of gifts she had just received. Not only was this a special Christmas gift for her but was timed perfectly for her 7th birthday the next day.
The Car That Spoke to Me
Montenegro
Twenty years on from when OCC began in 1990 we often meet young people who remember receiving shoeboxes as children. It is wonderful to hear how they cherish their memories of that little box years later. One of our translators for a recent trip to in northern Serbia told us how he still remembers the shoebox he received when he was a child.
Father Shot by his Own Hand
Montenegro
We gave shoeboxes out at the Konik 2 Refugee Camp which is beside the municipal rubbish dump of Podgorica. Most of the 300 or so inhabitants of the refugee camp Konik 2 do not see themselves as others see them: they lived in Kosovo until the war, when their homes were attacked and burned to the ground, and they were fortunate to escape with their lives.
Damira's Desertion
Montenegro
Desertion and illness have ruined Damira’s childhood. Her father deserted the family years ago; his daughter has no idea how to contact him. Then, only three months ago, her mother fell desperately ill, and so the only solution was for the orphanage to give Damira a home.
Pavel Get his Shoebox
Belarus
Helen Lisney from Liverpool went on a shoebox distribution trip to Belarus before Christmas. As she is a teacher, her class of children had put together a shoebox for her to take with her. She had a strong sense that the child that received that box would choose her - not the other way around, so she put the shoebox in her rucksack each day and waited for that child...
Sebastijan
Montenegro
Montenegro is a small Eastern European country with a population of just 685,000. The nation was created in 2006 following a vote by the population to separate from Serbia. There is 15% rate of unemployment and an estimated 12% of the population lives below the poverty line. Sebastijan shares one room with seven other children and two women.
Ellina's Delight
Belarus
At a distribution in Belarus Ian Taylor spotted a little girl, "Sitting at the front in her fairy outfit was Ellina, complete with wand in hand, little did I know that she and two other young girls would sing for us. "
Jamil and his gloves
Kenya
Jamil is 6 years old and lives in the Ark children’s home as he is an orphan. Although he is well cared for and is basically healthy he does not get many presents or things which he can keep for himself.
Bane's Story
Swaziland
With a population of about 1.1 million, the small nation of Swaziland in southern Africa has the highest prevalence of HIV than any other country in the world with 26% of the adult population HIV positive.
Eleven year old Bane couldn’t come to the shoebox distribution taking place in the nearby school as she is crippled and lives too far away.
Esma & Resye's story
Kosova
Living in an abandoned railway container in Pristina (Kosova), Esma and Resye were wide eyed as the shoeboxes were brought into their home...
Touching Each Item
Mozambique
Faith Spinks tells us about a distribution in Mozambique - "As all the children were opening their boxes and excitedly showing each other their gifts I noticed a little boy struggling to get his box open. Before I could get there to help he managed to get the tape loose and open up the box. He lightly touched one item after another, picking some of them up a little bit, but removing nothing from the box ...
Use the form below to tell us your story, give us your thoughts, send us your pictures or videos. We'd love to hear from you...
Samaritan's Purse International is registered as a charity within England and Wales (1001349) and in Scotland (SC039251) and as an incorporated company registered by guarantee in England and Wales. Company Number 2462257.
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