January 15, 2004, submitted, Prestatyn

How do you make a church out of a shoe box

Image Caption: Operation Christmas Child

Operation Christmas Child

Submitted

Nine-year-old Emilian heard a rumour that a church in a neighbouring town was throwing a Christmas celebration for the very poor children of his village. At the party, he received an Operation Christmas Child shoe box gift and a booklet called ‘The Greatest Gift of All,’ which explained the Good News of Jesus Christ. Emilian wanted to learn more about this Jesus. As often as he could, he made the long walk to church. That summer Emilian went to the church’s youth camp, where he gave his life to Christ. When he came home from camp, he told his parents that he was moving out. Emilian’s father had forced his mother into prostitution years earlier to provide money for the family, and Emilian couldn’t take it anymore. The Pastor of the church arranged for Emilian to go to the local boarding school. But God would not let him forget his family. Emilian later returned to share the story of Jesus and His Love with his parents. His mother realised she was sinful and turned her back on her sin and asked Jesus into her life, but his father was unmoved. The change in Emilian’s mother was noticed by the neighbours in the village and everyone wanted to know what had happened to her. Emilian and his mother told their neighbours about the Lord Jesus, and many believed. In a village without a church, God changed the house of shame and sinfulness into a house of worship. Because his wife was no longer bringing money into his home, Emilian’s father became violent. On a number of occasions he tried to murder his wife and son. Then the father became very ill and a local doctor said that he would be dead by the next morning. Emilian and his mother called their small church together and they prayed all night for the dying man. When morning came, Emilian’s father was well again, recognised that God had healed him in response to the prayers of this little church and he too became a real Christian. Today, the church meets in a rebuilt house with 20 members and a crèche of 35 children - and it all started with one little shoe box. ( I wonder who sent it?)