Operation Christmas Child

This past Sunday, our church held it's yearly mission emphasis Sunday called The Gift. Thousands of packets of food called "Mix a Meal's" were packed for the GAIN-Global Aid Network ministry that feeds poverty stricken people across the world. Dozens of people gave blood. People sorted seeds to send to people across the world to grow a garden. People donated their hair for Pink Hearts Funds. Our church even started an adoption ministry! And, families brought their Operation Christmas Child boxes.

In the service you were able to listen to the most amazing college aged girl give her testimony during the church service. Her name is Oksana Nelson and she used to be a Russian orphan.

Oksana Nelson

Here's a quick recap of Oksana's story.

Oksana lived in a Russian orphanage that was very cold as it didn't have heat or hot water. She had one change of clothes per week. She had one bath every two weeks in which they would have to heat up water in a long process to have this bath. She shared a bathroom with 20 other kids where they shared the same toothbrush and toothpaste. They had three bland meals a day and were never given meat. Fruit and vegetables were for special occasions and candy was only for rich kids. Orphans were shunned and thought very poorly of by the community. BUT, one day, missionaries from the United States came. She knew they must really want to be there if they flew all that way and purposely came to spend time with them. They taught her about God. They taught her how to pray. Then one of the lady missionaries invited her to do something she had never got to do, sit in her lap. Oksana said she will never forget that moment. To top it all off, the orphans were given an Operation Christmas Child box. This was Oksana's first present. She had never received a birthday present or Christmas present. She didn't even know when her birthday was. All she knew was how old they told her she was. She said when she opened the lid, she was overwhelmed with joy. Inside was her very own toothbrush and toothpaste. Her very own pair of new socks. Candy! Dominoes to play with! And a picture of the family that sent the box. She said this box changed her life.

Oksana now had hope. She talked about how at age 16, orphans age out of the system and are then put out on the streets with nothing. Not a great future for an orphan to look forward to! Many aged-out girls turn to prostitution and many aged-out boys end up on prison. But now Oksana had hope. She was told that she had a Savior that she could pray to. And she prayed for a family, as she said it, "that didn't leave when their shift was over." Not too long after, a family in the United States that had adopted two children already and thought they were done, saw her picture and felt God tugging at their heart. They adopted Oksana. God had answered her prayer. Oksana now had a family. Oksana has been with her family for about 9 years now.

The Words of Oksana

Oksana's Family

Family is not who gives you birth. Family is the people that take care of you, love you, teach you, are there for you no matter what. People have asked me if I want to find out about my original parents... No, I don't. They obviously didn't have any desire for me, why would I want to find them? Instead I focus on my awesome parents now and all my crazy siblings :)! They were actually all adopted as well. Lucianne was adopted from Uzbekistan at 14 months. Artur from Russia at 3 years old. Then me. And Zhenia from Russia at 8 years old. It's amazing how we are all so different, yet all part of one incredible family! Only the hand of our Mighty God could make a miracle like that happen. Adoption is saving a child from their previous situation and giving them the hope and love that children deserve.


Adoption is such a beautiful picture of God adopting us into His family. It is a selfless action motivated by love and obedience that in return blesses the child and perhaps even more-so, the parents. I could never repay my parents for what they did for me. There is not enough money, time, thanks yous that I could say to let them know how I appreciate what they did.

Operation Christmas Child

It's not too late. National Collection Week is Nov. 15th throuh Nov. 22nd. Get your kids involved and pack a box, this is the only gift a child may get. Make a difference in a Child's life and teach your kids how blessed they are and to give back.