Letter of Concern

I write as a concerned parent about the appropriateness of the promotion in UK schools of “Operation Christmas Child” (OCC) which is run by the organisation "Samaritan's Purse." From my researches Samaritan's Purse is a fundamentalist evangelical movement that uses OCC as a method of proselytising vulnerable children.

As you will be aware at this time of year a number of schools and charity shops are displaying posters and handing out leaflets for "Operation Christmas Child." This yearly tradition of filling up shoeboxes with toys for disadvantaged children overseas is entered into by many parents of young children. However from talking to other parents I think few (indeed none that I have asked) know what this organisation stands for and actually does with many of these shoeboxes. Despite links to the Samaritan's Purse (UK) website on their current leaflets and posters I have found that none of the parents or teachers I have asked have investigated it. When I discussed the nature and activities of this organisation most so far have been disturbed by it, some expressing (quote) "horror" at what their gifts were being used for. Others have said they felt they (quote) "have been exploited."

From the Samaritan's Purse website:

http://www.samaritanspurse.org/index.asp?section=Operation+Christmas+Child

“Along with shoe box gifts, millions of children are given Gospel booklets in their own language… The organization serves the Church worldwide to promote the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.”

As it says in their promotional video http://www.samaritanspurse.org/index.asp?section=Projects: “These gift filled shoeboxes provide powerful tools the local churches can use to evangelise people in its own community…each [gift is] an opportunity to reach a child with the message of salvation in Jesus Christ.”

Even more explicitly as proof of the primary purpose of the shoebox appeal, at www.samaritanspurse.org/about/pdf/AR2003.pdf ministry partner Victor Kulbich said:

"We shared the Gospel with them and distributed Bibles .... Each time we do a distribution, it begins with a testimony that Jesus loves you and died for you .... Operation Christmas Child is one of the best evangelistic tools because it is a gift .... It opens the door to telling about Jesus.”

In previous years this organisation has been putting evangelising literature into the shoeboxes before distribution. Following criticism for this leaflets are no longer put inside shoeboxes. Instead this literature is now included alongside the distribution of the shoeboxes (which amounts to the same thing) unless the local government explicitly forbids it as is the case in strict Muslim countries. In addition, regardless of their faith (or none), all children receiving shoeboxes are intended to be registered in advance, attend a Christian rally, and receive Christian literature again wherever the government allows it (http://www.pursestrings.ca/shoebox.htm). There are also evangelical follow up meetings subsequent to the distributions. This can be seen in action near the end (from the 6th minute) of the Samaritan’s Purse current promotional video at http://www.samaritanspurse.org/index.asp?section=Projects.

I have obtained excerpts from this booklet from the UK office of Samaritan's Purse. These can be viewed at www.geocities.com/occcriticism/booklet.html. The details of the booklet are: "The Greatest Gift of All" ISBN: 1 896658 32 6 Published by "WorldServe Ministries." Subsequently I found the whole booklet at http://mostimportantstory.com/mi/read.html

Extrapolating from my straw poll of parents and teachers I think large numbers take part in operation Christmas child with little knowledge of what goes on. Despite the Samaritan's Purse (UK) website being mentioned on the operation Christmas child leaflet I have not found any parents or teachers I have asked have actually been to the website, let alone read it in depth. Also the International website of Samaritan’s Purse has far more information. Those who watch the promotional video at http://www.samaritanspurse.org/index.asp?section=Projects (especially from the 6th minute) could be in for quite a shock.

Also it should be noted that senior members of Samaritan's Purse hold and promote extremist views. Franklin Graham, son of the American evangelist Billy Graham and Chairman and CEO of Samaritan’s Purse is on record as stating:

“ the entire Islamic religion is wicked, violent ...Islam, as a whole, is evil.... I believe it is a very evil and wicked religion."

Samaritan's Purse has responded by claiming that this should be ignored as a knee-jerk reaction to 9/11. However in Franklin Graham's book, Rebel With A Cause, Graham states that:

"from the refugee camps we travelled to the subcontinent of India, with its hundreds of millions of people locked in the darkness of Hinduism… These people were bound by Satan's power." (pg 138-139)

Whatever the personal opinion of individuals, I think OCC is surely incompatible with the inclusive nature of religious education and citizenship in schools and not only should OCC not be supported by our schools but parents and teachers should be made aware of its nature given that schools have been handing out notices promoting the shoebox appeal.

Even if individual schools feel that supporting OCC is within their ethos the problem remains that I have discovered that there are those who currently support OCC who do not know about OCC's proselytising nature and would be unlikely to support OCC if they did. Hence they need to be better informed. This includes parents. So I think at the very least schools need to make parents well aware of the nature of OCC. Currently there is often a bland covering letter and few parents go on to read the leaflet and realise what they are participating in.

It should be noted that there are already some schools and organisations such as the South Wales Fire Service and the CO-OP which have stopped contributing to OCC since discovering its proselytising focus. (http://www.pursestrings.ca/news.htm)

In Canada some concerned parents from a range of faith groups frustrated at the lack of media attention have put together a critical resource on OCC at www.pursestrings.ca where you can find out more information.

Thank you for your attention.

Sincerely,