Operation Christmas Love delivers desperately needed aid and hope to vulnerable families struggling under the darkness of poverty and conflict.
In the heart of Eastern Europe, Christmas often arrives not with joy, but with silence. The silence of empty cupboards. The silence of parents who don’t know how to tell their children there will be no gifts this year. The silence of homes still haunted by the legacy of communist-era oppression and the ongoing hardship of war and poverty.
See the impact generosity had on one family in Bosnia and Herzegovina who lost their mother.
While much of the world celebrates with abundance, countless families across Ukraine, Moldova, Romania, and Bosnia and Herzegovina are still struggling to survive. The collapse of old systems and decades of corruption have left them without the social safety nets that many of us in North America take for granted.
Jobs are scarce, resources are hard to come by, and in remote villages, families rely on day labour or small gardens to keep food on the table. For many, Christmas is not about celebration. It’s simply another day of survival.
Operation Christmas Love: delivering hope in a box
Into that darkness, light can still break through — carried in the form of an Operation Christmas Love box from Mission Without Borders. Every year, our staff and volunteers deliver thousands of these special boxes packed with food staples, hygiene items, and small gifts to families who have lost hope. Each box is more than just supplies. It’s a message of love, faith, and human dignity.
The legacy of hardship
Across Eastern Europe, the shadow of communism still lingers. Generations have grown up under systems that stripped away initiative, independence, and faith.
Even today, poverty remains systemic, and war has deepened the wounds.
Inflation and food shortages are pushing families further into despair. State support is limited or non-existent. Without outside help, thousands face Christmas in cold homes with little to eat.
32,000 — that’s our goal this year. We aim to deliver 32,000 boxes packed with food, supplies, and hope to families struggling to make ends meet this Christmas.
That’s why Operation Christmas Love matters so deeply. Mission Without Borders works through local churches and community partners who personally know the families they serve. They bring not only physical aid, but comfort, prayer, and the assurance that God’s love reaches even the most forgotten corners of the world.
See how Operation Christmas Love brought relief for a young family struggling in Bulgaria.
A gift that multiplies hope
Each Operation Christmas Love box provides essential items that can sustain a family for days and give them renewed strength for months. But more than that, it reminds them that they’re not alone.
When you give an Operation Christmas Love box, you’re doing more than feeding a family. You’re restoring dignity. You’re lighting a candle in the dark. You’re answering a prayer.
This season, as you gather around your own table surrounded by warmth, laughter, and abundance, remember those who have none.
You have the power to bring joy, comfort, and hope to families who are struggling to survive another winter. Because in the darkness of poverty and war, your kindness shines brightest.
Visit mwbca.org and donate an Operation Christmas Love box today.
