The project, known as 'Greatest Gift Exchange – Project Hope,' was designed by the Christian ministry to spread the Gospel to the poor, orphaned, and street kids living in the Russian Federation. The ministry has worked with local churches to distribute the boxes containing a toy, candy, personal care items and the International Bible Society's "My First Bible."
Speaking through an interpreter, Pastor Anatoli Marachev of the Good News Church in Salakhard, located in the Arctic Circle, told Mission Network News (MNN) that churches responded to this initiative with enthusiasm given it was an evangelistic tool used to reach children.
"They (churches) responded very eagerly. And they told unbelievers about the project and got involved in the project," said Pastor Marachev.
"Thanks to this project, we have a chance and an opportunity to preach the Gospel to these children. Due to the condition in the country now, we don't have many opportunities to preach the Gospel openly and freely."
Thus far, 30,000 Christmas gift boxes had been shipped, according to the Moscow Regional Director of Russian Ministers, Paul Tokarchuk, who said there were used as a tool by youth leaders as part of their Christmas outreach effort.
"This tool will be used by youth leaders in Christmas outreach. So that's facilitation of the local youth people who are going through the next generation church leaders training," Mr. Tokarchuk said.
Russian Ministries builds Christian partnerships that touches and changes lives in communities across the former Soviet Union. The ministry has the aim of bringing new life and hope to the next generation of Russians.