She Received a Shoebox at 5. Now She’s Packing Them With Her Own Kids
When five-year-old Gabby Walker walked into a church in Honduras, she was living in extreme poverty. Her mother worked multiple jobs, there were days without enough food, and Gabby often felt alone.
That Sunday, she heard clearly about Jesus’ love for her—and wondered, “Does Jesus know who I am?”
Then someone handed her an Operation Christmas Child shoebox.
Before she opened it, Gabby whispered one of her first prayers: “God, please let there be a Barbie doll in here.”
What happened next planted a seed that would affect not only Gabby’s life, but her mother’s as well.
Today, Gabby is married, homeschooling three children in Mississippi—and now she packs Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes with her own kids.
In this episode, Leslie Nunnery and Gabby talk about the extraordinary impact of ordinary faithfulness: a kindergarten teacher who faithfully shared God’s Word, friends who invited Gabby to church, an unknown family who packed a shoebox, and a God working through it all.
You’ll also discover why packing a shoebox can be such a meaningful family discipleship opportunity—helping our children look beyond themselves, practice generosity, pray for children around the world, and participate personally in sharing the gospel.
PACK A SHOEBOX WITH YOUR FAMILY
National Collection Week, November 16-23, 2026
Samaritan’s Purse also allows families to track where a box goes when they make the suggested shipping/ministry donation online, which could be especially fun for homeschool families.