Strength and Hope Out of Tragedy | 163

Elizabeth Groff grew up in an orphanage in Ukraine, and had a really rough childhood. But God didn’t leave her in her difficult situation. She received an Operation Christmas Child shoebox and heard the Good News of God's love for her. Not too long after that, she was adopted and moved to the US. While in college, she started an Operation Christmas Child club and throughout her life, she has participated in packing thousands of shoeboxes. As you’ll find out later in this episode, Elizabeth has recently reconnected with her sister who she hadn't seen since childhood and has had the opportunity to show her Jesus’ love in very practical ways as well.  Meet the Podcast Guest:Elizabeth Groff was born and raised in Eastern Ukraine. She grew up in a broken family and ended up in an orphanage when she was only 7years old. While she was in the orphanage, Elizabeth received an Operation Christmas Child shoebox gift. Because of the shoebox, she began to have hope that God would not leave her at rock bottom, but that He would meet her there, and become her family. At the age of 13, Elizabeth was adopted into an American family. While a student at Virginia Tech, she enjoyed getting people involved in her Shoebox Club on campus. She went on to earn her master’s degree in Public Health and now works in the health care field. Elizabeth continues to encourage people to pack shoebox gifts wherever she is.Podcast Sponsor: Operation Christmas Child demonstrates God's love to children worldwide by delivering gift-filled shoeboxes and the good news of Jesus Christ! Each shoebox is an opportunity for a child to hear the Gospel and be invited into a 12 lesson discipleship program, The Greatest Journey.  Since 1993, more than 198 million children have received a shoebox gift and since 2010 more than 30.9 million children have been discipled. Children are now praying for and sharing their faith with family and friends. As a result of this ever-expanding witness, new churches are starting and communities are being transformed! Together we are working to see “a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb” (Rev. 7:9-10). Learn more about packing shoeboxes at samaritanspurse.org/occ and find fun resources for your family at samaritanspurse.org/childrens-ministry-resources. National Collection Week is November 14-21.