Chaplains from the Billy Graham Rapid Response Team (BG-RRT) have been serving alongside dozens of volunteers processing shoebox gifts at the new Samaritan’s Purse National Ministry Centre in Coventry.

Samaritan’s Purse, sister organisation of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA), are in the midst of one of their busiest period of the year with Operation Christmas Child in full swing.

Volunteers from all backgrounds have dedicated their time to pack shoebox gifts to bless children in need around the globe.

Cate Oxenham, trained chaplain from BG-RRT and DART member with Samaritan’s Purse, has been in the midst of the fun and excitement in the National Ministry Centre. Whether it’s packing shoeboxes, offering a listening ear, or praying for someone—Cate is ready to provide practical, emotional, spiritual care to volunteers and staff.

We spoke to Cate about her experience as a chaplain with BG-RRT, and her time serving with Operation Christmas Child. Here’s what she had to say:

How has serving as a BG-RRT chaplain impacted your faith and personal ministry?

CATE: I had pretty good faith to start with, but being a chaplain enables me to do a lot more [with my faith] when I’m on deployments, either with DART or BG-RRT.

It gives me more confidence to speak to people. The chaplaincy team are very supportive.

I just love doing it. My faith has grown by doing it, it’s come full circle really.

Even though this is not your usual deployment, why is it important to have chaplain presence there at the National Ministry Centre during shoebox packing season?

CATE: For me, I love talking to people. A lot of people who volunteer are not Christians, so it’s good to have the opportunity to have conversations with them.

If anyone needs prayer, we’re around to pray with them and listen to them. And also to enjoy the day with them!

What are you enjoying most about your time volunteering there?

CATE: I love talking to people, listening to them, finding out where they came from, finding out their life stories, seeing if they have spiritual needs. Just being here talking to people.

Obviously the whole Operation Christmas Child cause, it’s a really good atmosphere here with lots of people coming from all over the place.

It’s not often that the two ministries of BGEA and Samaritan’s Purse work so closely together in the UK, why do you think it’s important for people to see the two ministries working in partnership?

CATE:  People that know nothing about either ministries will realise that BGEA and Samaritan’s Purse work in tandem.  Like how chaplains serving alongside Samaritan’s Purse volunteers on deployments.  It’s good for people to see that at BGEA, we have chaplains who are focused on the spiritual side of ministry.

What is the heart of Operation Christmas Child and how does your role as a chaplain play into that?

CATE: The heart of Operation Christmas Child is the hope and joy that it gives to the children.

Some of the children that may never get or have never had a Christmas present. It’s good for this country, and other wealthy countries around the world, to share materially and spiritually with them.

If people [volunteers] want to know more about what  happens when we share the Gospel, I’m happy to talk about that. If they want to know about the Gospel themselves, I can talk to them about that.

The heart of it is bringing joy and Jesus to the children in countries where they may not have a lot of that.

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