Operation Narnia Brings Christmas to Children Worldwide

Operation Christmas Child is spreading to Narnia this year.

Georgie Henley, who plays Lucy Pevensie in the Narnia films, filmed a special invitation to Narnia fans, encouraging them to help children for whom "it's always winter and never Christmas." With Narnia fans on board, the shoebox ministry of Samaritan's Purse hopes to deliver more than 8 million gifts to more than 100 countries this year.

Georgie, 15, learned how to pack a shoebox herself before filming the video in London. The result created Operation Narnia, designed to coincide with the upcoming release of the next Narnia film, "The Voyage of the Dawn Treader." Production studio Walden Media and Samaritan's Purse hope their partnership will encourage young people Georgie's age to participate in the initiative.

"We're very excited to participate in the upcoming release of the movie, ‘The Voyage of the Dawn Treader,'" said Franklin Graham, President of Samaritan's Purse. "We want children around the world to know the true meaning of Christmas—the birth of Jesus Christ—and the joy and hope that this brings."

The initiative's goal will remind fans of the first Narnia film, "The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe," when the four Pevensie children stumble upon a Narnia that has endured a 100-year winter without the joys of Christmas. Likewise, for many of the children who receive Christmas shoeboxes from Operation Narnia, it will be the first Christmas gift they ever receive.

The gifts' journey to their destination also bears resemblance to the exotic quests described in "The Voyage of the Dawn Treader." Operation Narnia shoeboxes will travel by ship, truck, bus, train, airplane, boat, camel, and even dog sled to reach children in remote areas.

Since Operation Christmas Child began in 1993, the ministry has delivered more than 77 million shoeboxes to children in more than 130 countries. To learn more about the film and the Christmas project including how to pack an Operation Christmas Child shoe box gift, visit www.samaritanspurse.org or www.operationnarnia.com.