Answered Prayers in Guatemala

Olivia’s Barbie doll was a precious gift from her father, and she played with it all the time. When her parents separated and she spent less time with her father, the doll became even more special to her.

Olivia was devastated when her family moved, and her cherished toy was lost in the shuffle. Her aunt encouraged her to ask God for help. “I prayed that God would give me a doll like I had,” Olivia said. Not long after the family moved, Olivia’s cousin invited her to an Operation Christmas Child outreach event at a nearby church.

The girls and boys heard the Good News of Jesus Christ and received a gift-filled shoebox. 

Olivia couldn’t believe what she saw when she opened her shoebox gift—a doll identical to the one she had lost with the same dress and shoes.

“I was so excited and so happy. I wanted to cry,” she said. “God heard my prayer.”

Olivia was invited to attend The Greatest Journey, our 12-lesson discipleship course for shoebox recipients. During one class, the teacher read John 3:16 and shared the eternal hope of the Gospel.

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”

Before the class was over, Olivia repented of her sins and prayed to receive Jesus as her personal Lord and Saviour. She also prayed that her older brother, Daniel, would come to faith in Christ. 

Before the class was over, Olivia repented of her sins and prayed to receive Jesus as her personal Lord and Saviour. She also prayed that her older brother, Daniel, would come to faith in Christ. She believed that if God could answer her prayers about her doll, then He could certainly change the life of an alcoholic brother.

AN ANSWER TO PRAYER  

Daniel was 15 when his mother was pregnant with Olivia. “I resented Olivia,” he said. “I told my mom that I didn’t want Olivia, and I didn’t love her.” 

Daniel began spending time with friends who were a bad influence. He started drinking alcohol and using illegal drugs. 

“He would say mean things to me and my mom,” Olivia said. “But I knew God could change him. I just needed to keep praying.” 

Olivia prayed and she also shared the Bible stories she was learning in The Greatest Journey with Daniel and begged him to go to church with her. 

“I just ignored her—at least on the outside. Inside, I was deeply moved,” 

“No one could reach me,” he said. “I told my mom to forget that I was her son—and that I was going to forget that she was my mom.” 

Daniel’s verbally abusive behaviour and heavy drinking throughout the years took a toll on Olivia.

Daniel said. “I began worrying about the example I was setting for her.” 

One day, while Olivia was praying for her brother, her grandfather recorded the prayer on his phone. He later showed the video to Daniel. 

“She was on her knees praying for me. I couldn’t believe it,” Daniel said. “I felt so ashamed, but I didn’t have the willpower to change.” 

Soon after, Daniel was arrested for drinking and driving and went to a rehabilitation facility led by Christians. While he was there, Olivia kept praying—and God began transforming Daniel. 

“In rehab, I told God that I was thankful for His mercy. It was the first step back to Him,” Daniel said. “I told Him that if He changed me, I would preach His Word.” 

Daniel went to church with Olivia when he returned home. “At church, God spoke to my heart. He said, ‘Look at where you were and where I have brought you from. It is time for you to come back to Me.’ That day I gave my life to the Lord.”

A LIFE TRANSFORMED

Today Daniel serves with the youth ministry at his church and shares his testimony with teenagers to help guide them so they will be less likely to make the same mistakes he did. He said that Psalm 118:17-18 is his life verse: “I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the LORD. The LORD has chastened me severely, but He has not given me over to death.” 

“I should be dead by now, but God had mercy on me and spared me,” Daniel said. “The sister I resented proved to be my motivation to follow Christ. I don’t know how to thank Olivia for all her prayers for me.”

Her prayers haven’t stopped now that Daniel is a faithful Christ follower. “I still pray for him every day,” she said. 

Olivia also regularly prays for the efforts of Operation Christmas Child across Guatemala. 

And all of this started because God answered the prayers of a child through a shoebox gift. 

“Whoever packed Olivia’s shoebox can’t imagine the happiness that they brought to her,” Daniel said. “It started her on a journey of prayer that transformed her life and mine.”