"The Greatest Journey is a course we offer as a follow-up to Operation Christmas Child," said Jorge Rodrigues, Executive Director for Samaritan's Purse Australia and New Zealand.
"With their parents' permission, many of those who received a gift-filled shoe box enrolled in The Greatest Journey," said Jorge.
The 12-lesson discipleship program introduces kids to salvation through faith in Christ, helps them gain an understanding of what it means to have a relationship with Christ and encourages them to share their faith.
"After each class, the children went home and shared with their parents the Bible stories they were learning. The parents became curious and started attending the classes as observers," Jorge said.
"As a result hundreds of children and parents have become Christians, leading to the planting of four new churches," he said.
Samaritan's Purse recently funded the construction of a church building in a village near Labasa for one of the new congregations.
Land is being acquired in three other villages to construct another three church buildings which Samaritan's Purse also plans to fund.
Most of the converts are Fijian Indians from a range of religious backgrounds. The new congregations are meeting in temporary shelters and in people's homes until the churches are built.
A few weeks ago 500 village children from Vanua Levu gathered at a large church in Labasa to receive their certificates and Bibles on graduating from The Greatest Journey.
Local Fijian pastor, Waisea, who is responsible for the rollout of The Greatest Journey on Vanua Levu said, "God has clearly shown me that there is no, 'No' in planting a church anywhere on earth for me when using The Greatest Journey. And I personally think that I can plant at least another 5 churches in this region."
Pastor Sharda, from a church on the same island, had 2 children attending her Kids' Club and this grew to 35 when she introduced The Greatest Journey. The 33 new children are all new converts. Many of the children's parents also came to faith in Christ as a result of the program.
Jorge expressed his gratitude to Bible League International for providing the funds to print Samaritan's Purse's materials for The Greatest Journey.
For more information: www.samaritanspurse.org.au