Samaritan's Purse https://www.samaritanspurse.org News Tue, 28 Apr 2026 15:16:36 +0000 en-US hourly 1 http://users.feedblitz.com/ec17766dabfb882064cc1903e3224114/SP-logo.jpg Samaritan's Purse https://www.samaritanspurse.org https://www.samaritanspurse.org/article/islanders-look-to-god-after-typhoon-devastation/ Islanders Look to God After Typhoon Devastation https://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/954741431/0/samaritanspurse~Islanders-Look-to-God-After-Typhoon-Devastation/ Tue, 28 Apr 2026 15:16:36 +0000 https://www.samaritanspurse.org/?post_type=sp-articles&p=270079 Jesus' Name is being proclaimed to the storm-weary islanders of Saipan and Tinian through the work of Samaritan's Purse.As the storm’s torrent ravaged the tiny island of Saipan, Aega pleaded with God to save her. “I held on to God for 72 hours,” she said. “I was praying that I wouldn’t die here in my living room, and He answered that prayer.” Super Typhoon Sinlaku roared from the north against her hillside neighborhood, she recalled, and circled back again from the south a day later. The 150-mph winds flipped the neighbor’s roof against her house. She taped towels over her windows in a futile attempt to stop the storm’s fury. The glass panes shattered, and the front doors flew open sending debris into her home. In the chaos of the massive cyclone, something hit Aega in her left side, cracking her upper rib. “All I could do was pray even though I hadn’t talked to God for a long time,” she said. “I cried more than I have in my entire life. I don’t know how loud I cried.” Only days later, the single mother had to return to work at the airport to coordinate emergency and relief flights. As she sat at her desk overlooking the airstrip, she saw the Samaritan’s Purse plane arrive bringing relief items and hope to the battered island. Treating the Pain, Healing the Soul Using our 767 aircraft, the largest in our fleet, Samaritan’s Purse delivered emergency relief to Saipan, the main island of the Northern Marianas in the western Pacific. Our aircraft made two airlifts to the distant U.S. territory, first on April 18 and again three days later. Now, we are also serving typhoon survivors in the neighboring Tinian island, where roughly 2,000 people reside. To support the damaged medical infrastructure on the island, we’ve set up and staffed an outpatient clinic to treat basic medical needs and refill vital prescriptions. We’ve also set up three clinic restart facilities to help small, damaged health centers get back to seeing patients. And, we’ve sent out mobile medical teams to displacement shelters across the island. “We pray that, especially, the underserved and the marginalized would feel remembered and encouraged at this time,” said Sacha Thew, the medical director for the response. “And ultimately feel the love of Christ.” With a grimace, Aega walked into the Samaritan’s Purse clinic holding her side in pain. The same spirit of comfort she felt as she prayed during the storm overwhelmed her when she entered our facility. “For the first time, someone prayed for me and just listened to me. I was asking myself, ‘Who are these people?’” she said of the Samaritan’s Purse doctors. “They didn’t only treat for the pain, but they also showed care for me as a human.” Before leaving with pain medication and other resources to aid her recovery, Dr. Dan Doolittle, a Samaritan’s Purse doctor, grabbed her hands. “God rules from Heaven,” he reminded her, “Jesus sits on the throne and watches over us. He saved you.” After years of drifting from God, the typhoon drew Aega back to her Savior. She prayed and rededicated her life anew to the Lord as she exited our hospital. “I have, for my entire life, worried—but now all I can do is be thankful to God that He sent Samaritan’s Purse,” she said. “I will go to church again. God helped me and saved me for something. “It’s not about the medicine to help my pain, it’s the prayer that’s healed me,” she continued. “Thank you for bringing God’s Spirit to Saipan to help those who need it.” Thanking God for Timely Relief In addition to our medical work, we are providing residents with clean water and other relief airlifted aboard our 767. Beside the turquoise waters of the tropical island, our two desalination systems have pumped over 15,000 gallons of clean water to date and continue to attract hundreds of families in need each day. Through church partners, we’ve distributed thousands of tarps, solar lights, and jerry cans; hundreds of mosquito nets; and more relief items. Dozens of generators are going to the sick in the community who need electricity most. “I want to say thank you on behalf of the people of the Northern Mariana Islands,” said the territory’s governor, David Apatang, as he visited one of our water purification sites. “This is one of the strongest typhoons to hit our islands and I want to say thank you to Samaritan’s Purse for serving my people.” One of those who received a generator is Loida, whom doctors once told she had only three days to live after being diagnosed with myasthenia gravis, a rare autoimmune disease. That was 13 years ago. When the typhoon ripped the roof off her home and knocked out the electricity, she again worried for her life. She relies on a nebulizer to live and must refrigerate her insulin. A week after the storm, the 63-year-old was still out of power and out of options until she heard about Samaritan’s Purse generators at a local church. Pastor Chad Taflinger, and his wife, Angela, of Saipan Church of the Nazarene partnered with Samaritan’s Purse to hand out 10 generators to the sick and vulnerable among them. They identified several people in their island community who desperately needed electricity—in some cases—to stay alive. Loida was first on their mind. “These are all little pieces of hope that get people through that day, reminding them that the church is here in the mess with you,” Pastor Chad said. “These items are bridge-builders that allow us to communicate with people who have been right here the whole time, but we’ve never actually talked to them.” Loida, a strong Christ-follower, thanked the Lord for His provision. “This generator means so much to me,” Loida said softly as she held back tears, “because this is my life that’s at stake.” Her husband, Mariano, also welled with tears as he hauled the heavy box into the car. A culinary teacher on the neighboring island, Mariano couldn’t go to work and leave knowing his wife was at home without electricity. Money was thin. He felt trapped under the pressures of life until Samaritan’s Purse stepped in. “God is good,” he said relieved. “I can take care of my family. I can know that my wife is safe.” Within each aspect of our response to the Marianas, the Gospel is proclaimed. Chaplains from the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association are on the ground sowing seeds of Gospel love among the hurting people. We praise God that for those men and women who have accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior so far during this response. Saipan and Tinian are beginning to recover, and many families will forever be changed by the love of God as they’ve seen it on display through Samaritan’s Purse staff. As our response continues, pray for the local church as they teach and disciple new believers—and even seasoned Christians—who’ve found refuge in His presence through this storm. ]]> Jesus' Name is being proclaimed to the storm-weary islanders of Saipan and Tinian through the work of Samaritan's Purse.As the storm’s torrent ravaged the tiny island of Saipan, Aega pleaded with God to save her. “I held on to God for 72 hours,” she said. “I was praying that I wouldn’t die here in my living room, and He answered that prayer.” Super Typhoon Sinlaku roared from the north against her hillside neighborhood, she recalled, and circled back again from the south a day later. The 150-mph winds flipped the neighbor’s roof against her house. She taped towels over her windows in a futile attempt to stop the storm’s fury. The glass panes shattered, and the front doors flew open sending debris into her home. In the chaos of the massive cyclone, something hit Aega in her left side, cracking her upper rib. “All I could do was pray even though I hadn’t talked to God for a long time,” she said. “I cried more than I have in my entire life. I don’t know how loud I cried.” Only days later, the single mother had to return to work at the airport to coordinate emergency and relief flights. As she sat at her desk overlooking the airstrip, she saw the Samaritan’s Purse plane arrive bringing relief items and hope to the battered island. Treating the Pain, Healing the Soul Using our 767 aircraft, the largest in our fleet, Samaritan’s Purse delivered emergency relief to Saipan, the main island of the Northern Marianas in the western Pacific. Our aircraft made two airlifts to the distant U.S. territory, first on April 18 and again three days later. Now, we are also serving typhoon survivors in the neighboring Tinian island, where roughly 2,000 people reside. To support the damaged medical infrastructure on the island, we’ve set up and staffed an outpatient clinic to treat basic medical needs and refill vital prescriptions. We’ve also set up three clinic restart facilities to help small, damaged health centers get back to seeing patients. And, we’ve sent out mobile medical teams to displacement shelters across the island. “We pray that, especially, the underserved and the marginalized would feel remembered and encouraged at this time,” said Sacha Thew, the medical director for the response. “And ultimately feel the love of Christ.” With a grimace, Aega walked into the Samaritan’s Purse clinic holding her side in pain. The same spirit of comfort she felt as she prayed during the storm overwhelmed her when she entered our facility. “For the first time, someone prayed for me and just listened to me. I was asking myself, ‘Who are these people?’” she said of the Samaritan’s Purse doctors. “They didn’t only treat for the pain, but they also showed care for me as a human.” Before leaving with pain medication and other resources to aid her recovery, Dr. Dan Doolittle, a Samaritan’s Purse doctor, grabbed her hands. “God rules from Heaven,” he reminded her, “Jesus sits on the throne and watches over us. He saved you.” After years of drifting from God, the typhoon drew Aega back to her Savior. She prayed and rededicated her life anew to the Lord as she exited our hospital. “I have, for my entire life, worried—but now all I can do is be thankful to God that He sent Samaritan’s Purse,” she said. “I will go to church again. God helped me and saved me for something. “It’s not about the medicine to help my pain, it’s the prayer that’s healed me,” she continued. “Thank you for bringing God’s Spirit to Saipan to help those who need it.” Thanking God for Timely Relief In addition to our medical work, we are providing residents with clean water and other relief airlifted aboard our 767. Beside the turquoise waters of the tropical island, our two desalination systems have pumped over 15,000 gallons of clean water to date and continue to attract hundreds of families in need each day. Through church partners, we’ve distributed thousands of tarps, solar lights, and jerry cans; hundreds of mosquito nets; and more relief items. Dozens of generators are going to the sick in the community who need electricity most. “I want to say thank you on behalf of the people of the Northern Mariana Islands,” said the territory’s governor, David Apatang, as he visited one of our water purification sites. “This is one of the strongest typhoons to hit our islands and I want to say thank you to Samaritan’s Purse for serving my people.” One of those who received a generator is Loida, whom doctors once told she had only three days to live after being diagnosed with myasthenia gravis, a rare autoimmune disease. That was 13 years ago. When the typhoon ripped the roof off her home and knocked out the electricity, she again worried for her life. She relies on a nebulizer to live and must refrigerate her insulin. A week after the storm, the 63-year-old was still out of power and out of options until she heard about Samaritan’s Purse generators at a local church. Pastor Chad Taflinger, and his wife, Angela, of Saipan Church of the Nazarene partnered with Samaritan’s Purse to hand out 10 generators to the sick and vulnerable among them. They identified several people in their island community who desperately needed electricity—in some cases—to stay alive. Loida was first on their mind. “These are all little pieces of hope that get people through that day, reminding them that the church is here in the mess with you,” Pastor Chad said. “These items are bridge-builders that allow us to communicate with people who have been right here the whole time, but we’ve never actually talked to them.” Loida, a strong Christ-follower, thanked the Lord for His provision. “This generator means so much to me,” Loida said softly as she held back tears, “because this is my life that’s at stake.” Her husband, Mariano, also welled with tears as he hauled the heavy box into the car. A culinary teacher on the neighboring island, Mariano couldn’t go to work and leave knowing his wife was at home without electricity. Money was thin. He felt trapped under the pressures of life until Samaritan’s Purse stepped in. “God is good,” he said relieved. “I can take care of my family. I can know that my wife is safe.” Within each aspect of our response to the Marianas, the Gospel is proclaimed. Chaplains from the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association are on the ground sowing seeds of Gospel love among the hurting people. We praise God that for those men and women who have accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior so far during this response. Saipan and Tinian are beginning to recover, and many families will forever be changed by the love of God as they’ve seen it on display through Samaritan’s Purse staff. As our response continues, pray for the local church as they teach and disciple new believers—and even seasoned Christians—who’ve found refuge in His presence through this storm. ]]> https://www.samaritanspurse.org/article/operation-heal-our-patriots-reunion-celebrates-victory-in-christ/ Operation Heal Our Patriots Reunion Celebrates Victory in Christ https://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/954657110/0/samaritanspurse~Operation-Heal-Our-Patriots-Reunion-Celebrates-Victory-in-Christ/ Mon, 27 Apr 2026 18:15:04 +0000 https://www.samaritanspurse.org/?post_type=sp-articles&p=270008 “Is your soul safe and secure in the hands of God?” Samaritan’s Purse President Franklin Graham asked military couples to consider that question during the 2026 Operation Heal Our Patriots Reunion. He kicked off the event in Orlando, Florida, with a powerful message from Luke 19 about Jesus’ encounter with a rich tax collector named Zacchaeus. Zacchaeus, who was corrupt and hated by the Jews, had let the pursuit of worldly desires consume his life. “He was on the verge of losing his soul,” Graham said. “He worshipped his money and wealth.” Graham translated Zacchaeus’ situation to a modern-day example. “Some people spend their whole life trying to get ready for retirement, but they neglect what’s coming—everlasting life—and they lose their soul.” Zacchaeus climbed into a tree so that he could see Jesus enter Jerusalem. The tax collector was curious about Jesus, but as Graham explained, he wasn’t seeking a relationship with the Messiah. He simply wanted to know more about the man people were saying had performed signs and wonders. Yet everything changed when the Savior stopped, looked at Zacchaeus, and called his name. “Zacchaeus could have stayed in the tree. But when Jesus called him, he didn’t wait a second.” Graham reminded our Operation Heal Our Patriots alumni that God created them, loves them, and wants a relationship with them. “The same Jesus Christ who saw Zacchaeus, He sees you tonight. He’s willing to stop for you if you call His Name.” Graham invited anyone who wanted to receive Christ to come forward and offer a prayer of repentance and faith. “If you’ve never surrendered your life to Him, come right now,” he urged. “God sent His Son on a rescue mission. He didn’t send His Son to condemn us, but to save us. The Son of God took your sins. God will forgive you and set you free.” We praise God for all of the men and women in Orlando who repented of their sins and prayed to receive Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior. Testimonies of God’s Faithfulness The theme for the April 23-26 event was “Reaching Forward,” based on Philippians 3:13-14: “But one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead. I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” The weekend conference included fellowship, breakout sessions on marriage and spiritual renewal, and worship led by Charity Gayle, Dennis Agajanian, and the Tommy Coomes Band. Bluegrass legend Ricky Skaggs and his band, Kentucky Thunder, also performed. Operation Heal Our Patriot alumni shared testimonies throughout the Reunion about how God used the ministry to transform their lives. The Lord has continued to work in the hearts of Matt and Dawn Sheppard in the three years since they went to Samaritan Lodge Alaska. Although they experienced significant breakthroughs in Alaska, including Dawn’s rededication of her life to Jesus and baptism, their marriage still struggled. Matt’s ongoing battle with alcohol finally got to be too much, and Dawn considered leaving him. Matt’s heart changed during the 2024 Operation Heal Our Patriots Reunion when he heard evangelist Tim Lee speak on being devoted to God. Lee gave an invitation for anyone who wanted to receive Christ as their Savior. “I got out of my seat and couldn’t get to the stage fast enough,” Matt said. “I dedicated my life to the Lord, and it hasn’t been the same since that day.” Melissa and Scott Riddle, 2021 alumni, shared about Team Patriot, the Samaritan’s Purse initiative that gives Operation Heal Our Patriots alumni the opportunity to serve in the aftermath of natural disasters. After their first deployment to Palisades, California, in the wake of devastating wildfires, they knew they wanted Team Patriot to be an important part of their lives. “To see the beauty of what God can do has been a blessing,” Melissa said. “Scott and I can lean on each other, and we can pour into the homeowners we are serving.” They are now Team Patriot leaders and have even experienced the joy of serving alongside their 16-year-old daughter on several deployments. “Being out there with our alumni and serving with them, we have the most important thing in common—the love of Jesus,” Scott said. “We can live and do His Word. Trusting the Potter Jonathan Falwell, senior pastor of Thomas Road Baptist Church and chancellor of Liberty University, spoke twice during the Reunion. His first message was from Jeremiah 18:1-10, when God sent the prophet to tell the people of Israel that although they had disobeyed Him, all was not lost—God still had a plan to use them for His glory. “I believe God is declaring this message to us in this moment,” Falwell said. “He is sovereign and active in your life. He has a plan for you, and He created that plan before you were born.” Falwell reminded the military couples that the Lord wants to mold them for His Kingdom purposes. As a potter shapes clay and leaves his mark, our Savior desires to do the same for His children. “God wants to imprint Himself in our lives,” Falwell said. “Our future is not dependent on our past,” Falwell said. “No matter how many times you have messed up, God can use you in ways you never thought possible.” Falwell exhorted alumni to stop running from God. “This journey He has for us is greater than anything the world has to offer. Let’s determine to live in the abundant life of Christ.” Later in the Reunion, Falwell delivered an encouraging message from Acts 22 about the conversion of Saul, later known as the Apostle Paul. Before he met Christ, Saul persecuted believers and desperately tried to prevent the Gospel from spreading. Saul was passionate, but his passion was misplaced. “You are either serving God or self. If you are serving self, you can be passionate, but everything is going to fall apart,” Falwell said. Saul’s life radically transformed after he had an encounter with God. He began pursuing a relationship with Christ above all else and committed his life to sharing the Good News. “When you are doing what God has called you to do, it is the only place in life that you cannot fail,” Falwell said. “All of us have a role to play in the Kingdom of God.” Knowing Your Identity Baseball legend Darryl Strawberry spoke Saturday night about the danger of disobeying God and refusing to repent. Strawberry did that for many years while he played professional baseball, turning to drugs, alcohol, and other addictions that trapped him in a “life of darkness and separated from God.” His life transformed when he came to faith in Christ. “I had nothing until I met Jesus,” he said. Strawberry finally understood that a baseball uniform did not define his identity—and neither should a military uniform. Our identity must be in the Lord Jesus Christ. “The enemy’s purpose is to deceive you so that you don’t know who you are. He doesn’t want you to find your purpose in God’s Kingdom,” Strawberry said. No matter the sins of the past, redemption can be experienced in Christ through repentance and trust in Him. “Jesus will give you His peace. He doesn’t want you on the sidelines anymore,” Strawberry said. “God doesn’t need anything from you but your heart.” Please pray that these veterans and their spouses will continue to grow strong in their faith and in their marriages. Pray also for new couples who will be attending a week of marriage enrichment in Alaska this summer through Operation Heal Our Patriots. ]]> “Is your soul safe and secure in the hands of God?” Samaritan’s Purse President Franklin Graham asked military couples to consider that question during the 2026 Operation Heal Our Patriots Reunion. He kicked off the event in Orlando, Florida, with a powerful message from Luke 19 about Jesus’ encounter with a rich tax collector named Zacchaeus. Zacchaeus, who was corrupt and hated by the Jews, had let the pursuit of worldly desires consume his life. “He was on the verge of losing his soul,” Graham said. “He worshipped his money and wealth.” Graham translated Zacchaeus’ situation to a modern-day example. “Some people spend their whole life trying to get ready for retirement, but they neglect what’s coming—everlasting life—and they lose their soul.” Zacchaeus climbed into a tree so that he could see Jesus enter Jerusalem. The tax collector was curious about Jesus, but as Graham explained, he wasn’t seeking a relationship with the Messiah. He simply wanted to know more about the man people were saying had performed signs and wonders. Yet everything changed when the Savior stopped, looked at Zacchaeus, and called his name. “Zacchaeus could have stayed in the tree. But when Jesus called him, he didn’t wait a second.” Graham reminded our Operation Heal Our Patriots alumni that God created them, loves them, and wants a relationship with them. “The same Jesus Christ who saw Zacchaeus, He sees you tonight. He’s willing to stop for you if you call His Name.” Graham invited anyone who wanted to receive Christ to come forward and offer a prayer of repentance and faith. “If you’ve never surrendered your life to Him, come right now,” he urged. “God sent His Son on a rescue mission. He didn’t send His Son to condemn us, but to save us. The Son of God took your sins. God will forgive you and set you free.” We praise God for all of the men and women in Orlando who repented of their sins and prayed to receive Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior. Testimonies of God’s Faithfulness The theme for the April 23-26 event was “Reaching Forward,” based on Philippians 3:13-14: “But one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead. I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” The weekend conference included fellowship, breakout sessions on marriage and spiritual renewal, and worship led by Charity Gayle, Dennis Agajanian, and the Tommy Coomes Band. Bluegrass legend Ricky Skaggs and his band, Kentucky Thunder, also performed. Operation Heal Our Patriot alumni shared testimonies throughout the Reunion about how God used the ministry to transform their lives. The Lord has continued to work in the hearts of Matt and Dawn Sheppard in the three years since they went to Samaritan Lodge Alaska. Although they experienced significant breakthroughs in Alaska, including Dawn’s rededication of her life to Jesus and baptism, their marriage still struggled. Matt’s ongoing battle with alcohol finally got to be too much, and Dawn considered leaving him. Matt’s heart changed during the 2024 Operation Heal Our Patriots Reunion when he heard evangelist Tim Lee speak on being devoted to God. Lee gave an invitation for anyone who wanted to receive Christ as their Savior. “I got out of my seat and couldn’t get to the stage fast enough,” Matt said. “I dedicated my life to the Lord, and it hasn’t been the same since that day.” Melissa and Scott Riddle, 2021 alumni, shared about Team Patriot, the Samaritan’s Purse initiative that gives Operation Heal Our Patriots alumni the opportunity to serve in the aftermath of natural disasters. After their first deployment to Palisades, California, in the wake of devastating wildfires, they knew they wanted Team Patriot to be an important part of their lives. “To see the beauty of what God can do has been a blessing,” Melissa said. “Scott and I can lean on each other, and we can pour into the homeowners we are serving.” They are now Team Patriot leaders and have even experienced the joy of serving alongside their 16-year-old daughter on several deployments. “Being out there with our alumni and serving with them, we have the most important thing in common—the love of Jesus,” Scott said. “We can live and do His Word. Trusting the Potter Jonathan Falwell, senior pastor of Thomas Road Baptist Church and chancellor of Liberty University, spoke twice during the Reunion. His first message was from Jeremiah 18:1-10, when God sent the prophet to tell the people of Israel that although they had disobeyed Him, all was not lost—God still had a plan to use them for His glory. “I believe God is declaring this message to us in this moment,” Falwell said. “He is sovereign and active in your life. He has a plan for you, and He created that plan before you were born.” Falwell reminded the military couples that the Lord wants to mold them for His Kingdom purposes. As a potter shapes clay and leaves his mark, our Savior desires to do the same for His children. “God wants to imprint Himself in our lives,” Falwell said. “Our future is not dependent on our past,” Falwell said. “No matter how many times you have messed up, God can use you in ways you never thought possible.” Falwell exhorted alumni to stop running from God. “This journey He has for us is greater than anything the world has to offer. Let’s determine to live in the abundant life of Christ.” Later in the Reunion, Falwell delivered an encouraging message from Acts 22 about the conversion of Saul, later known as the Apostle Paul. Before he met Christ, Saul persecuted believers and desperately tried to prevent the Gospel from spreading. Saul was passionate, but his passion was misplaced. “You are either serving God or self. If you are serving self, you can be passionate, but everything is going to fall apart,” Falwell said. Saul’s life radically transformed after he had an encounter with God. He began pursuing a relationship with Christ above all else and committed his life to sharing the Good News. “When you are doing what God has called you to do, it is the only place in life that you cannot fail,” Falwell said. “All of us have a role to play in the Kingdom of God.” Knowing Your Identity Baseball legend Darryl Strawberry spoke Saturday night about the danger of disobeying God and refusing to repent. Strawberry did that for many years while he played professional baseball, turning to drugs, alcohol, and other addictions that trapped him in a “life of darkness and separated from God.” His life transformed when he came to faith in Christ. “I had nothing until I met Jesus,” he said. Strawberry finally understood that a baseball uniform did not define his identity—and neither should a military uniform. Our identity must be in the Lord Jesus Christ. “The enemy’s purpose is to deceive you so that you don’t know who you are. He doesn’t want you to find your purpose in God’s Kingdom,” Strawberry said. No matter the sins of the past, redemption can be experienced in Christ through repentance and trust in Him. “Jesus will give you His peace. He doesn’t want you on the sidelines anymore,” Strawberry said. “God doesn’t need anything from you but your heart.” Please pray that these veterans and their spouses will continue to grow strong in their faith and in their marriages. Pray also for new couples who will be attending a week of marriage enrichment in Alaska this summer through Operation Heal Our Patriots. ]]> https://www.samaritanspurse.org/article/samaritans-purse-responds-to-oklahoma/ Samaritan’s Purse Responds in Oklahoma https://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/954427481/0/samaritanspurse~Samaritans-Purse-Responds-in-Oklahoma/ Fri, 24 Apr 2026 15:49:02 +0000 https://www.samaritanspurse.org/?post_type=sp-articles&p=269983 Samaritan's Purse is responding after powerful storms spawning tornadoes swept through Oklahoma.Samaritan’s Purse is responding in Enid, Oklahoma, where powerful tornadoes devastated neighborhoods, damaging dozens of homes. Disaster Response Vehicles housed with church partners across the region are deploying to the area to serve communities and assist with cleanup. Volunteers (day volunteers only) will work out of our base of operations at World Harvest Church, 1417 S Garland Rd. in Enid beginning Saturday, April 25, at 7:30 a.m. VOLUNTEER IN OKLAHOMA Teams will assist with recovery of belongings, debris cleanup, tarping damaged roofs, and tree work. Please pray for our teams as they assist this hurting community and share the hope of Christ. Check back here or at spvolunteer.org for updates. ]]> Samaritan's Purse is responding after powerful storms spawning tornadoes swept through Oklahoma.Samaritan’s Purse is responding in Enid, Oklahoma, where powerful tornadoes devastated neighborhoods, damaging dozens of homes. Disaster Response Vehicles housed with church partners across the region are deploying to the area to serve communities and assist with cleanup. Volunteers (day volunteers only) will work out of our base of operations at World Harvest Church, 1417 S Garland Rd. in Enid beginning Saturday, April 25, at 7:30 a.m. VOLUNTEER IN OKLAHOMA Teams will assist with recovery of belongings, debris cleanup, tarping damaged roofs, and tree work. Please pray for our teams as they assist this hurting community and share the hope of Christ. Check back here or at spvolunteer.org for updates. ]]> https://www.samaritanspurse.org/article/samaritans-purse-responds-after-midwest-flooding/ Samaritan’s Purse at Work After Midwest Flooding https://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/954349055/0/samaritanspurse~Samaritans-Purse-at-Work-After-Midwest-Flooding/ Thu, 23 Apr 2026 15:01:31 +0000 https://www.samaritanspurse.org/?post_type=sp-articles&p=269943 Disaster Relief Unit #9 departed our Wilkes Office and Warehouse April 24 bound for Michigan.Samaritan's Purse is responding in Wisconsin and Michigan as residents recover from widespread flooding after a week of powerful storms dropped heavy rains across the region. Disaster Relief Unit #7 departed our Wilkes Office and Warehouse early on April 23 to serve Wisconsin communities in and around New London, Shiocton, and Fremont, working out of our base of operations at Alliance Church at 2693 Grand Chute Boulevard in Appleton. Volunteers are expected to begin working in Wisconsin April 25. Disaster Relief Unit #9 departed April 24 for Newaygo County, Michigan, where floodwaters damaged or destroyed more than 200 homes. Our host church of First Baptist Church of Newaygo on 1546 82nd Street in Newaygo. Local volunteers will begin working Saturday, April 25, at 7:30 a.m. and overnight volunteers will be accepted beginning on Sunday, April 26, at 8:00 p.m. Visit spvolunteer.org for updates on volunteer opportunities. Disaster relief teams will assist residents in cleaning up properties and clearing mud and debris out of homes. As volunteers serve these hurting families in Jesus' Name, they will also have opportunities to share about the hope they have in Jesus Christ. Billy Graham Rapid Response Team chaplains are also deploying to the area to offer emotional support and spiritual encouragement from God's Word. Please pray for these hurting communities and for our teams as they serve residents. ]]> Disaster Relief Unit #9 departed our Wilkes Office and Warehouse April 24 bound for Michigan.Samaritan's Purse is responding in Wisconsin and Michigan as residents recover from widespread flooding after a week of powerful storms dropped heavy rains across the region. Disaster Relief Unit #7 departed our Wilkes Office and Warehouse early on April 23 to serve Wisconsin communities in and around New London, Shiocton, and Fremont, working out of our base of operations at Alliance Church at 2693 Grand Chute Boulevard in Appleton. Volunteers are expected to begin working in Wisconsin April 25. Disaster Relief Unit #9 departed April 24 for Newaygo County, Michigan, where floodwaters damaged or destroyed more than 200 homes. Our host church of First Baptist Church of Newaygo on 1546 82nd Street in Newaygo. Local volunteers will begin working Saturday, April 25, at 7:30 a.m. and overnight volunteers will be accepted beginning on Sunday, April 26, at 8:00 p.m. Visit spvolunteer.org for updates on volunteer opportunities. Disaster relief teams will assist residents in cleaning up properties and clearing mud and debris out of homes. As volunteers serve these hurting families in Jesus' Name, they will also have opportunities to share about the hope they have in Jesus Christ. Billy Graham Rapid Response Team chaplains are also deploying to the area to offer emotional support and spiritual encouragement from God's Word. Please pray for these hurting communities and for our teams as they serve residents. ]]> https://www.samaritanspurse.org/article/food-distributions-deliver-hope/ Food Distributions Deliver Hope https://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/954337713/0/samaritanspurse~Food-Distributions-Deliver-Hope/ Thu, 23 Apr 2026 12:34:30 +0000 https://samaritanspurse.org/?post_type=sp-articles&p=269761 Hanna smiles as she opens a bag of groceries from Samaritan's PurseHanna* lives alone in southern Ukraine with no family nearby. With each passing year, her health continues to decline, and her small pension barely covers her most basic needs. Years of ongoing conflict have made it dangerous for her to go outside, so she rarely leaves her home. She often looks out the window, quietly prays, and asks God for the strength to get through another day. “When I hear explosions, I just pray, ‘Lord, give me strength and protect me,’” she said. But a ray of light pierced the darkness around her when Samaritan’s Purse and a local church partner began delivering nourishing food. For Hanna, the grocery packages are an answer to her prayers—a sign that God has not abandoned her. “I asked God to help me get through somehow… and this aid feels like His hand,” Hanna said. Deliveries in yellow-and-blue bags—reminding her of the Ukrainian flag—are brimming with grains, pasta, flour, oil, and canned goods. Such bounty prompts her to fold her hands in a prayer of thanksgiving each time they arrive. Each bag gives her enough food for several weeks and relieves her worries about where her next meal is coming from. “Now I know I have something to cook. And my heart feels calmer,” she said. Remembering the Hungry She feels God’s comfort through those who deliver the aid. These church staff and volunteers remind her that even in the worst times, God is near. “The most important thing is not only the food. It’s that I am remembered,” Hanna said quietly. The gift of groceries allows her to divvy up her pension on essential medications and utilities instead of food. The financial relief spills over into her emotional and spiritual life as well. She now exudes more peace and security about the future as she knows she will not be left without food or support even as the conflict continues. Since 2022, Samaritan’s Purse has distributed 287 million pounds of food to Ukrainians in need such as Hanna. She, like many of the other recipients, is deeply grateful for our efforts to meet urgent needs in partnership with local churches. The personal care extended with every food delivery touches people deeply and points them to God, the ultimate source of peace and strength. “I pray for you every day,” Hanna said. “May God reward you for your kindness.” Please pray for Samaritan’s Purse and our church partners as we together continue to serve hungry people in Ukraine in Jesus’ Name. “If you extend your soul to the hungry and satisfy the afflicted soul, then your light shall dawn in the darkness, and your darkness shall be as the noonday. The LORD will guide you continually, and satisfy your soul in drought, and strengthen your bones; you shall be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail” (Isaiah 58:10-11). *Name changed for security ]]> Hanna smiles as she opens a bag of groceries from Samaritan's PurseHanna* lives alone in southern Ukraine with no family nearby. With each passing year, her health continues to decline, and her small pension barely covers her most basic needs. Years of ongoing conflict have made it dangerous for her to go outside, so she rarely leaves her home. She often looks out the window, quietly prays, and asks God for the strength to get through another day. “When I hear explosions, I just pray, ‘Lord, give me strength and protect me,’” she said. But a ray of light pierced the darkness around her when Samaritan’s Purse and a local church partner began delivering nourishing food. For Hanna, the grocery packages are an answer to her prayers—a sign that God has not abandoned her. “I asked God to help me get through somehow… and this aid feels like His hand,” Hanna said. Deliveries in yellow-and-blue bags—reminding her of the Ukrainian flag—are brimming with grains, pasta, flour, oil, and canned goods. Such bounty prompts her to fold her hands in a prayer of thanksgiving each time they arrive. Each bag gives her enough food for several weeks and relieves her worries about where her next meal is coming from. “Now I know I have something to cook. And my heart feels calmer,” she said. Remembering the Hungry She feels God’s comfort through those who deliver the aid. These church staff and volunteers remind her that even in the worst times, God is near. “The most important thing is not only the food. It’s that I am remembered,” Hanna said quietly. The gift of groceries allows her to divvy up her pension on essential medications and utilities instead of food. The financial relief spills over into her emotional and spiritual life as well. She now exudes more peace and security about the future as she knows she will not be left without food or support even as the conflict continues. Since 2022, Samaritan’s Purse has distributed 287 million pounds of food to Ukrainians in need such as Hanna. She, like many of the other recipients, is deeply grateful for our efforts to meet urgent needs in partnership with local churches. The personal care extended with every food delivery touches people deeply and points them to God, the ultimate source of peace and strength. “I pray for you every day,” Hanna said. “May God reward you for your kindness.” Please pray for Samaritan’s Purse and our church partners as we together continue to serve hungry people in Ukraine in Jesus’ Name. “If you extend your soul to the hungry and satisfy the afflicted soul, then your light shall dawn in the darkness, and your darkness shall be as the noonday. The LORD will guide you continually, and satisfy your soul in drought, and strengthen your bones; you shall be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail” (Isaiah 58:10-11). *Name changed for security ]]> https://www.samaritanspurse.org/article/more-relief-arrives-in-saipan-as-typhoon-response-grows/ More Relief Arrives in Saipan as Typhoon Response Grows https://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/954271019/0/samaritanspurse~More-Relief-Arrives-in-Saipan-as-Typhoon-Response-Grows/ Wed, 22 Apr 2026 20:00:36 +0000 https://samaritanspurse.org/?post_type=sp-articles&p=269906 Medical teams with Samaritan's Purse assist a patient in the Mariana Islands near Saipan as we begin to care for residents at out outpatient and mobile clinics.As islanders awoke Wednesday morning to limited electricity and no running water a week after Typhoon Sinlaku struck, Samaritan’s Purse aircraft touched down again on Saipan, the largest island in the Northern Marianas. The plane carried tons of additional supplies and resources to help the grieving paradise recover. Our 767 brought more relief items—such as durable tarps, solar lights, generators, and more—to further support our multifaceted response in the remote U.S. territory in the western Pacific. Also aboard the aircraft were clinic restart modules which will help the local medical system get back on its feet. Samaritan’s Purse has already set up a fixed-location outpatient medical clinic adjacent to the main hospital damaged in the storm and partnered with dozens of local churches to distribute thousands of emergency supplies to those most in need. We’ve also set up two state-of-the-art desalination systems pumping thousands of gallons of drinking water for families to come and draw from. Our mobile medical units have started to see patients at shelters—usually schools or public halls—for those displaced by the super typhoon. Through it all, the Gospel is proclaimed. “We do all of this work with the goal that they would see the love of Jesus in us and the joy that comes with having a relationship with Him,” said Sammy Doebler, Samaritan’s Purse deputy team lead for this response. Care for the Storm-Weary What were often simple medical needs before the storm have become stressful urgencies in the days since. Florenda and Ludimer were among the first patients to walk in our clinic next to the local hospital. Florenda had a heavy, persistent cough made worse through the storm, while Ludimer had lost the medication he needed to manage his diabetes. Our doctors treated them, and dozens of others, in our opening day on Saipan. “We didn’t have enough money to get new medicine because we had just paid for it before the storm,” Florenda, a housekeeper, said. “So thank you for your help. I don’t know where we would have been without this facility.” While the local hospital is operational, Samaritan’s Purse medical programs are critical to help care for the surge of people seeking medical treatment. The needs are especially great among the people who lost their homes in the storm. In addition, at a handful of locations across the island, Samaritan’s Purse mobile medical teams have set up clinics at schools and town halls that have been converted to sheltering centers for the displaced. Outside one local elementary school gym, Rita, a deaf mother of three, found the healing she had been craving for over two years. She had high blood pressure due to an infection in her foot but could never afford to be seen by a doctor. Our doctors removed the infection, sutured the wound, and gave Rita the necessary medicine to recover. She and her 11-year-old son, Chris, cried as her wound was bound up. “So many times, I’ve asked for this help,” she signed. “But I am never seen or listened to. You, doctor, have seen me and helped me. You are a good doctor.” Water Flows Again in Saipan Tin roofs and scattered debris still litter the roadside. Once-lush tropical foliage has been beaten-down into snapped, leafless trees that serve as a reminder of the storm’s devastating strength. This region is often hit with powerful typhoons, many local residents say, but Sinlaku unleashed powerful winds and flooding for multiple days as the storm’s eye lingered above the island. Water and electricity were wiped out, and families have been reeling ever since. “We’ve nowhere else to go,” said Fernando, a father of three children under 6 years old. “It’s been a struggle like I’ve never seen. My kids aren’t used to it. It’s hard for them and it gets harder for us.” Fernando’s concerns eased as he arrived at the Samaritan’s Purse water station with multiple empty canisters to fill. He and his family hadn’t bathed for a week and his wife hadn’t been able to cook or wash their clothes. “But this is where we can go to now,” the father said as he filled his jugs full of water. He said he’d return tomorrow for more. “This means so much to us. Thank you.” Throughout the heat of the day, dozens of others arrived at the water point at the beach with empty jugs to fill up. Among them, a taxi driver and his two children from the opposite side of the island came to draw water; an older woman invited her two neighbors, who are both young mothers with infants, to get water to bring home; and an elderly man with his two dogs filled his trunk with canisters of water. “All these folks come and get water, and they’ll get thirsty again,” said Brent Kejr, a Samaritan’s Purse staffer who set up our desalination units on the island. “But our hope is that through this interaction they see the love of Jesus.” Partners Meet Typhoon's Fury with Love At churches across Saipan, the love of Christ is shared with each tarp, solar light, blanket, or mosquito net given—reminding families who have lost everything that God is still with them. “I pray that they understand that there is a God in Heaven who loves them, and I hope they are seeing and sensing that love through the outpouring of love through Samaritan’s Purse,” said Pastor Steven Dame of Saipan Community Church. He and over a dozen volunteers helped distribute hundreds of Samaritan’s Purse shelter supplies to families who had their roofs damaged, experienced flooding, or lost many of their possessions during the typhoon. As these families swarmed the parking lot of the church to receive these items, they left with hope for a better tomorrow. “If you look at the life of Jesus, so many times He met the physical need and then addressed the spiritual need of the hearts and minds He was interacting with,” Pastor Steven said. “That’s our approach here.” Our work on Saipan and Tinian—another in the Northern Mariana Island chain—is only just beginning, so please pray for Samaritan’s Purse teams as we go out into the communities most devastated by the typhoon. Pray that many would respond to the message of the Gospel as we serve in Jesus’ Name. ]]> Medical teams with Samaritan's Purse assist a patient in the Mariana Islands near Saipan as we begin to care for residents at out outpatient and mobile clinics.As islanders awoke Wednesday morning to limited electricity and no running water a week after Typhoon Sinlaku struck, Samaritan’s Purse aircraft touched down again on Saipan, the largest island in the Northern Marianas. The plane carried tons of additional supplies and resources to help the grieving paradise recover. Our 767 brought more relief items—such as durable tarps, solar lights, generators, and more—to further support our multifaceted response in the remote U.S. territory in the western Pacific. Also aboard the aircraft were clinic restart modules which will help the local medical system get back on its feet. Samaritan’s Purse has already set up a fixed-location outpatient medical clinic adjacent to the main hospital damaged in the storm and partnered with dozens of local churches to distribute thousands of emergency supplies to those most in need. We’ve also set up two state-of-the-art desalination systems pumping thousands of gallons of drinking water for families to come and draw from. Our mobile medical units have started to see patients at shelters—usually schools or public halls—for those displaced by the super typhoon. Through it all, the Gospel is proclaimed. “We do all of this work with the goal that they would see the love of Jesus in us and the joy that comes with having a relationship with Him,” said Sammy Doebler, Samaritan’s Purse deputy team lead for this response. Care for the Storm-Weary What were often simple medical needs before the storm have become stressful urgencies in the days since. Florenda and Ludimer were among the first patients to walk in our clinic next to the local hospital. Florenda had a heavy, persistent cough made worse through the storm, while Ludimer had lost the medication he needed to manage his diabetes. Our doctors treated them, and dozens of others, in our opening day on Saipan. “We didn’t have enough money to get new medicine because we had just paid for it before the storm,” Florenda, a housekeeper, said. “So thank you for your help. I don’t know where we would have been without this facility.” While the local hospital is operational, Samaritan’s Purse medical programs are critical to help care for the surge of people seeking medical treatment. The needs are especially great among the people who lost their homes in the storm. In addition, at a handful of locations across the island, Samaritan’s Purse mobile medical teams have set up clinics at schools and town halls that have been converted to sheltering centers for the displaced. Outside one local elementary school gym, Rita, a deaf mother of three, found the healing she had been craving for over two years. She had high blood pressure due to an infection in her foot but could never afford to be seen by a doctor. Our doctors removed the infection, sutured the wound, and gave Rita the necessary medicine to recover. She and her 11-year-old son, Chris, cried as her wound was bound up. “So many times, I’ve asked for this help,” she signed. “But I am never seen or listened to. You, doctor, have seen me and helped me. You are a good doctor.” Water Flows Again in Saipan Tin roofs and scattered debris still litter the roadside. Once-lush tropical foliage has been beaten-down into snapped, leafless trees that serve as a reminder of the storm’s devastating strength. This region is often hit with powerful typhoons, many local residents say, but Sinlaku unleashed powerful winds and flooding for multiple days as the storm’s eye lingered above the island. Water and electricity were wiped out, and families have been reeling ever since. “We’ve nowhere else to go,” said Fernando, a father of three children under 6 years old. “It’s been a struggle like I’ve never seen. My kids aren’t used to it. It’s hard for them and it gets harder for us.” Fernando’s concerns eased as he arrived at the Samaritan’s Purse water station with multiple empty canisters to fill. He and his family hadn’t bathed for a week and his wife hadn’t been able to cook or wash their clothes. “But this is where we can go to now,” the father said as he filled his jugs full of water. He said he’d return tomorrow for more. “This means so much to us. Thank you.” Throughout the heat of the day, dozens of others arrived at the water point at the beach with empty jugs to fill up. Among them, a taxi driver and his two children from the opposite side of the island came to draw water; an older woman invited her two neighbors, who are both young mothers with infants, to get water to bring home; and an elderly man with his two dogs filled his trunk with canisters of water. “All these folks come and get water, and they’ll get thirsty again,” said Brent Kejr, a Samaritan’s Purse staffer who set up our desalination units on the island. “But our hope is that through this interaction they see the love of Jesus.” Partners Meet Typhoon's Fury with Love At churches across Saipan, the love of Christ is shared with each tarp, solar light, blanket, or mosquito net given—reminding families who have lost everything that God is still with them. “I pray that they understand that there is a God in Heaven who loves them, and I hope they are seeing and sensing that love through the outpouring of love through Samaritan’s Purse,” said Pastor Steven Dame of Saipan Community Church. He and over a dozen volunteers helped distribute hundreds of Samaritan’s Purse shelter supplies to families who had their roofs damaged, experienced flooding, or lost many of their possessions during the typhoon. As these families swarmed the parking lot of the church to receive these items, they left with hope for a better tomorrow. “If you look at the life of Jesus, so many times He met the physical need and then addressed the spiritual need of the hearts and minds He was interacting with,” Pastor Steven said. “That’s our approach here.” Our work on Saipan and Tinian—another in the Northern Mariana Island chain—is only just beginning, so please pray for Samaritan’s Purse teams as we go out into the communities most devastated by the typhoon. Pray that many would respond to the message of the Gospel as we serve in Jesus’ Name. ]]> https://www.samaritanspurse.org/article/gods-goodness-on-display/ God’s Goodness on Display https://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/954164981/0/samaritanspurse~Gods-Goodness-on-Display/ Tue, 21 Apr 2026 15:28:21 +0000 https://samaritanspurse.org/?post_type=sp-articles&p=269661 The gentle stream that runs along Chris Christenbury’s property in Vilas, North Carolina, turned into a raging torrent when Hurricane Helene swept through the area in September 2024. It engulfed his home and made it unlivable. “The chaos that ensues after a disaster like this is unmanageable by the people that it’s happening to,” Chris said. “I needed help.” The next day, Chris saw Samaritan’s Purse volunteers cleaning up damaged houses and yards. He soon learned about our rebuild program and was approved for a new home. Recently, he received the keys to it. “Samaritan’s Purse was on top of everything, helping people get their lives back together,” Chris said as he walked through his new mobile home. “God is good. God is good.” Watch the video above to learn more of Chris’ story and see his new mobile home. Please continue to pray for those who are still recovering from the storm and for our rebuild teams as they serve in Jesus’ Name. Learn more about how to volunteer with U.S. Disaster Relief and Rebuild.]]> The gentle stream that runs along Chris Christenbury’s property in Vilas, North Carolina, turned into a raging torrent when Hurricane Helene swept through the area in September 2024. It engulfed his home and made it unlivable. “The chaos that ensues after a disaster like this is unmanageable by the people that it’s happening to,” Chris said. “I needed help.” The next day, Chris saw Samaritan’s Purse volunteers cleaning up damaged houses and yards. He soon learned about our rebuild program and was approved for a new home. Recently, he received the keys to it. “Samaritan’s Purse was on top of everything, helping people get their lives back together,” Chris said as he walked through his new mobile home. “God is good. God is good.” Watch the video above to learn more of Chris’ story and see his new mobile home. Please continue to pray for those who are still recovering from the storm and for our rebuild teams as they serve in Jesus’ Name. Learn more about how to volunteer with U.S. Disaster Relief and Rebuild. ]]> https://www.samaritanspurse.org/article/rushing-relief-to-the-western-pacific-after-ferocious-super-typhoon-sinlaku/ Rushing Relief to the Western Pacific After Super Typhoon Sinlaku https://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/953958833/0/samaritanspurse~Rushing-Relief-to-the-Western-Pacific-After-Super-Typhoon-Sinlaku/ Mon, 20 Apr 2026 06:33:55 +0000 https://www.samaritanspurse.org/?post_type=sp-articles&p=269798 UPDATE (April 21): A second flight has departed North Carolina for Saipan with solar lights, generators, jerry cans, blankets, and shelter plastic. Relief supplies from our first airlift have already been distributed to hundreds of families. Our outpatient clinic and mobile medical teams are preparing to support local hospitals and provide care in remote locations. “Typhoon Sinlaku left thousands of people in desperate need of emergency relief—many are without water and power, and it’s going to be this way for weeks to come.” said Franklin Graham, president of Samaritan’s Purse. “That’s why Samaritan’s Purse is airlifting supplies and coming alongside the people of these remote islands in their time of need. We want the families in Saipan and Tinian to know they are not alone. God loves them, and they can turn to Him in their time of need.” Super Typhoon Sinlaku slammed the Northern Mariana Islands April 14 with intense winds, heavy rainfall, and dangerous storm surge. The powerful storm ripped roofs off houses and caused severe flooding. Some hard-hit areas of the archipelago’s two major islands—Saipan and Tinian—experienced widespread damage and many communities are without power, shelter, or access to clean water. Our 767 cargo aircraft departed Saturday morning, April 18, from our Greensboro Airlift Response Center in North Carolina with 40 tons of relief including clean water systems, shelter material, and solar lights. A Disaster Assistance Response Team will work alongside local Operation Christmas Child church partners to get relief to those who need it most. Intensifying to a Category 5 cyclone on April 14, Sinlaku is the strongest storm on the planet this year, barreling through the western Pacific island chain with wind speeds reaching 180 mph. The storm damaged vital infrastructure—including roads, hospitals, and power grids—on islands where nearly 50,000 people live. In 2018, Samaritan’s Purse responded to Saipan and Tinian after Typhoon Yutu, helping more than 7,600 families recover from the deadly storm. Please pray for the people of the Northern Mariana Islands as they begin a long road to recovery. Pray for strength and safety as Samaritan’s Purse teams respond in Jesus' Name and that suffering families will experience the love of God through our work. Check back here for updates. ]]> UPDATE (April 21): A second flight has departed North Carolina for Saipan with solar lights, generators, jerry cans, blankets, and shelter plastic. Relief supplies from our first airlift have already been distributed to hundreds of families. Our outpatient clinic and mobile medical teams are preparing to support local hospitals and provide care in remote locations. “Typhoon Sinlaku left thousands of people in desperate need of emergency relief—many are without water and power, and it’s going to be this way for weeks to come.” said Franklin Graham, president of Samaritan’s Purse. “That’s why Samaritan’s Purse is airlifting supplies and coming alongside the people of these remote islands in their time of need. We want the families in Saipan and Tinian to know they are not alone. God loves them, and they can turn to Him in their time of need.” Super Typhoon Sinlaku slammed the Northern Mariana Islands April 14 with intense winds, heavy rainfall, and dangerous storm surge. The powerful storm ripped roofs off houses and caused severe flooding. Some hard-hit areas of the archipelago’s two major islands—Saipan and Tinian—experienced widespread damage and many communities are without power, shelter, or access to clean water. Our 767 cargo aircraft departed Saturday morning, April 18, from our Greensboro Airlift Response Center in North Carolina with 40 tons of relief including clean water systems, shelter material, and solar lights. A Disaster Assistance Response Team will work alongside local Operation Christmas Child church partners to get relief to those who need it most. Intensifying to a Category 5 cyclone on April 14, Sinlaku is the strongest storm on the planet this year, barreling through the western Pacific island chain with wind speeds reaching 180 mph. The storm damaged vital infrastructure—including roads, hospitals, and power grids—on islands where nearly 50,000 people live. In 2018, Samaritan’s Purse responded to Saipan and Tinian after Typhoon Yutu, helping more than 7,600 families recover from the deadly storm. Please pray for the people of the Northern Mariana Islands as they begin a long road to recovery. Pray for strength and safety as Samaritan’s Purse teams respond in Jesus' Name and that suffering families will experience the love of God through our work. Check back here for updates. ]]> https://www.samaritanspurse.org/article/samaritans-purse-responds-after-midwest-tornadoes/ Samaritan’s Purse Responds in Illinois After Midwest Tornadoes https://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/954068267/0/samaritanspurse~Samaritan%e2%80%99s-Purse-Responds-in-Illinois-After-Midwest-Tornadoes/ Sat, 18 Apr 2026 22:48:34 +0000 https://www.samaritanspurse.org/?post_type=sp-articles&p=269828 Volunteers present a special Billy Graham Training Center Bible and pray with a homeowner in Lena.Volunteers are already hard at work in Lena, Illinois, where an EF-2 tornado touched down damaging roofs and uprooting trees. Our volunteers are working out of our base of operations at our host church, Lena Evangelical Free Church in Lena. VOLUNTEER IN ILLINOIS Samaritan’s Purse Disaster Relief Unit #3 departed our Wilkes Office and Warehouse in North Wilkesboro, North Carolina, April 18. Billy Graham Rapid Response Team chaplains are also on hand in communities offering emotional support and spiritual encouragement from God’s Word. Please pray for this hurting community and for our teams as they serve residents in Jesus’ Name. ]]> Volunteers present a special Billy Graham Training Center Bible and pray with a homeowner in Lena.Volunteers are already hard at work in Lena, Illinois, where an EF-2 tornado touched down damaging roofs and uprooting trees. Our volunteers are working out of our base of operations at our host church, Lena Evangelical Free Church in Lena. VOLUNTEER IN ILLINOIS Samaritan’s Purse Disaster Relief Unit #3 departed our Wilkes Office and Warehouse in North Wilkesboro, North Carolina, April 18. Billy Graham Rapid Response Team chaplains are also on hand in communities offering emotional support and spiritual encouragement from God’s Word. Please pray for this hurting community and for our teams as they serve residents in Jesus’ Name. ]]> https://www.samaritanspurse.org/article/carrying-food-and-medical-care-to-families-caught-in-sudans-war/ Bringing Food and Medical Care to Families Caught in Sudan’s War https://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/953830268/0/samaritanspurse~Bringing-Food-and-Medical-Care-to-Families-Caught-in-Sudans-War/ Wed, 15 Apr 2026 12:48:58 +0000 https://www.samaritanspurse.org/?post_type=sp-articles&p=269657 Dr. Rodgers, a Kenyan reproductive health doctor, has been serving at a Samaritan’s Purse partner hospital in southern Sudan for nearly two years. The hospital is on the front line of a battle against malnutrition and traumatic injuries as civil war rages on. He’ll never forget his first case at Katcha Hospital: a boy shot in the stomach by a ricocheted bullet rushed to the hospital’s gates on a donkey cart at 2 a.m. Because the hospital had an operating room and the ability to conduct blood transfusions, the boy survived. “If this facility was not here, and if Samaritan’s Purse didn’t help supply this facility, that would have been another life lost,” he said. The next closest facility was a 6-hour drive, and the boy would’ve quickly bled out if it weren’t for Samaritan’s Purse. Nearly 60,000 patients have been treated at Katcha since late 2024 in an area that has swelled in population to more than 800,000 people. A majority of patients have been treated for war wounds, malnutrition, and complications from malaria. Over 4,000 children have been fully vaccinated. An average of 20 healthy babies are delivered each month. Over just the last 18 months, the surgical staff have successfully performed 451 procedures. "God sent us here for a purpose." Through the Samaritan’s Purse partnership started last year with Katcha Hospital, the facility has grown into a fully operational medical center that includes a stocked pharmacy, inpatient wards, and an operating room. We’ve provided supplies and tools to perform life-saving surgeries, including caesarean section procedures and surgeries treating war-related trauma. Recently, we equipped the hospital to perform blood transfusions. Samaritan’s Purse also helped staff the hospital with qualified doctors and nurses to establish a standard of care and train Katcha’s medical staff. “The patients may not know that Samaritan’s Purse is here, but our presence on the ground matters to them because people have nowhere to go,” Dr. Rodgers said. “And God sent us here for a purpose: to be there for them, to attend to them, and give them the best that we can. That is what drives me.” Food Arrives But Starvation Is Real As April 15 marks three years since the start of the war in Sudan, the work of Samaritan’s Purse continues. Starvation and malnutrition are a growing epidemic in the region. “This is the greatest humanitarian crisis in the world. This is a place where hunger is present almost everywhere,” said Dave Philips, deputy director of international projects with Samaritan’s Purse, noting that famine has struck the region twice in the last 18 months. “Samaritan’s Purse is coming here to provide critically needed items—interventions that are life-saving.” Among other relief items such as shelter supplies and simple medicine, we will soon deliver over 14,000 tons of food to help feed hundreds of thousands of displaced families. To combat malnutrition, Samaritan’s Purse also has trucked nearly 500 tons of ready-to-use, nutrient-packed food to distribute to children and their mothers this coming lean season when food is especially scarce. Each bundle of food includes corn, oil, beans, and salt, enough of each to sustain a family for several months. This could be some of the only food these families will receive this summer. “We want them to know that God loves them,” Philips said. “He hasn’t forgotten them in the midst of this crisis.” Food and Medical Care Are Saving Thousands of Lives Malnutrition daily threatens the lives of these displaced families. A woman named Toma had walked from sunup to sundown to bring her 9-year-old grandson, Ahmed, to Katcha Hospital to save his life. “We left because there was no food. There were only lots of shooting and bombs,” she said. “We had to leave.” Without intervention Ahmed had only days to live. The boy’s face, limbs, and stomach swelled as fluid began to fill surrounding tissue—a hallmark sign of severe malnutrition. His skin had developed a rash. His hair was brittle and falling out. He had an agonizing cough deep from his lungs. His organs were failing, and Ahmed was in danger of becoming yet another casualty of the, now, three-year war wrecking his homeland. When Toma arrived at Katcha Hospital with her emaciated grandson, Samaritan’s Purse medical teams got to work. Ahmed was rushed into the stabilization ward where he was hydrated and placed on a multi-day regimen of therapeutic food in the form of milk formula. He also received antibiotics to fight back any lingering infections. It took two weeks for Ahmed’s swelling to subside and for the little boy to start talking again. Soon he will be able to leave the hospital and receive ongoing care from the Samaritan’s Purse team. They will continue to monitor his condition while also providing proper nutrition for the grandmother and child. Toma says she’s gone from crisis and grief-stricken fear to thinking about Ahmed’s future. “I appreciate the improvement I’ve seen in my grandson—I am very grateful,” Toma said. “After we are discharged, I hope we can settle down and Ahmed can go to school.” Miracles Born in Chaos In the women’s ward are “miracles born in chaos,” as Dr. Rodgers describes them. The coos and cries of healthy newborns bring joy to a place surrounded by the pain of war. One mother delivered a baby safely after initial complications due to heightened blood pressure; another woman nearby was being treated for a ruptured appendix. In the corner bed, an older woman was admitted for heart failure caused by severe malnutrition and dehydration. A blood transfusion saved her life. “These patients come when they are severely wasted. They have only eaten grass and wild foods from the road,” said Mercy Njoki, a Samaritan’s Purse medical professional and nurse manager at the hospital. “They come with nothing, hoping to get something. The good work of Samaritan’s Purse has gone out to the far areas. We are making a change—we are making an impact—and we would like to continue doing so.” Among the women in the ward, Rawya lay on her side with her swaddled 4-day-old son, Hassen. “I gave up. I thought my child was dead,” she said, thinking back over the days before arriving at the hospital. “Then I worried about myself, too. I thought I was going to die.” The first-time mother had been in labor for four days—traveling seven hours on a jam-packed taxi truck. She arrived, weary and hopeless, in the middle of the night. To her surprise, Dr. Rodgers and his team were ready. They performed an emergency C-section to save her life and delivered her first baby boy into the world. “I thank God that I reached the hospital,” she said. As war enters its fourth year this month, pray for the work of Samaritan’s Purse as we continue to meet the needs of those suffering in Sudan. Jesus says that what we do “to one of the least of these…you did it to Me” (Matthew 25:40). Pray also that the Lord would cover each mother and their newborns at Katcha Hospital—and the many thousands displaced and hungry across Sudan—with love and peace as we bring help in Jesus’ Name. ]]> Dr. Rodgers, a Kenyan reproductive health doctor, has been serving at a Samaritan’s Purse partner hospital in southern Sudan for nearly two years. The hospital is on the front line of a battle against malnutrition and traumatic injuries as civil war rages on. He’ll never forget his first case at Katcha Hospital: a boy shot in the stomach by a ricocheted bullet rushed to the hospital’s gates on a donkey cart at 2 a.m. Because the hospital had an operating room and the ability to conduct blood transfusions, the boy survived. “If this facility was not here, and if Samaritan’s Purse didn’t help supply this facility, that would have been another life lost,” he said. The next closest facility was a 6-hour drive, and the boy would’ve quickly bled out if it weren’t for Samaritan’s Purse. Nearly 60,000 patients have been treated at Katcha since late 2024 in an area that has swelled in population to more than 800,000 people. A majority of patients have been treated for war wounds, malnutrition, and complications from malaria. Over 4,000 children have been fully vaccinated. An average of 20 healthy babies are delivered each month. Over just the last 18 months, the surgical staff have successfully performed 451 procedures. "God sent us here for a purpose." Through the Samaritan’s Purse partnership started last year with Katcha Hospital, the facility has grown into a fully operational medical center that includes a stocked pharmacy, inpatient wards, and an operating room. We’ve provided supplies and tools to perform life-saving surgeries, including caesarean section procedures and surgeries treating war-related trauma. Recently, we equipped the hospital to perform blood transfusions. Samaritan’s Purse also helped staff the hospital with qualified doctors and nurses to establish a standard of care and train Katcha’s medical staff. “The patients may not know that Samaritan’s Purse is here, but our presence on the ground matters to them because people have nowhere to go,” Dr. Rodgers said. “And God sent us here for a purpose: to be there for them, to attend to them, and give them the best that we can. That is what drives me.” Food Arrives But Starvation Is Real As April 15 marks three years since the start of the war in Sudan, the work of Samaritan’s Purse continues. Starvation and malnutrition are a growing epidemic in the region. “This is the greatest humanitarian crisis in the world. This is a place where hunger is present almost everywhere,” said Dave Philips, deputy director of international projects with Samaritan’s Purse, noting that famine has struck the region twice in the last 18 months. “Samaritan’s Purse is coming here to provide critically needed items—interventions that are life-saving.” Among other relief items such as shelter supplies and simple medicine, we will soon deliver over 14,000 tons of food to help feed hundreds of thousands of displaced families. To combat malnutrition, Samaritan’s Purse also has trucked nearly 500 tons of ready-to-use, nutrient-packed food to distribute to children and their mothers this coming lean season when food is especially scarce. Each bundle of food includes corn, oil, beans, and salt, enough of each to sustain a family for several months. This could be some of the only food these families will receive this summer. “We want them to know that God loves them,” Philips said. “He hasn’t forgotten them in the midst of this crisis.” Food and Medical Care Are Saving Thousands of Lives Malnutrition daily threatens the lives of these displaced families. A woman named Toma had walked from sunup to sundown to bring her 9-year-old grandson, Ahmed, to Katcha Hospital to save his life. “We left because there was no food. There were only lots of shooting and bombs,” she said. “We had to leave.” Without intervention Ahmed had only days to live. The boy’s face, limbs, and stomach swelled as fluid began to fill surrounding tissue—a hallmark sign of severe malnutrition. His skin had developed a rash. His hair was brittle and falling out. He had an agonizing cough deep from his lungs. His organs were failing, and Ahmed was in danger of becoming yet another casualty of the, now, three-year war wrecking his homeland. When Toma arrived at Katcha Hospital with her emaciated grandson, Samaritan’s Purse medical teams got to work. Ahmed was rushed into the stabilization ward where he was hydrated and placed on a multi-day regimen of therapeutic food in the form of milk formula. He also received antibiotics to fight back any lingering infections. It took two weeks for Ahmed’s swelling to subside and for the little boy to start talking again. Soon he will be able to leave the hospital and receive ongoing care from the Samaritan’s Purse team. They will continue to monitor his condition while also providing proper nutrition for the grandmother and child. Toma says she’s gone from crisis and grief-stricken fear to thinking about Ahmed’s future. “I appreciate the improvement I’ve seen in my grandson—I am very grateful,” Toma said. “After we are discharged, I hope we can settle down and Ahmed can go to school.” Miracles Born in Chaos In the women’s ward are “miracles born in chaos,” as Dr. Rodgers describes them. The coos and cries of healthy newborns bring joy to a place surrounded by the pain of war. One mother delivered a baby safely after initial complications due to heightened blood pressure; another woman nearby was being treated for a ruptured appendix. In the corner bed, an older woman was admitted for heart failure caused by severe malnutrition and dehydration. A blood transfusion saved her life. “These patients come when they are severely wasted. They have only eaten grass and wild foods from the road,” said Mercy Njoki, a Samaritan’s Purse medical professional and nurse manager at the hospital. “They come with nothing, hoping to get something. The good work of Samaritan’s Purse has gone out to the far areas. We are making a change—we are making an impact—and we would like to continue doing so.” Among the women in the ward, Rawya lay on her side with her swaddled 4-day-old son, Hassen. “I gave up. I thought my child was dead,” she said, thinking back over the days before arriving at the hospital. “Then I worried about myself, too. I thought I was going to die.” The first-time mother had been in labor for four days—traveling seven hours on a jam-packed taxi truck. She arrived, weary and hopeless, in the middle of the night. To her surprise, Dr. Rodgers and his team were ready. They performed an emergency C-section to save her life and delivered her first baby boy into the world. “I thank God that I reached the hospital,” she said. As war enters its fourth year this month, pray for the work of Samaritan’s Purse as we continue to meet the needs of those suffering in Sudan. Jesus says that what we do “to one of the least of these…you did it to Me” (Matthew 25:40). Pray also that the Lord would cover each mother and their newborns at Katcha Hospital—and the many thousands displaced and hungry across Sudan—with love and peace as we bring help in Jesus’ Name. ]]>