Samaritan's Purse https://www.samaritanspurse.org News Mon, 21 Sep 2026 19:40:16 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://users.feedblitz.com/ec17766dabfb882064cc1903e3224114/SP-logo.jpg Samaritan's Purse https://www.samaritanspurse.org https://www.samaritanspurse.org/article/celebrating-gods-work-in-alaska/ Celebrating God’s Work in Alaska https://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/969428351/0/samaritanspurse~Celebrating-Gods-Work-in-Alaska/ Mon, 21 Sep 2026 14:39:12 +0000 https://www.samaritanspurse.org/?post_type=sp-articles&p=273854 Doug celebrated his salvation in Jesus Christ during a special baptism ceremony.A year after Doug Sevier joined the Louisiana Army National Guard “to pay for school,” planes flew into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. The 9/11 attacks meant he was going to war. In 2004 he was deployed to Afghanistan stationed at a forward operating base. Nearly every day they were rattled by incoming rockets. Also, during that first deployment, college-age Doug had to respond to wounded soldiers in downed helicopters. Then, just weeks after his return to the states in 2005, he was sent with the Guard to serve in New Orleans for a security and relief detail. They were there days before Hurricane Katrina made landfall and for nine months after. There was little time to think about what he’d just experienced during his time in Afghanistan before being hit with the deluge of new chaotic circumstances as his home state’s famous city collapsed into terror and death. This was how Doug’s 22-year military career began—with experiences that it’s hard for any rational human mind to comprehend. And at the end of his military service, after multiple deployments to Afghanistan, Iraq, other foreign stations, and stateside call-ups, Doug had gone silent. He didn’t talk about the war. He shut himself off from loved ones. Once a jovial young man who had loved to laugh and to hang out with friends and family, Doug had become distant and reserved. He and his wife, Stacie, were at a loss for how to connect with each other. Their home was tense, quiet, and emotionally cold most of the time. This is why she decided to sign them up for Operation Heal Our Patriots. Hope for Failing Marriages The Seviers came to Alaska during week 14 of the Operation Heal Our Patriots 2026 summer season. Before that, Doug never talked about his combat years, not even to Stacie. He’d also been avoiding other soldiers. "Doug had shut himself off from the veteran community," Stacie said. But within days of arriving at Samaritan Lodge Alaska, Doug was surprised that he and Stacie were connecting with other couples. “I didn’t realize how much I needed that,” Doug said. The Seviers had come to Alaska hoping to resurrect their marriage from a season of silence. They felt their marriage giving way to the strain and knew something was missing. When Stacie and Doug learned they’d been accepted to the program, Doug breathed with relief hoping something would change to save their relationship. "I went with the anticipation of Stacie and me growing closer,” Doug said. “We thought we’d had it figured out. What I found though was that what we were missing was God.” Stacie enjoyed fishing with her husband, and out-fishing him almost every time they went out. Doug enjoyed connecting with other veterans and forming friendships with the same type of men he’d been avoiding for so long. The couple developed friendships with couples they’ve texted or talked to nearly every day since returning from Alaska. Stacie said that hearing from the other spouses helped her feel less alone in her struggles. "When we got around each other, the women could talk about it openly, and one of the wives said, 'Now I know that we all have issues, and that we can get through this.' Having that group has been a really big thing, just keeping each other accountable to building our relationships with our husbands," Stacie said. But the greatest gift they received up there, the one that makes all the other goodness stay with them, is the joy they’re experiencing through their restored relationship with Jesus Christ. “When people ask me about the experience, I tell them ‘Well, first off, I found Jesus up there, so I wanna get that out of the way. I found Him again. Secondly, reach out to your other battle buddies.'" In conversations with chaplains one night at the lodge, the Seviers invited Jesus into their lives and marriage. On Friday of their week, Doug was baptized in Lake Clark and Stacie joined him in the water. Now they talk more than ever to each other and to God. "He wouldn't talk about the military at all with me ever. And I respected that. I didn't know how to deal with his military stuff. And he didn't talk to me about it,” Stacie said. “In Alaska, we could laugh. We started to get along. We understood each other and I have never seen Doug smile and laugh as much as I have while we were in Alaska, and it was really good to see." The Seviers are one of 155 couples who joined us in Alaska for a week of marriage enrichment and renewal this summer. Over the 17 weeks, from Memorial Day to Sept. 18, 81 couples rededicated their marriages, 79 participants were baptized in Lake Clark, and 65 individuals professed faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. The couple is also eager to be a part of Team Patriot, the Samaritan’s Purse program for Alaska alumni that allows them to serve together on the frontlines of disasters in the U.S. "What I did for 22 years was go help when there was a need,” Doug said, sharing his excitement to serve on a team helping suffering people. “It was difficult when all of a sudden, something big's going on, and I'm no longer needed. I’m excited go help again.” "We're both excited about it,” Stacie said. “We want to give back and volunteer our time and abilities.” The Seviers said they are looking for a church back home where they can grow in their knowledge of God’s Word. They’re also eager to continue connecting with other military couples through our Family Care ministry, which provides ongoing spiritual care, local church connections, and alumni reunions and activities. Family Care is a lifelong commitment of community, support, and Biblical discipleship grounded in the Word of God. “We're looking forward to everything with Operation Heal Our Patriots,” she said. “The marriage retreats, Team Patriot, the conferences, and everything else that we can do." Only the Sick Need a Doctor Javy Castro and his wife came to Samaritan Lodge Alaska for Week 6 of the 2026 Operation Heal Our Patriots’ summer season. They thought they knew why they had come. However, during their stay at camp, the Castros came to a surprising realization. “I came out here to fix my relationship with my wife,” he said. “And I ended up realizing that I needed to fix my relationship with Jesus.” Many of those who come to Alaska arrive with similar expectations. But they depart with more than they could have hoped as they experience healing and new life in a right relationship with Jesus Christ. “You don’t go to a doctor until you are sick,” Javy continued. “So, if you hide your symptoms, you’re never going to get cured. You’re never going to get that medicine. Coming here was the medicine that my soul needed.” Please Pray for Our Military Couples Since 2012, more than 2,200 military couples have become a part of the Operation Heal Our Patriots family. We praise God for the 1,008 individuals who accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior through the program and for more than 1,200 individuals who've been baptized by our chaplains in the waters of Lake Clark. Since the start of the program, we have seen more than 1,100 couples rededicate their marriages under God’s authority. Please pray for the many military couples who will apply this coming November to be part of Operation Heal Our Patriots and that the Lord would bring many of them to Alaska to restore marriages and bring new life in Jesus Christ to hurting souls. ]]> Doug celebrated his salvation in Jesus Christ during a special baptism ceremony.A year after Doug Sevier joined the Louisiana Army National Guard “to pay for school,” planes flew into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. The 9/11 attacks meant he was going to war. In 2004 he was deployed to Afghanistan stationed at a forward operating base. Nearly every day they were rattled by incoming rockets. Also, during that first deployment, college-age Doug had to respond to wounded soldiers in downed helicopters. Then, just weeks after his return to the states in 2005, he was sent with the Guard to serve in New Orleans for a security and relief detail. They were there days before Hurricane Katrina made landfall and for nine months after. There was little time to think about what he’d just experienced during his time in Afghanistan before being hit with the deluge of new chaotic circumstances as his home state’s famous city collapsed into terror and death. This was how Doug’s 22-year military career began—with experiences that it’s hard for any rational human mind to comprehend. And at the end of his military service, after multiple deployments to Afghanistan, Iraq, other foreign stations, and stateside call-ups, Doug had gone silent. He didn’t talk about the war. He shut himself off from loved ones. Once a jovial young man who had loved to laugh and to hang out with friends and family, Doug had become distant and reserved. He and his wife, Stacie, were at a loss for how to connect with each other. Their home was tense, quiet, and emotionally cold most of the time. This is why she decided to sign them up for Operation Heal Our Patriots. Hope for Failing Marriages The Seviers came to Alaska during week 14 of the Operation Heal Our Patriots 2026 summer season. Before that, Doug never talked about his combat years, not even to Stacie. He’d also been avoiding other soldiers. "Doug had shut himself off from the veteran community," Stacie said. But within days of arriving at Samaritan Lodge Alaska, Doug was surprised that he and Stacie were connecting with other couples. “I didn’t realize how much I needed that,” Doug said. The Seviers had come to Alaska hoping to resurrect their marriage from a season of silence. They felt their marriage giving way to the strain and knew something was missing. When Stacie and Doug learned they’d been accepted to the program, Doug breathed with relief hoping something would change to save their relationship. "I went with the anticipation of Stacie and me growing closer,” Doug said. “We thought we’d had it figured out. What I found though was that what we were missing was God.” Stacie enjoyed fishing with her husband, and out-fishing him almost every time they went out. Doug enjoyed connecting with other veterans and forming friendships with the same type of men he’d been avoiding for so long. The couple developed friendships with couples they’ve texted or talked to nearly every day since returning from Alaska. Stacie said that hearing from the other spouses helped her feel less alone in her struggles. "When we got around each other, the women could talk about it openly, and one of the wives said, 'Now I know that we all have issues, and that we can get through this.' Having that group has been a really big thing, just keeping each other accountable to building our relationships with our husbands," Stacie said. But the greatest gift they received up there, the one that makes all the other goodness stay with them, is the joy they’re experiencing through their restored relationship with Jesus Christ. “When people ask me about the experience, I tell them ‘Well, first off, I found Jesus up there, so I wanna get that out of the way. I found Him again. Secondly, reach out to your other battle buddies.'" In conversations with chaplains one night at the lodge, the Seviers invited Jesus into their lives and marriage. On Friday of their week, Doug was baptized in Lake Clark and Stacie joined him in the water. Now they talk more than ever to each other and to God. "He wouldn't talk about the military at all with me ever. And I respected that. I didn't know how to deal with his military stuff. And he didn't talk to me about it,” Stacie said. “In Alaska, we could laugh. We started to get along. We understood each other and I have never seen Doug smile and laugh as much as I have while we were in Alaska, and it was really good to see." The Seviers are one of 155 couples who joined us in Alaska for a week of marriage enrichment and renewal this summer. Over the 17 weeks, from Memorial Day to Sept. 18, 81 couples rededicated their marriages, 79 participants were baptized in Lake Clark, and 65 individuals professed faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. The couple is also eager to be a part of Team Patriot, the Samaritan’s Purse program for Alaska alumni that allows them to serve together on the frontlines of disasters in the U.S. "What I did for 22 years was go help when there was a need,” Doug said, sharing his excitement to serve on a team helping suffering people. “It was difficult when all of a sudden, something big's going on, and I'm no longer needed. I’m excited go help again.” "We're both excited about it,” Stacie said. “We want to give back and volunteer our time and abilities.” The Seviers said they are looking for a church back home where they can grow in their knowledge of God’s Word. They’re also eager to continue connecting with other military couples through our Family Care ministry, which provides ongoing spiritual care, local church connections, and alumni reunions and activities. Family Care is a lifelong commitment of community, support, and Biblical discipleship grounded in the Word of God. “We're looking forward to everything with Operation Heal Our Patriots,” she said. “The marriage retreats, Team Patriot, the conferences, and everything else that we can do." Only the Sick Need a Doctor Javy Castro and his wife came to Samaritan Lodge Alaska for Week 6 of the 2026 Operation Heal Our Patriots’ summer season. They thought they knew why they had come. However, during their stay at camp, the Castros came to a surprising realization. “I came out here to fix my relationship with my wife,” he said. “And I ended up realizing that I needed to fix my relationship with Jesus.” Many of those who come to Alaska arrive with similar expectations. But they depart with more than they could have hoped as they experience healing and new life in a right relationship with Jesus Christ. “You don’t go to a doctor until you are sick,” Javy continued. “So, if you hide your symptoms, you’re never going to get cured. You’re never going to get that medicine. Coming here was the medicine that my soul needed.” Please Pray for Our Military Couples Since 2012, more than 2,200 military couples have become a part of the Operation Heal Our Patriots family. We praise God for the 1,008 individuals who accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior through the program and for more than 1,200 individuals who've been baptized by our chaplains in the waters of Lake Clark. Since the start of the program, we have seen more than 1,100 couples rededicate their marriages under God’s authority. Please pray for the many military couples who will apply this coming November to be part of Operation Heal Our Patriots and that the Lord would bring many of them to Alaska to restore marriages and bring new life in Jesus Christ to hurting souls. ]]> https://www.samaritanspurse.org/article/bringing-hope-to-the-visually-impaired-in-vietnam/ Bringing Hope to the Visually Impaired in Vietnam https://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/969224072/0/samaritanspurse~Bringing-Hope-to-the-Visually-Impaired-in-Vietnam/ Thu, 17 Sep 2026 12:46:09 +0000 https://www.samaritanspurse.org/?post_type=sp-articles&p=273812 Cuong (left) participates in a group activity with other visually impaired students.When Minh was in kindergarten, his classmates refused to play with him because he was blind. He had never heard that word before, and their comments left deep wounds on his heart. He was excited when his parents told him about a boarding school for visually impaired students. Samaritan’s Purse offered him a scholarship that covered the cost of tuition and housing. We also provided pupils with uniforms, a laptop, and a monthly stipend. Receiving support from our staff comforted Minh as he adjusted to life away from home. He was able to pore over his studies as well as seek opportunities to develop new interests. When he joined a music program sponsored by Samaritan’s Purse, he instantly discovered a passion for the drums. Our staff invited him to perform at Dining in the Dark—an annual event that cultivates compassion for the visually impaired community. Attendees experience what it is like to be blind—eating in the dark and performing tasks, such as playing an instrument and walking, while blindfolded. They then watch students showcase their talents in an orchestral performance. Playing in the concert and guiding people through activities inspired him to pursue a career advocating for blind children. “I wanted to give back—not just to the event, but to the visually impaired community,” he said. Now 23 years old, he is attending college through one of our scholarships and studying social work, learning to care for others the way our staff cared for him. “I’ve received so much help from Samaritan’s Purse, and now I want to support others in need,” he said. “Thank you to the staff and donors who helped us with loving hearts.” Dreaming Big Cuong always wanted to be a journalist. He dreamed about stepping into challenging or dangerous situations to help people understand the world around them. Yet rather than being met with support, his family members expressed doubt because of his blindness. “Others do not see me as a person with capacity and abilities—they just look at me with pity,” he said. Cuong was not ready to give up on his dream. He joined our Future Journalist Club, where our staff fostered his passion by teaching him technical writing skills and challenging him to improve his capabilities. “For the first time, I felt like people truly believed in my potential,” he said. We offered him a scholarship to study at the Nguyen Van To Vocational Education Center, which freed him from worrying about finances so that he could enjoy activities that encouraged friendships among scholarship recipients. He is deeply impacted by the care he received from our staff. “Samaritan’s Purse didn’t just give us skills and knowledge,” he said. “It gave us a community.” He began considering vocations where he could support vulnerable communities. Samaritan’s Purse staff helped him secure an internship at a social work center, where he worked with students and learned how to care for them through their pain. By seeing that he had the potential to make an impact on others’ lives, Cuong decided to pursue social work in college. “When I was a child, I experienced discrimination,” he said. “Because of the support I’ve received, I believe I can help change policies and perceptions for our community.” Please pray for our staff as they show God’s love to visually impaired students through our education program. Pray also that the students will see their intrinsic value as men and women created in His image. ]]> Cuong (left) participates in a group activity with other visually impaired students.When Minh was in kindergarten, his classmates refused to play with him because he was blind. He had never heard that word before, and their comments left deep wounds on his heart. He was excited when his parents told him about a boarding school for visually impaired students. Samaritan’s Purse offered him a scholarship that covered the cost of tuition and housing. We also provided pupils with uniforms, a laptop, and a monthly stipend. Receiving support from our staff comforted Minh as he adjusted to life away from home. He was able to pore over his studies as well as seek opportunities to develop new interests. When he joined a music program sponsored by Samaritan’s Purse, he instantly discovered a passion for the drums. Our staff invited him to perform at Dining in the Dark—an annual event that cultivates compassion for the visually impaired community. Attendees experience what it is like to be blind—eating in the dark and performing tasks, such as playing an instrument and walking, while blindfolded. They then watch students showcase their talents in an orchestral performance. Playing in the concert and guiding people through activities inspired him to pursue a career advocating for blind children. “I wanted to give back—not just to the event, but to the visually impaired community,” he said. Now 23 years old, he is attending college through one of our scholarships and studying social work, learning to care for others the way our staff cared for him. “I’ve received so much help from Samaritan’s Purse, and now I want to support others in need,” he said. “Thank you to the staff and donors who helped us with loving hearts.” Dreaming Big Cuong always wanted to be a journalist. He dreamed about stepping into challenging or dangerous situations to help people understand the world around them. Yet rather than being met with support, his family members expressed doubt because of his blindness. “Others do not see me as a person with capacity and abilities—they just look at me with pity,” he said. Cuong was not ready to give up on his dream. He joined our Future Journalist Club, where our staff fostered his passion by teaching him technical writing skills and challenging him to improve his capabilities. “For the first time, I felt like people truly believed in my potential,” he said. We offered him a scholarship to study at the Nguyen Van To Vocational Education Center, which freed him from worrying about finances so that he could enjoy activities that encouraged friendships among scholarship recipients. He is deeply impacted by the care he received from our staff. “Samaritan’s Purse didn’t just give us skills and knowledge,” he said. “It gave us a community.” He began considering vocations where he could support vulnerable communities. Samaritan’s Purse staff helped him secure an internship at a social work center, where he worked with students and learned how to care for them through their pain. By seeing that he had the potential to make an impact on others’ lives, Cuong decided to pursue social work in college. “When I was a child, I experienced discrimination,” he said. “Because of the support I’ve received, I believe I can help change policies and perceptions for our community.” Please pray for our staff as they show God’s love to visually impaired students through our education program. Pray also that the students will see their intrinsic value as men and women created in His image. ]]> https://www.samaritanspurse.org/article/restoring-hope-through-the-living-water/ Restoring Hope Through the Living Water https://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/969135998/0/samaritanspurse~Restoring-Hope-Through-the-Living-Water/ Tue, 15 Sep 2026 13:08:29 +0000 https://www.samaritanspurse.org/?post_type=sp-articles&p=272175 Sovandy's family pose with their water filter from Samaritan's PurseSovandy’s family was frequently sick from drinking dirty water. The stream by their home and the only well in the village were contaminated—but there were no other water sources for miles. “My family struggled every day to find safe water. Our children were often sick, and we worried about how to care for them,” she said. Though her children needed medical care, they couldn’t afford to pay the hospital bills. The family needed a better solution. Samaritan’s Purse started a project in their village in Cambodia to bring families clean water resources, including biosand filters and rainwater catchments. Our staff taught classes on proper handwashing and other sanitation practices to encourage healthier lifestyles. We also built latrines to assist them as they learned these hygiene skills. Pointing to Eternal Life “Our focus is to help meet their physical needs by providing access to safe water, sanitation, and hygiene education,” said Mina Kung, a Samaritan’s Purse staff member. “As we build relationships, we are also able to share the love of Christ with them.” We partnered with local churches to provide Bible studies and discipleship events for participants in the hygiene classes and clean water project. Sovandy attended one of these events and learned that Jesus loves her and wants a relationship with her. “Through the love shown by the project staff and the message of the Gospel, I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior,” she said. Now she witnesses to the rest of her family, sharing the eternal hope she has found in Jesus Christ. “Today I have peace, hope, and joy,” she said. “I thank God for changing both my life and my family’s future.” Life will never be the same for Sovandy. Her family is healthy and she is thankful that Samaritan’s Purse provided clean water. Most importantly, she is grateful to have heard and received the Good News of Jesus Christ. “Seeing Sovandy place her faith in Jesus and watching the positive changes in her family’s health, hope, and daily life is a beautiful reminder that God cares for the whole person—both physical and spiritual,” Mina said. “Stories like hers encourage us as we continue serving communities with the love of Christ.” Please pray for our team as they continue to serve families like Sovandy’s by bringing clean water resources and hygiene training. Pray for the Gospel to spread through this project and for people to experience hope in Jesus. ]]> Sovandy's family pose with their water filter from Samaritan's PurseSovandy’s family was frequently sick from drinking dirty water. The stream by their home and the only well in the village were contaminated—but there were no other water sources for miles. “My family struggled every day to find safe water. Our children were often sick, and we worried about how to care for them,” she said. Though her children needed medical care, they couldn’t afford to pay the hospital bills. The family needed a better solution. Samaritan’s Purse started a project in their village in Cambodia to bring families clean water resources, including biosand filters and rainwater catchments. Our staff taught classes on proper handwashing and other sanitation practices to encourage healthier lifestyles. We also built latrines to assist them as they learned these hygiene skills. Pointing to Eternal Life “Our focus is to help meet their physical needs by providing access to safe water, sanitation, and hygiene education,” said Mina Kung, a Samaritan’s Purse staff member. “As we build relationships, we are also able to share the love of Christ with them.” We partnered with local churches to provide Bible studies and discipleship events for participants in the hygiene classes and clean water project. Sovandy attended one of these events and learned that Jesus loves her and wants a relationship with her. “Through the love shown by the project staff and the message of the Gospel, I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior,” she said. Now she witnesses to the rest of her family, sharing the eternal hope she has found in Jesus Christ. “Today I have peace, hope, and joy,” she said. “I thank God for changing both my life and my family’s future.” Life will never be the same for Sovandy. Her family is healthy and she is thankful that Samaritan’s Purse provided clean water. Most importantly, she is grateful to have heard and received the Good News of Jesus Christ. “Seeing Sovandy place her faith in Jesus and watching the positive changes in her family’s health, hope, and daily life is a beautiful reminder that God cares for the whole person—both physical and spiritual,” Mina said. “Stories like hers encourage us as we continue serving communities with the love of Christ.” Please pray for our team as they continue to serve families like Sovandy’s by bringing clean water resources and hygiene training. Pray for the Gospel to spread through this project and for people to experience hope in Jesus. ]]> https://www.samaritanspurse.org/article/hispanic-churches-take-children-on-the-greatest-journey/ Hispanic Churches Take Children on The Greatest Journey https://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/969089795/0/samaritanspurse~Hispanic-Churches-Take-Children-on-The-Greatest-Journey/ Mon, 14 Sep 2026 13:17:13 +0000 https://www.samaritanspurse.org/?post_type=sp-articles&p=273686 A small Hispanic church in Winston-Salem is using The Greatest Journey in their Sunday school classes.Sunday School lessons have changed a bit at Iglesia Casa Para Todos. In recent months, the small Spanish-speaking congregation in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, has been teaching their children from the 12-lesson discipleship course The Greatest Journey. This is the follow-up program for children who receive Operation Christmas Child shoebox gifts at church outreach events in dozens of countries. It’s translated into dozens of languages, including Spanish. Each lesson walks young people through what it means to follow Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. While the curriculum has been used internationally to teach the Gospel, a number of Spanish-speaking churches across the United States are using La Gran Aventura, the Spanish translation of The Greatest Journey, during Sunday School. The lessons are also a way to mobilize children for God’s global mission. Yadira Duenas, Operation Christmas Child project leader at Iglesia Casa Para Todos, said it caught the attention of church leaders because it is “attractive, simple, and engaging.” “It’s focused on discipleship. It’s not just telling disconnected stories—every single passage selected is essential to spreading the Gospel,” she said. Pastor Juan Bonilla agreed with Yadira and immediately wanted to start using it in children’s Sunday school classes. He is passionate about encouraging people to live for God’s Kingdom, and he knows that teaching boys and girls how to faithfully follow Christ is essential to discipling the local church as a whole. “We reach the kids, we can reach the family,” he said. Nearly 40 children, ages 6-12, enrolled in the The Greatest Journey lessons at Iglesia Casa Para Todos. In addition to reading stories from the Bible and learning practical ways to apply God’s Word, children are also led in singing, dancing, and in a time of prayer. “We taught them from the beginning how to worship,” said leader Natalie Contreras. Contreras said they have watched the children grow in their love for Jesus and in excitement that they have a relationship with Him. And leaders have been delighted to see children come to faith in Jesus. Since the beginning of the lessons, 11 children have professed faith in Christ! These same children were encouraged to share their faith at home, and, because of their witness, two new families started attending the church with them. Inspiring Children for The Great Commission The vision to use the discipleship lessons in the United States started when Samaritan’s Purse Hispanic Ministries presented the curriculum at the United conference, a Billy Graham Evangelistic Association event for Hispanic pastors and church leaders. “We are here to equip, mobilize, and partner with the Hispanic church,” said Christian Kolar, project manager of Hispanic Ministries at Samaritan’s Purse. “With The Greatest Journey, we’re equipping them to have a robust, solid curriculum that can engage their kids and mobilize them.” Brandon Pineda, another leader in the program at Iglesia Casa Para Todos, said he’s seeing this happen in families, in part, because the lessons require the involvement of parents and guardians. “The way this program works, it will not just bring kids to God, but it will bring parents to God,” Pineda said. “A parent needs to work with the child to do the homework. They have to learn about the Bible, and they have to have time to read the Bible so they can explain it to the child.” Yadira said that many of the children are bilingual in Spanish and English and is helping them understand that this opens doors for more evangelism and discipleship opportunities. To foster this skill, the leaders teach lessons interchangeably in English and Spanish and use American Sign Language to show students that it can be helpful to bridge language barriers. The boys and girls were encouraged to consider themselves missionaries in their homes, among their friends, and in their community. “Missionaries share, pray, and love people they don’t know but who Jesus knows,” Yadira said. Yadira encouraged them during class to say, “Jesus wants me to share the Good News!” Ready to Be Sent Out Yadira recently led a celebration of the first group of children to graduate from The Greatest Journey. When the students gathered on stage before the congregation, everyone lifted their hands out to them and prayed that Jesus would use them as missionaries in their community. The celebration concluded with the students performing a dance to worship music. At the end, they boldly proclaimed, “I am a missionary!” Church members have been encouraged by the students’ passion for the Gospel. They are already planning ideas for the next time they teach this class and are excited to keep collaborating with other project leaders that they met at the United conference, gathering more inspiration for costumes and decorations that match the lessons’ themes. They are excited to see many other Hispanic communities transformed through The Greatest Journey. “I think this curriculum is going to help not just our church, but it’s going to start helping a bunch of churches,” Brandon said. Please pray for our team as they work with more Hispanic churches to equip their children for evangelism and discipleship through The Greatest Journey. Pray also that the students would have boldness to share the Gospel in their communities. ]]> A small Hispanic church in Winston-Salem is using The Greatest Journey in their Sunday school classes.Sunday School lessons have changed a bit at Iglesia Casa Para Todos. In recent months, the small Spanish-speaking congregation in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, has been teaching their children from the 12-lesson discipleship course The Greatest Journey. This is the follow-up program for children who receive Operation Christmas Child shoebox gifts at church outreach events in dozens of countries. It’s translated into dozens of languages, including Spanish. Each lesson walks young people through what it means to follow Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. While the curriculum has been used internationally to teach the Gospel, a number of Spanish-speaking churches across the United States are using La Gran Aventura, the Spanish translation of The Greatest Journey, during Sunday School. The lessons are also a way to mobilize children for God’s global mission. Yadira Duenas, Operation Christmas Child project leader at Iglesia Casa Para Todos, said it caught the attention of church leaders because it is “attractive, simple, and engaging.” “It’s focused on discipleship. It’s not just telling disconnected stories—every single passage selected is essential to spreading the Gospel,” she said. Pastor Juan Bonilla agreed with Yadira and immediately wanted to start using it in children’s Sunday school classes. He is passionate about encouraging people to live for God’s Kingdom, and he knows that teaching boys and girls how to faithfully follow Christ is essential to discipling the local church as a whole. “We reach the kids, we can reach the family,” he said. Nearly 40 children, ages 6-12, enrolled in the The Greatest Journey lessons at Iglesia Casa Para Todos. In addition to reading stories from the Bible and learning practical ways to apply God’s Word, children are also led in singing, dancing, and in a time of prayer. “We taught them from the beginning how to worship,” said leader Natalie Contreras. Contreras said they have watched the children grow in their love for Jesus and in excitement that they have a relationship with Him. And leaders have been delighted to see children come to faith in Jesus. Since the beginning of the lessons, 11 children have professed faith in Christ! These same children were encouraged to share their faith at home, and, because of their witness, two new families started attending the church with them. Inspiring Children for The Great Commission The vision to use the discipleship lessons in the United States started when Samaritan’s Purse Hispanic Ministries presented the curriculum at the United conference, a Billy Graham Evangelistic Association event for Hispanic pastors and church leaders. “We are here to equip, mobilize, and partner with the Hispanic church,” said Christian Kolar, project manager of Hispanic Ministries at Samaritan’s Purse. “With The Greatest Journey, we’re equipping them to have a robust, solid curriculum that can engage their kids and mobilize them.” Brandon Pineda, another leader in the program at Iglesia Casa Para Todos, said he’s seeing this happen in families, in part, because the lessons require the involvement of parents and guardians. “The way this program works, it will not just bring kids to God, but it will bring parents to God,” Pineda said. “A parent needs to work with the child to do the homework. They have to learn about the Bible, and they have to have time to read the Bible so they can explain it to the child.” Yadira said that many of the children are bilingual in Spanish and English and is helping them understand that this opens doors for more evangelism and discipleship opportunities. To foster this skill, the leaders teach lessons interchangeably in English and Spanish and use American Sign Language to show students that it can be helpful to bridge language barriers. The boys and girls were encouraged to consider themselves missionaries in their homes, among their friends, and in their community. “Missionaries share, pray, and love people they don’t know but who Jesus knows,” Yadira said. Yadira encouraged them during class to say, “Jesus wants me to share the Good News!” Ready to Be Sent Out Yadira recently led a celebration of the first group of children to graduate from The Greatest Journey. When the students gathered on stage before the congregation, everyone lifted their hands out to them and prayed that Jesus would use them as missionaries in their community. The celebration concluded with the students performing a dance to worship music. At the end, they boldly proclaimed, “I am a missionary!” Church members have been encouraged by the students’ passion for the Gospel. They are already planning ideas for the next time they teach this class and are excited to keep collaborating with other project leaders that they met at the United conference, gathering more inspiration for costumes and decorations that match the lessons’ themes. They are excited to see many other Hispanic communities transformed through The Greatest Journey. “I think this curriculum is going to help not just our church, but it’s going to start helping a bunch of churches,” Brandon said. Please pray for our team as they work with more Hispanic churches to equip their children for evangelism and discipleship through The Greatest Journey. Pray also that the students would have boldness to share the Gospel in their communities. ]]> https://www.samaritanspurse.org/article/providing-relief-to-flood-ravaged-communities-in-nepal/ Providing Relief to Flood-Ravaged Communities in Nepal https://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/968981504/0/samaritanspurse~Providing-Relief-to-FloodRavaged-Communities-in-Nepal/ Fri, 11 Sep 2026 15:41:49 +0000 https://www.samaritanspurse.org/?post_type=sp-articles&p=273697 Residents received shelter supplies, water filters, solar lights, and blankets as they continue to recover after deadly flooding.Narayan was at home eating breakfast with his family when he received a phone call from a friend who told him that a major flood was headed toward his hometown of Devighat. A chicken farmer by trade, he peered out the window at his coops below and watched the Trishuli river start to rise. “At first, the river started overflowing slowly, but within two minutes, my entire poultry farm was completely swept away by the flood,” he said. “That’s when we realized we couldn’t stay home any longer.” Narayan ushered his family out the door and fled with them to higher ground. They watched as the raging floodwaters not only washed away his livelihood of 1,300 chickens, but also destroyed the two-story home where he had raised his two children. Meeting Critical Needs The August 26 flash flood was triggered by a major glacial collapse near the Nepal–China border. It pushed a tidal wave south along the Lende Khola and Trishuli̇ Khola rivers. What at first looked like a black cloud quickly became a surging dark wall of water, rock, and ice. Gaining speed and momentum, the avalanche-like floodwaters swelled and traveled over 60 miles, affecting multiple northern Nepali districts and claiming more than 1,400 lives. “Little by little, all the money I’d earned over so many years was lost,” Narayan said. “I have to start again from zero.” In response to the catastrophic event, Samaritan’s Purse deployed a team of disaster relief specialists who began coordinating with local authorities and Christian partners on the ground to provide relief in Jesus’ Name. In addition to procuring supplies locally, our 767-cargo plane landed in Nepal carrying over 80,000 pounds of relief, including hygiene kits, solar lights, water filters, and more. “These villages have been absolutely decimated,” said Darren Tosh, Samaritan’s Purse team lead. “So, we are here to be able to start to bring some hope back to those communities with some emergency relief.” Working through several Christian groups and churches, teams began hosting distributions throughout three of the hardest hit districts. “Our partners have an ambition to be able to serve these communities in Jesus' Name, being a witness through their actions and through their compassion as they end up helping these families recover,” Tosh said. When Narayan arrived at a distribution hosted by one our partners, he was thankful to receive shelter plastic, a blanket, hygiene kit, and solar light, among other items. Narayan was especially grateful for a water filter and jerry bucket, as his family had no access to clean water for several days after the flood. “We had a reserve tank we had for the chickens, and we drank that water for six days,” he said. “The water filter will be helpful.” Having served in the Nepali army for 17 years, Narayan is determined to stay strong for his family and rebuild their future. “I am not defeated,” he said. “I can get back up again.” Devanand Kadariya is with Nepal Baptist Church Council, one of our trusted partners. He also serves on Nepal’s national leadership team with Operation Christmas Child, a Samaritan’s Purse project. For him, meeting with beneficiaries like Narayan is an opportunity to tangibly demonstrate the love of Christ. “We love people as Christ loves people, whether they're Christian or not Christian,” Kadariya said. “It's our duty to love our neighbor as ourselves, and this is an opportunity to go and help people in need.” Hope for the Weary Rameswori deeply misses the home she once had in the city of Bhaise, Nepal. She was alone when the unprecedented 30-foot wall of water ravaged her hometown, killing two of her relatives. “I dream about the flood every night, and I have fear in my heart whenever I have that dream,” she said. At first, Rameswori didn’t believe her sister when she said the waters were coming her way, but when she eventually made her way outside, the water was already rising. “When the flood got close, I stepped outside and everyone had already left the area and gone somewhere safe,” she said. “I did my best to get away from there and managed to reach the road.” For years, Rameswori had been dealing with knee pain and had also recently fractured her foot, so she was grateful when a neighbor grabbed her hand and helped her to higher ground. She watched as the flash flood swept her home away. “My house was a very beautiful house–full of gardens, full of flowers. It was like a resort,” she said. “Remembering that house, my heart breaks all over again.” Rameswori needed more than physical relief; she also needed encouragement. When she arrived at one of our distributions, she was grateful to receive both. “The support that the flood victims and I received today has given us hope,” she said. The essential aid was a reminder that her community had not been forgotten. “It has given relief to us and our people. So, we are very thankful.” Encouraging the Body of Christ The catastrophic flash flood came just over 10 years after the Himalayan nation was rocked by a 7.8-magnitude earthquake that killed around 9,000 people. Samaritan’s Purse immediately responded with critical aid and medical support, and stayed for three years helping communities rebuild, including Pastor Ishwor’s new church. “I have been praying that Samaritan's Purse would come back again and help,” said Ishwor Pudasaini, who has been pastoring a church in the Nuwakot District for 25 years. “When our church collapsed during the earthquake, Samaritan’s Purse helped by sending volunteers and the materials for a new church building,” he said. “Not only did they help our church, but they helped the community outside the church as well.” When Pastor Ishwor learned that Samaritan’s Purse was coming to Devighat–the city he grew up in–to distribute relief items and share the hope of Jesus Christ, he was relieved to know he was not alone. “As a pastor and a leader of my church who is worried about this community, I am very grateful when I meet people like Samaritan’s Purse, because it gives me the confidence and the courage to fight against this crisis,” he said. “And I know that I am not alone in restoring this community.” Please pray as our partners continue to reach flood-ravaged communities, providing hope and relief in Jesus’ Name. ]]> Residents received shelter supplies, water filters, solar lights, and blankets as they continue to recover after deadly flooding.Narayan was at home eating breakfast with his family when he received a phone call from a friend who told him that a major flood was headed toward his hometown of Devighat. A chicken farmer by trade, he peered out the window at his coops below and watched the Trishuli river start to rise. “At first, the river started overflowing slowly, but within two minutes, my entire poultry farm was completely swept away by the flood,” he said. “That’s when we realized we couldn’t stay home any longer.” Narayan ushered his family out the door and fled with them to higher ground. They watched as the raging floodwaters not only washed away his livelihood of 1,300 chickens, but also destroyed the two-story home where he had raised his two children. Meeting Critical Needs The August 26 flash flood was triggered by a major glacial collapse near the Nepal–China border. It pushed a tidal wave south along the Lende Khola and Trishuli̇ Khola rivers. What at first looked like a black cloud quickly became a surging dark wall of water, rock, and ice. Gaining speed and momentum, the avalanche-like floodwaters swelled and traveled over 60 miles, affecting multiple northern Nepali districts and claiming more than 1,400 lives. “Little by little, all the money I’d earned over so many years was lost,” Narayan said. “I have to start again from zero.” In response to the catastrophic event, Samaritan’s Purse deployed a team of disaster relief specialists who began coordinating with local authorities and Christian partners on the ground to provide relief in Jesus’ Name. In addition to procuring supplies locally, our 767-cargo plane landed in Nepal carrying over 80,000 pounds of relief, including hygiene kits, solar lights, water filters, and more. “These villages have been absolutely decimated,” said Darren Tosh, Samaritan’s Purse team lead. “So, we are here to be able to start to bring some hope back to those communities with some emergency relief.” Working through several Christian groups and churches, teams began hosting distributions throughout three of the hardest hit districts. “Our partners have an ambition to be able to serve these communities in Jesus' Name, being a witness through their actions and through their compassion as they end up helping these families recover,” Tosh said. When Narayan arrived at a distribution hosted by one our partners, he was thankful to receive shelter plastic, a blanket, hygiene kit, and solar light, among other items. Narayan was especially grateful for a water filter and jerry bucket, as his family had no access to clean water for several days after the flood. “We had a reserve tank we had for the chickens, and we drank that water for six days,” he said. “The water filter will be helpful.” Having served in the Nepali army for 17 years, Narayan is determined to stay strong for his family and rebuild their future. “I am not defeated,” he said. “I can get back up again.” Devanand Kadariya is with Nepal Baptist Church Council, one of our trusted partners. He also serves on Nepal’s national leadership team with Operation Christmas Child, a Samaritan’s Purse project. For him, meeting with beneficiaries like Narayan is an opportunity to tangibly demonstrate the love of Christ. “We love people as Christ loves people, whether they're Christian or not Christian,” Kadariya said. “It's our duty to love our neighbor as ourselves, and this is an opportunity to go and help people in need.” Hope for the Weary Rameswori deeply misses the home she once had in the city of Bhaise, Nepal. She was alone when the unprecedented 30-foot wall of water ravaged her hometown, killing two of her relatives. “I dream about the flood every night, and I have fear in my heart whenever I have that dream,” she said. At first, Rameswori didn’t believe her sister when she said the waters were coming her way, but when she eventually made her way outside, the water was already rising. “When the flood got close, I stepped outside and everyone had already left the area and gone somewhere safe,” she said. “I did my best to get away from there and managed to reach the road.” For years, Rameswori had been dealing with knee pain and had also recently fractured her foot, so she was grateful when a neighbor grabbed her hand and helped her to higher ground. She watched as the flash flood swept her home away. “My house was a very beautiful house–full of gardens, full of flowers. It was like a resort,” she said. “Remembering that house, my heart breaks all over again.” Rameswori needed more than physical relief; she also needed encouragement. When she arrived at one of our distributions, she was grateful to receive both. “The support that the flood victims and I received today has given us hope,” she said. The essential aid was a reminder that her community had not been forgotten. “It has given relief to us and our people. So, we are very thankful.” Encouraging the Body of Christ The catastrophic flash flood came just over 10 years after the Himalayan nation was rocked by a 7.8-magnitude earthquake that killed around 9,000 people. Samaritan’s Purse immediately responded with critical aid and medical support, and stayed for three years helping communities rebuild, including Pastor Ishwor’s new church. “I have been praying that Samaritan's Purse would come back again and help,” said Ishwor Pudasaini, who has been pastoring a church in the Nuwakot District for 25 years. “When our church collapsed during the earthquake, Samaritan’s Purse helped by sending volunteers and the materials for a new church building,” he said. “Not only did they help our church, but they helped the community outside the church as well.” When Pastor Ishwor learned that Samaritan’s Purse was coming to Devighat–the city he grew up in–to distribute relief items and share the hope of Jesus Christ, he was relieved to know he was not alone. “As a pastor and a leader of my church who is worried about this community, I am very grateful when I meet people like Samaritan’s Purse, because it gives me the confidence and the courage to fight against this crisis,” he said. “And I know that I am not alone in restoring this community.” Please pray as our partners continue to reach flood-ravaged communities, providing hope and relief in Jesus’ Name. ]]> https://www.samaritanspurse.org/article/colombia-earthquake-survivors-experience-gods-love/ Colombia Earthquake Survivors Experience God’s Love https://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/968888042/0/samaritanspurse~Colombia-Earthquake-Survivors-Experience-God%e2%80%99s-Love/ Wed, 09 Sep 2026 17:21:08 +0000 https://www.samaritanspurse.org/?post_type=sp-articles&p=273624 Samaritan's Purse brought emergency relief items to help Colombians recover from an earthquake.Hundreds of people died, and thousands of homes were reduced to rubble after an earthquake struck western Colombia. Those who survived did not know where to turn for help. Conditions worsened when flooding hit earthquake-affected areas. Crops were destroyed, and houses were swept away, leaving people more vulnerable and desperate. Serving in Jesus’ Name Janeth was in dire need. She had lost all her personal belongings and lacked the resources to build even a temporary shelter. Her young daughters were hungry, and she had no idea when their next meal would come. She was relieved when she heard that Samaritan’s Purse was partnering with churches in her community to distribute emergency supplies. She received shelter material, solar lights, hygiene kits, food, and water. Our team encouraged her with the eternal hope of Jesus Christ. “God remembered me,” Janeth said. We thank God for our church partners who are able to minister to families like Janeth’s long after the disaster. Pastor Rodolfo Batero, who helped our team distribute shelter material, praised the Lord for His provision. “God sent the Samaritan’s Purse team at exactly the right moment,” he said. Restoring Hope We also gave families Bibles and invited them to participate in a Biblically based trauma healing course. “Beyond the material damage, there was a lot of fear and uncertainty. It wasn’t just a destroyed house—for many families, it was a place where they had built their lives and their sense of security,” said program manager Stivens Guevara. “The emergency was much deeper than we could have imagined.” A local teacher was heartbroken watching her students struggle after the earthquake and flooding. They slept during class and often cried or withdrew emotionally. Through our training, she learned how to care for them as they processed their shock and grief. “I feel more prepared and equipped with greater wisdom to listen, understand, and respond to their needs,” she said. We are thankful for the many pastors who joined the course. “This training strengthened my calling to serve God and my community in the midst of suffering,” said one of the participants. Please pray for our team as they continue to share the eternal hope of Christ with hurting people in Colombia. Pray that the local believers would be faithful to serve and to love people in Jesus’ Name. ]]> Samaritan's Purse brought emergency relief items to help Colombians recover from an earthquake.Hundreds of people died, and thousands of homes were reduced to rubble after an earthquake struck western Colombia. Those who survived did not know where to turn for help. Conditions worsened when flooding hit earthquake-affected areas. Crops were destroyed, and houses were swept away, leaving people more vulnerable and desperate. Serving in Jesus’ Name Janeth was in dire need. She had lost all her personal belongings and lacked the resources to build even a temporary shelter. Her young daughters were hungry, and she had no idea when their next meal would come. She was relieved when she heard that Samaritan’s Purse was partnering with churches in her community to distribute emergency supplies. She received shelter material, solar lights, hygiene kits, food, and water. Our team encouraged her with the eternal hope of Jesus Christ. “God remembered me,” Janeth said. We thank God for our church partners who are able to minister to families like Janeth’s long after the disaster. Pastor Rodolfo Batero, who helped our team distribute shelter material, praised the Lord for His provision. “God sent the Samaritan’s Purse team at exactly the right moment,” he said. Restoring Hope We also gave families Bibles and invited them to participate in a Biblically based trauma healing course. “Beyond the material damage, there was a lot of fear and uncertainty. It wasn’t just a destroyed house—for many families, it was a place where they had built their lives and their sense of security,” said program manager Stivens Guevara. “The emergency was much deeper than we could have imagined.” A local teacher was heartbroken watching her students struggle after the earthquake and flooding. They slept during class and often cried or withdrew emotionally. Through our training, she learned how to care for them as they processed their shock and grief. “I feel more prepared and equipped with greater wisdom to listen, understand, and respond to their needs,” she said. We are thankful for the many pastors who joined the course. “This training strengthened my calling to serve God and my community in the midst of suffering,” said one of the participants. Please pray for our team as they continue to share the eternal hope of Christ with hurting people in Colombia. Pray that the local believers would be faithful to serve and to love people in Jesus’ Name. ]]> https://www.samaritanspurse.org/article/two-hearts-in-need-of-healing/ Two Hearts in Need of Healing https://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/968835221/0/samaritanspurse~Two-Hearts-in-Need-of-Healing/ Tue, 08 Sep 2026 13:57:03 +0000 https://www.samaritanspurse.org/?post_type=sp-articles&p=272926 Dara and her grandmother Judi fill buckets with sand at a lakeside Six-year-old Dara and her grandmother, Judi, knew no life outside of La Paz, Bolivia; their family had lived there for generations. When Dara was born premature, the doctors didn’t initially notice anything out of the ordinary with her heart. But a month later, Dara’s life was hanging in the balance. She was placed on oxygen for four days before she was seen by a pediatric cardiologist who diagnosed her with a congenital heart defect—there was a hole in the wall of her heart. “As a family, we've been experiencing a lot of loss for many years. The news that Dara had something wrong with her heart was very hard for us. We lost our faith. We thought God was punishing us, that He had abandoned us. We thought that there was no hope,” Judi shared. Doctors couldn’t agree whether Dara’s life was in danger or if the hole would eventually close on its own. Her family didn’t have the money to pursue further treatment or surgery, and Judi felt helpless knowing there was nothing she could do for her granddaughter. “It was hard for me watching her grow up. She wasn't able to run, to play like the others, and I was very frustrated because I wanted the best for her,” Judi said. “We used to call her our ‘glass child’ because she was so overprotected and carefully looked after.” When Dara was 3 years old, they were referred to a cardiologist in Bolivia who connected them to Samaritan’s Purse and Children’s Heart Project. Judi couldn’t believe someone was offering to bring Dara to the United States, cover the cost of her surgery and appointments, and provide a home to stay in while she recovered. That someone would love her family that much—without ever meeting them—was unfathomable to a woman familiar with loss. “We weren't able to believe it was true because it was hard to believe that something good could happen to us,” Judi said. When they stepped off the plane in Sacramento, California, they found their host family, an eager group of five, smiling and waiting with open arms. “I remember when we stepped onto the escalators and saw Sergio’s family down below—they were waving and cheering, and we were waving back. We didn’t know them, yet we could feel that energy as they welcomed us. It was such a lovely thing to have a family—even though they were strangers—welcome us, host us in their home, and look after us,” Judi said. Hospitality and Hope Overflow Sergio and Lisa Brizuela were first contacted by Children’s Heart Project two years ago about being a host family, but it wasn’t the right timing for their family with three young kids. When they were approached again earlier this year, Dara and Judi seemed like the perfect addition. Sergio speaks Spanish, but for Lisa the language barrier has felt impenetrable at times except for the love she could convey through her actions, care, and dedication to the Lord. “One of the things that Judi said before attending church on Sunday, was that she has Jesus in her heart, but she doesn't feel the need to attend church,” Lisa said. While she appreciated their kindness, Judi wanted nothing to do with the Lord, whom she saw as a mean God who had taken so much from her life. Slowly, God used the Brizuela family to pour love into the cracks in her own heart. Judi decided to join them at church. The very first Sunday Judi and Dara spent in California, the pastor of Sergio and Lisa’s church happened to be finishing a series on Job. Judi, with the help of the Children’s Heart Project translator, was able to understand every word. As it ended, she quietly reflected, “I feel like my life is like Job." After Dara went to bed each night, Judi, Lisa, and the translator would gather around the table downstairs and read the Bible together. One night Lisa was reading through Philippians 4. She realized Judi had never heard the story of the Apostle Paul and how similar it might be to what she has faced all her life. “He knows what it's like to live with a lot and then also to live with nothing and that the secret to being content is that you can do all things through Christ who gives us strength,” Lisa said. Lisa’s words penetrated somewhere deep within Judi. The family’s consistency in their faith was like nothing she had ever seen before. “They live their religion in a very different way. These people read their Bibles, they understand the Bibles, and they practice what they are reading,” Judi said. “Lisa is a person who has great faith, a great love for God. And I realized I need to be on that path with God.” Trust Instead of Fear Dara’s surgery took place less than a week after she arrived in California. As Dr. Teimour Nasirov, pediatric cardiothoracic surgeon at Sutter Medical Center, Sacramento, explained all scenarios with this surgery, including the risks, Judi felt fear try to take hold of her. Watching Dara go into surgery took a courage Judi didn’t know she had and left her realizing that she had been relying on herself rather than God for far too long. “When I said goodbye to her when she went into the operating room, the fear was that her tiny, frail, little body wouldn't be able to handle it,” Judi remembered. “I knew I had to say goodbye with a smile because she shouldn't go into the surgery feeling sad; she needed to see that I was calm and she kept looking back at me right up until the moment she left. That’s when I felt this emptiness. It was as if I were letting go of something, as if I were being left all alone.” Lisa stood by her side the entire time, a surrogate mother to Dara and a newfound friend. The doctor eventually came out and shared that everything had gone well with Dara’s surgery. Unparalleled joy and peace washed over Judi as she gave thanks to God. “It is a feeling of immense gratitude—primarily to God for having chosen me to be with her through this journey and for giving her a chance at life,” Judi said. Dara's care was supported by a multidisciplinary pediatric heart team within the Sutter Health system, with specialists in cardiology, cardiothoracic surgery, anesthesia, nursing and rehabilitation working together throughout her treatment and recovery. Her operation marked the third collaboration between Children's Heart Project and Sutter Health to provide life-changing heart surgery for a child. Together, the organizations helped connect Dara and her family with the specialized care she needed. “We walk home and we know we’ve done something good,” Dr. Nasirov said. “In Dara’s case, it’s changing her life expectancy, helping her lead a happy, fun life.” Health More Than Skin Deep While Dara’s life is physically changed as they return to Bolivia, something has healed inside Judi, that no surgeon could ever have repaired. “I am returning to Bolivia with a healthy girl who has a chance at life. I am grateful to God for that immense blessing, and I will share His Word and ensure that my children and family know that there is a God—a God who has not abandoned us, who has been with us despite everything we have been through. This has been reflected in Dara, because He was the one behind Dara’s surgery,” Judi said. Dara is living the life she always should’ve had, bouncing on a trampoline with breath in her lungs, a smile on her face, and not a care in the world. “After the surgery, she started to gain more self-confidence because the fear that something might happen to her was gone,” Judi said. “She’s back to being a normal child—playing and doing the things a child does.” As they left Dara’s final appointment at the hospital with hugs and well-wishes from all the staff who had come to know the sweet, humble little girl who received a new outlook on life, Judi was already thinking of what she’ll say to Dara one day about her time in California. “I want her to know that she came to another country where she was helped and healed; where there was a group of people—Samaritan's Purse, the doctors, and the hospital who welcomed her unconditionally and cared for her,” Judi said. “I’m the one who will remind her that she must always be grateful to all the people who gave her life—a new life.” For the pediatric heart team at Sutter, caring for Dara was more than a successful surgery, it was a reminder of what is possible when clinical expertise and organizations like Children's Heart Project come together to remove barriers to care. “Thank you for trusting us to take care of Dara because we know it’s not just her but all the lives that she’s going to touch going forward, including all of our team’s lives. She has inspired all of us,” said Megan Gillespie, chief executive officer of Sutter Medical Center, Sacramento. As the journey to healing that has taken six long years comes to an end, Judi’s heart is overflowing with gratitude and Dara’s is made whole. “Children’s Heart Project has shown us that it is possible, that there is opportunity, that God exists, that God is with us, that God places people in our path, and that God's love is real and great—the very love that is sustaining my granddaughter and me right now. Thank you for everything,” Judi said. ]]> Dara and her grandmother Judi fill buckets with sand at a lakeside Six-year-old Dara and her grandmother, Judi, knew no life outside of La Paz, Bolivia; their family had lived there for generations. When Dara was born premature, the doctors didn’t initially notice anything out of the ordinary with her heart. But a month later, Dara’s life was hanging in the balance. She was placed on oxygen for four days before she was seen by a pediatric cardiologist who diagnosed her with a congenital heart defect—there was a hole in the wall of her heart. “As a family, we've been experiencing a lot of loss for many years. The news that Dara had something wrong with her heart was very hard for us. We lost our faith. We thought God was punishing us, that He had abandoned us. We thought that there was no hope,” Judi shared. Doctors couldn’t agree whether Dara’s life was in danger or if the hole would eventually close on its own. Her family didn’t have the money to pursue further treatment or surgery, and Judi felt helpless knowing there was nothing she could do for her granddaughter. “It was hard for me watching her grow up. She wasn't able to run, to play like the others, and I was very frustrated because I wanted the best for her,” Judi said. “We used to call her our ‘glass child’ because she was so overprotected and carefully looked after.” When Dara was 3 years old, they were referred to a cardiologist in Bolivia who connected them to Samaritan’s Purse and Children’s Heart Project. Judi couldn’t believe someone was offering to bring Dara to the United States, cover the cost of her surgery and appointments, and provide a home to stay in while she recovered. That someone would love her family that much—without ever meeting them—was unfathomable to a woman familiar with loss. “We weren't able to believe it was true because it was hard to believe that something good could happen to us,” Judi said. When they stepped off the plane in Sacramento, California, they found their host family, an eager group of five, smiling and waiting with open arms. “I remember when we stepped onto the escalators and saw Sergio’s family down below—they were waving and cheering, and we were waving back. We didn’t know them, yet we could feel that energy as they welcomed us. It was such a lovely thing to have a family—even though they were strangers—welcome us, host us in their home, and look after us,” Judi said. Hospitality and Hope Overflow Sergio and Lisa Brizuela were first contacted by Children’s Heart Project two years ago about being a host family, but it wasn’t the right timing for their family with three young kids. When they were approached again earlier this year, Dara and Judi seemed like the perfect addition. Sergio speaks Spanish, but for Lisa the language barrier has felt impenetrable at times except for the love she could convey through her actions, care, and dedication to the Lord. “One of the things that Judi said before attending church on Sunday, was that she has Jesus in her heart, but she doesn't feel the need to attend church,” Lisa said. While she appreciated their kindness, Judi wanted nothing to do with the Lord, whom she saw as a mean God who had taken so much from her life. Slowly, God used the Brizuela family to pour love into the cracks in her own heart. Judi decided to join them at church. The very first Sunday Judi and Dara spent in California, the pastor of Sergio and Lisa’s church happened to be finishing a series on Job. Judi, with the help of the Children’s Heart Project translator, was able to understand every word. As it ended, she quietly reflected, “I feel like my life is like Job." After Dara went to bed each night, Judi, Lisa, and the translator would gather around the table downstairs and read the Bible together. One night Lisa was reading through Philippians 4. She realized Judi had never heard the story of the Apostle Paul and how similar it might be to what she has faced all her life. “He knows what it's like to live with a lot and then also to live with nothing and that the secret to being content is that you can do all things through Christ who gives us strength,” Lisa said. Lisa’s words penetrated somewhere deep within Judi. The family’s consistency in their faith was like nothing she had ever seen before. “They live their religion in a very different way. These people read their Bibles, they understand the Bibles, and they practice what they are reading,” Judi said. “Lisa is a person who has great faith, a great love for God. And I realized I need to be on that path with God.” Trust Instead of Fear Dara’s surgery took place less than a week after she arrived in California. As Dr. Teimour Nasirov, pediatric cardiothoracic surgeon at Sutter Medical Center, Sacramento, explained all scenarios with this surgery, including the risks, Judi felt fear try to take hold of her. Watching Dara go into surgery took a courage Judi didn’t know she had and left her realizing that she had been relying on herself rather than God for far too long. “When I said goodbye to her when she went into the operating room, the fear was that her tiny, frail, little body wouldn't be able to handle it,” Judi remembered. “I knew I had to say goodbye with a smile because she shouldn't go into the surgery feeling sad; she needed to see that I was calm and she kept looking back at me right up until the moment she left. That’s when I felt this emptiness. It was as if I were letting go of something, as if I were being left all alone.” Lisa stood by her side the entire time, a surrogate mother to Dara and a newfound friend. The doctor eventually came out and shared that everything had gone well with Dara’s surgery. Unparalleled joy and peace washed over Judi as she gave thanks to God. “It is a feeling of immense gratitude—primarily to God for having chosen me to be with her through this journey and for giving her a chance at life,” Judi said. Dara's care was supported by a multidisciplinary pediatric heart team within the Sutter Health system, with specialists in cardiology, cardiothoracic surgery, anesthesia, nursing and rehabilitation working together throughout her treatment and recovery. Her operation marked the third collaboration between Children's Heart Project and Sutter Health to provide life-changing heart surgery for a child. Together, the organizations helped connect Dara and her family with the specialized care she needed. “We walk home and we know we’ve done something good,” Dr. Nasirov said. “In Dara’s case, it’s changing her life expectancy, helping her lead a happy, fun life.” Health More Than Skin Deep While Dara’s life is physically changed as they return to Bolivia, something has healed inside Judi, that no surgeon could ever have repaired. “I am returning to Bolivia with a healthy girl who has a chance at life. I am grateful to God for that immense blessing, and I will share His Word and ensure that my children and family know that there is a God—a God who has not abandoned us, who has been with us despite everything we have been through. This has been reflected in Dara, because He was the one behind Dara’s surgery,” Judi said. Dara is living the life she always should’ve had, bouncing on a trampoline with breath in her lungs, a smile on her face, and not a care in the world. “After the surgery, she started to gain more self-confidence because the fear that something might happen to her was gone,” Judi said. “She’s back to being a normal child—playing and doing the things a child does.” As they left Dara’s final appointment at the hospital with hugs and well-wishes from all the staff who had come to know the sweet, humble little girl who received a new outlook on life, Judi was already thinking of what she’ll say to Dara one day about her time in California. “I want her to know that she came to another country where she was helped and healed; where there was a group of people—Samaritan's Purse, the doctors, and the hospital who welcomed her unconditionally and cared for her,” Judi said. “I’m the one who will remind her that she must always be grateful to all the people who gave her life—a new life.” For the pediatric heart team at Sutter, caring for Dara was more than a successful surgery, it was a reminder of what is possible when clinical expertise and organizations like Children's Heart Project come together to remove barriers to care. “Thank you for trusting us to take care of Dara because we know it’s not just her but all the lives that she’s going to touch going forward, including all of our team’s lives. She has inspired all of us,” said Megan Gillespie, chief executive officer of Sutter Medical Center, Sacramento. As the journey to healing that has taken six long years comes to an end, Judi’s heart is overflowing with gratitude and Dara’s is made whole. “Children’s Heart Project has shown us that it is possible, that there is opportunity, that God exists, that God is with us, that God places people in our path, and that God's love is real and great—the very love that is sustaining my granddaughter and me right now. Thank you for everything,” Judi said. ]]> https://www.samaritanspurse.org/operation-christmas-child/order-materials/#new_tab Get Free Materials! https://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/968506505/0/samaritanspurse~Get-Free-Materials/ Wed, 02 Sep 2026 15:14:02 +0000 https://www.samaritanspurse.org/?post_type=sp-articles&p=273531 ]]> ]]> https://www.samaritanspurse.org/article/god-is-using-a-child-to-plant-seeds-for-the-gospel/ God Is Using a Child to Plant Seeds for the Gospel https://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/968504471/0/samaritanspurse~God-Is-Using-a-Child-to-Plant-Seeds-for-the-Gospel/ Wed, 02 Sep 2026 13:14:44 +0000 https://www.samaritanspurse.org/?post_type=sp-articles&p=272046 Abigail Porter holds a shoebox she packed in front of the Operation Christmas Child offices in Boone, North CarolinaAbigail Porter’s journey with Operation Christmas Child started when she saw a Samaritan’s Purse video of boys and girls receiving shoebox gifts and learning about Jesus Christ. Although she was only 4 at the time, God moved in her heart, and she knew she wanted to start packing shoeboxes. Some people thought this would be just a phase, but since then, she has packed 1,800 shoeboxes—all before turning 11 this past summer! Abigail continues to pack because she knows every shoebox is an opportunity for a girl or boy to hear the Gospel, be discipled, and learn to share their faith with their family and friends. Abigail doesn’t ask for birthday or Christmas presents. Instead, she asks people to buy an item for her to pack in her shoeboxes. She joyfully chooses not to receive gifts because she would rather help other children hear about the Greatest Gift—Jesus Christ. More than the stuffed animals, school supplies, or games, Abigail loves giving every child a cross necklace and a letter that reads, “Jesus loves you.” Although it doesn’t happen for every shoebox packer, Abigail is always thrilled when she receives a letter from a shoebox recipient. Some have sent her photos of them with their graduation certificates from The Greatest Journey, the Samaritan’s Purse follow-up discipleship program for shoebox recipients. Pack a shoebox to show God's love to a child in need. Drop-off locations will be open across the country during National Collection Week, Nov. 16-23! “When I get to Heaven, I’m going to meet some of these kids,” Abigail said. Her parents, Micah and Laurie, are so proud of their daughter. They built a 40-by-40-foot shed for her to pack and store gift items. Abigail prays that children who will receive the shoeboxes will come to know the Lord and complete The Greatest Journey. Encouraging Her Generation to Serve God Abigail inspires other children to pack shoeboxes, too. She travels with her parents to churches to tell boys and girls how they can help send the Good News around the world through Operation Christmas Child. As part of her presentation, she brings photos of shoebox recipients from different countries. She wants people to see the personal impact they can make through Operation Christmas Child. “A box can touch a child, a family, and a community for eternity. Packing just one box can impact many lives,” she said. Micah had tears in his eyes as he praised his daughter’s faithfulness to tell others about Jesus. “If a little kid can do this, no one has an excuse. This is so important. I don’t think we’ve got too many years left before Christ returns. We’ve got to be reaping the harvest.” Want to be inspired by other shoebox packers like Abigail? View our shoebox heroes page for stories and the chance to nominate someone you know for the 2026 list. ]]> Abigail Porter holds a shoebox she packed in front of the Operation Christmas Child offices in Boone, North CarolinaAbigail Porter’s journey with Operation Christmas Child started when she saw a Samaritan’s Purse video of boys and girls receiving shoebox gifts and learning about Jesus Christ. Although she was only 4 at the time, God moved in her heart, and she knew she wanted to start packing shoeboxes. Some people thought this would be just a phase, but since then, she has packed 1,800 shoeboxes—all before turning 11 this past summer! Abigail continues to pack because she knows every shoebox is an opportunity for a girl or boy to hear the Gospel, be discipled, and learn to share their faith with their family and friends. Abigail doesn’t ask for birthday or Christmas presents. Instead, she asks people to buy an item for her to pack in her shoeboxes. She joyfully chooses not to receive gifts because she would rather help other children hear about the Greatest Gift—Jesus Christ. More than the stuffed animals, school supplies, or games, Abigail loves giving every child a cross necklace and a letter that reads, “Jesus loves you.” Although it doesn’t happen for every shoebox packer, Abigail is always thrilled when she receives a letter from a shoebox recipient. Some have sent her photos of them with their graduation certificates from The Greatest Journey, the Samaritan’s Purse follow-up discipleship program for shoebox recipients. Pack a shoebox to show God's love to a child in need. Drop-off locations will be open across the country during National Collection Week, Nov. 16-23! “When I get to Heaven, I’m going to meet some of these kids,” Abigail said. Her parents, Micah and Laurie, are so proud of their daughter. They built a 40-by-40-foot shed for her to pack and store gift items. Abigail prays that children who will receive the shoeboxes will come to know the Lord and complete The Greatest Journey. Encouraging Her Generation to Serve God Abigail inspires other children to pack shoeboxes, too. She travels with her parents to churches to tell boys and girls how they can help send the Good News around the world through Operation Christmas Child. As part of her presentation, she brings photos of shoebox recipients from different countries. She wants people to see the personal impact they can make through Operation Christmas Child. “A box can touch a child, a family, and a community for eternity. Packing just one box can impact many lives,” she said. Micah had tears in his eyes as he praised his daughter’s faithfulness to tell others about Jesus. “If a little kid can do this, no one has an excuse. This is so important. I don’t think we’ve got too many years left before Christ returns. We’ve got to be reaping the harvest.” Want to be inspired by other shoebox packers like Abigail? View our shoebox heroes page for stories and the chance to nominate someone you know for the 2026 list. ]]> https://www.samaritanspurse.org/article/samaritans-purse-sending-relief-after-deadly-flooding-in-nepal/ Samaritan’s Purse Airlifts Relief to Nepal After Deadly Flooding https://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/968353244/0/samaritanspurse~Samaritans-Purse-Airlifts-Relief-to-Nepal-After-Deadly-Flooding/ Wed, 02 Sep 2026 12:40:10 +0000 https://www.samaritanspurse.org/?post_type=sp-articles&p=273376 The Samaritan's Purse 767 sits on the tarmac in Kathmandu and is surrounded by the loads of relief. Hundreds of families are already receiving relief through our partners on the ground in Nepal as we continue to expand our response to the devastated country. Our 767 cargo plane departed Greensboro, North Carolina, Aug. 31 and landed in Kathmandu Sept. 2 with tarps, hygiene kits, blankets, solar lights, and household water filters. Communities are still reeling in the aftermath of devastating flash flooding that killed more than 1,100 people in Nepal and along the Nepal-Tibet border in late August. Thousands of people remain missing. An untold number of Nepali families are in need. Samaritan’s Purse has a team of disaster relief specialists on the ground in Nepal working with trusted Christian partners. We have been cooperating with these local churches and groups since the terrible 2015 earthquake and its aftershocks. They are already distributing emergency items including tarps, hygiene kits, kitchen kits, and more. “The devastation in Nepal is unimaginable,” said Franklin Graham. “We’re all heartbroken to see the death toll continue to climb, and many families are still waiting for news of their missing loved ones even as they have been left with nothing but the clothes on their backs. It’s important that we work quickly to help ease as much suffering as possible. We want the people of Nepal to know that God loves them, and I ask everyone to join us in continuing to pray for them.” Help and Encouragement Days After the Flood Through one of our local Christian partners we have been able to start helping residents as they recover. As she received shelter materials and hygiene kits from the teams, Maya recounted the tragic loss of nine family members in the flood. Six grandchildren were swept away while at school. Her daughter and two daughters-in-law were carried away with their homes. The flood also destroyed their house, farmland, belongings, and primary source of livelihood. Her husband, one daughter, and one grandchild are the only family members to survive. Tek, 48, was at home with his wife. She was swept away as they escaped the rising water, and both sustained injuries as he risked his own life to rescue her. The flood destroyed their home and land, leaving the couple with almost nothing. Through our partner, they were provided essential relief materials. Please Pray Search-and-rescue operations continue. Scientists believe part of a glacier collapsed to the valley floor of this remote and mountainous region, which caused the equivalent of a 5.2 magnitude earthquake. Such a tremendous landslide pushed a terrifying and deadly wall of water down through the narrow river canyons and beyond for many miles, destroying buildings, homes, bridges, and roads. There are fears of additional flooding in the region. Please pray for more survivors to be found in the coming hours. Pray for safe access to bring relief in Jesus' Name alongside our partners. Finally, lift up families around the world who are grieving the loss of loved ones. This story was first published on Aug. 27 and has been updated through Sept. 2. ]]> The Samaritan's Purse 767 sits on the tarmac in Kathmandu and is surrounded by the loads of relief. Hundreds of families are already receiving relief through our partners on the ground in Nepal as we continue to expand our response to the devastated country. Our 767 cargo plane departed Greensboro, North Carolina, Aug. 31 and landed in Kathmandu Sept. 2 with tarps, hygiene kits, blankets, solar lights, and household water filters. Communities are still reeling in the aftermath of devastating flash flooding that killed more than 1,100 people in Nepal and along the Nepal-Tibet border in late August. Thousands of people remain missing. An untold number of Nepali families are in need. Samaritan’s Purse has a team of disaster relief specialists on the ground in Nepal working with trusted Christian partners. We have been cooperating with these local churches and groups since the terrible 2015 earthquake and its aftershocks. They are already distributing emergency items including tarps, hygiene kits, kitchen kits, and more. “The devastation in Nepal is unimaginable,” said Franklin Graham. “We’re all heartbroken to see the death toll continue to climb, and many families are still waiting for news of their missing loved ones even as they have been left with nothing but the clothes on their backs. It’s important that we work quickly to help ease as much suffering as possible. We want the people of Nepal to know that God loves them, and I ask everyone to join us in continuing to pray for them.” Help and Encouragement Days After the Flood Through one of our local Christian partners we have been able to start helping residents as they recover. As she received shelter materials and hygiene kits from the teams, Maya recounted the tragic loss of nine family members in the flood. Six grandchildren were swept away while at school. Her daughter and two daughters-in-law were carried away with their homes. The flood also destroyed their house, farmland, belongings, and primary source of livelihood. Her husband, one daughter, and one grandchild are the only family members to survive. Tek, 48, was at home with his wife. She was swept away as they escaped the rising water, and both sustained injuries as he risked his own life to rescue her. The flood destroyed their home and land, leaving the couple with almost nothing. Through our partner, they were provided essential relief materials. Please Pray Search-and-rescue operations continue. Scientists believe part of a glacier collapsed to the valley floor of this remote and mountainous region, which caused the equivalent of a 5.2 magnitude earthquake. Such a tremendous landslide pushed a terrifying and deadly wall of water down through the narrow river canyons and beyond for many miles, destroying buildings, homes, bridges, and roads. There are fears of additional flooding in the region. Please pray for more survivors to be found in the coming hours. Pray for safe access to bring relief in Jesus' Name alongside our partners. Finally, lift up families around the world who are grieving the loss of loved ones. This story was first published on Aug. 27 and has been updated through Sept. 2. ]]>