Samaritan's Purse https://www.samaritanspurse.org News Mon, 18 May 2026 13:58:22 +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/fifteen-years-of-riding-to-help-strengthen-military-marriages/ Fifteen Years of Riding to Help Strengthen Military Marriages https://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/956543660/0/samaritanspurse~Fifteen-Years-of-Riding-to-Help-Strengthen-Military-Marriages/ Mon, 18 May 2026 13:57:23 +0000 https://www.samaritanspurse.org/?post_type=sp-articles&p=270528 Under blue skies and the full green foliage of spring, a convoy of motorcyclists cruised along the Blue Ridge Parkway of North Carolina for more than just a mountain joy ride. The riders gathered to show their support of military couples seeking healing for their marriages at the annual High Country Warrior Ride. On Armed Forces Day each year, motorcycle-enthusiasts from across the region meet at the Samaritan’s Purse international headquarters in Boone, North Carolina, to ride in support of Operation Heal Our Patriots, a ministry of Samaritan’s Purse that sends wounded veterans and their spouses to Alaska for a week of Biblically based marriage enrichment and world-renowned outdoor excursions. This year’s 281 riders on 203 motorcycles was a record number of participants in the event’s 15-year history. The procession of motorcycles and trikes traveled through the scenic mountain roads of northwestern North Carolina before returning to our headquarters to enjoy lunch together. Fifteen Years of God’s Faithfulness Before the kickstands went up, however, participants heard from Edward Graham, the COO of Samaritan’s Purse, and others about the reason behind this tradition. Graham, a former Army Ranger for 16 years, shared the heart behind Operation Heal Our Patriots. “This program takes marriages that were built on no foundation at all, and it puts that foundation, and rebuilds the house, on the Rock of Jesus Christ,” Graham said to the crowd. “You see hope, where there was no hope. You see marriages that already had the divorce papers ready to be signed when they go up to Alaska, come back committed to serving and following Jesus Christ.” As part of an initial mountaintop experience, couples are flown to Samaritan Lodge in southwest Alaska for a week of marriage enrichment training at the edge of wilderness. They are then followed up with for life through our Family Care program, annual reunions, and additional marriage enrichment resources through our network of chaplains. From the first eight riders that showed up 15 years ago to now nearly 300 participants, the Warrior Ride has become an anticipated annual tradition led by Mark Speir and his wife Paige. The Speirs’ heart for seeing God transform lives and restore struggling marriages through the work of Operation Heal Our Patriots has only grown stronger in the last decade and a half. Mark says the ride is about three things: glorifying God, honoring our veterans, and celebrating marriage. “It’s incredible to see how the Good Lord has taken five loaves and two fish, and now today to have this,” he said. “It’s important to know why you’re hear: it’s about glorifying God.” The ‘Why’ Behind the Ride Riders also heard from Arthur and Honey Bonjour who attended Operation Heal Our Patriots in 2023. They described how their week in Alaska changed their lives—and eternity—forever, rebuilding their marriage on the foundation of Jesus Christ. “When we were in Alaska, there were adventures—we went fishing with a waterfall behind us, we got to see bears in the wild, we went on boats and float planes—but none of that was what changed me,” said Arthur, a six-year Army veteran. “What changed me was all the stuff in between.” Arthur recalls grabbing hold of the Bible “for the first time in 42 years” on the nightstand in their cabin one day while in Alaska. From that moment on, God began to work in his heart. They talked with chaplains and, by the end of the week, Arthur and Honey accepted Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior, were baptized in the waters of Lake Clark, and dedicated their marriage to God before the other couples at Samaritan Lodge. “Coming to Alaska, my cup was broken, there were holes in my cup. I would continually just pour everything I had into this cup trying to fill it so that I can feel whole again and nothing ever worked,” Arthur said. “In Alaska, Jesus became my cup. I found that there is more to life—that I needed to be saved.” “[The chaplains, staff, and volunteers] knew before we knew that God was working in our lives,” Honey added. Since their week in Alaska, the Bonjours have become part of the Key Leader program, helping support and disciple other couples in their marriage and walk with Christ. The couple is also heavily involved in their local church in Berkeley Springs, West Virginia, and hopes other Operation Heal Our Patriots alumni find their own local community. “We are helping other couples who went to Operation Heal Our Patriots, because when you leave Alaska, you aren’t done,” Arthur said. “The main goal is for those who go to Alaska to start to become part of their community, to find their church, find opportunities to serve—to the point where they are so busy in their own communities that they don’t need Operation Heal Our Patriots anymore.” Walking Together After Alaska Since 2012, Operation Heal Our Patriots has ministered to over 2,000 military couples. Through this program, over 900 individuals have received Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, over 1,100 have been baptized, and more than 1,000 couples have publicly dedicated their marriages to God. This upcoming summer season, Samaritan Lodge plans to host and serve 170 couples. After their week in Alaska, couples join a family of alumni built around the unity found only in Christ. Through our Family Care ministry, we provide ongoing chaplain support, marriage enrichment opportunities, Biblical discipleship, Christ-centered community, and opportunities to serve. “Alaska is a big part of Operation Heal Our Patriots, but it’s just the start,” said director of Operation Heal Our Patriots John Pryor, who is a former Marine. “We want our couples to find hope in Christ. And from there, we want them to discover community by being plugged into a Bible-believing church where they can grow and thrive in their faith.” Family Care includes regional gatherings, discipleship weekends, and reunions for Operation Heal Our Patriots alumni. The Key Leader initiative trains alumni couples to mentor others, fostering a strong, Christ-centered community. Additionally, Team Patriot offers opportunities for these couples to serve together in Samaritan’s Purse U.S. disaster relief efforts, reinforcing their bonds and faith through service. Please pray for the many couples who have become part of Operation Heal Our Patriots, and for the scores of new couples who will be in Alaska this summer each week from Memorial Day to mid-September. Pray that their lives and marriages would be transformed by the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. ]]> Under blue skies and the full green foliage of spring, a convoy of motorcyclists cruised along the Blue Ridge Parkway of North Carolina for more than just a mountain joy ride. The riders gathered to show their support of military couples seeking healing for their marriages at the annual High Country Warrior Ride. On Armed Forces Day each year, motorcycle-enthusiasts from across the region meet at the Samaritan’s Purse international headquarters in Boone, North Carolina, to ride in support of Operation Heal Our Patriots, a ministry of Samaritan’s Purse that sends wounded veterans and their spouses to Alaska for a week of Biblically based marriage enrichment and world-renowned outdoor excursions. This year’s 281 riders on 203 motorcycles was a record number of participants in the event’s 15-year history. The procession of motorcycles and trikes traveled through the scenic mountain roads of northwestern North Carolina before returning to our headquarters to enjoy lunch together. Fifteen Years of God’s Faithfulness Before the kickstands went up, however, participants heard from Edward Graham, the COO of Samaritan’s Purse, and others about the reason behind this tradition. Graham, a former Army Ranger for 16 years, shared the heart behind Operation Heal Our Patriots. “This program takes marriages that were built on no foundation at all, and it puts that foundation, and rebuilds the house, on the Rock of Jesus Christ,” Graham said to the crowd. “You see hope, where there was no hope. You see marriages that already had the divorce papers ready to be signed when they go up to Alaska, come back committed to serving and following Jesus Christ.” As part of an initial mountaintop experience, couples are flown to Samaritan Lodge in southwest Alaska for a week of marriage enrichment training at the edge of wilderness. They are then followed up with for life through our Family Care program, annual reunions, and additional marriage enrichment resources through our network of chaplains. From the first eight riders that showed up 15 years ago to now nearly 300 participants, the Warrior Ride has become an anticipated annual tradition led by Mark Speir and his wife Paige. The Speirs’ heart for seeing God transform lives and restore struggling marriages through the work of Operation Heal Our Patriots has only grown stronger in the last decade and a half. Mark says the ride is about three things: glorifying God, honoring our veterans, and celebrating marriage. “It’s incredible to see how the Good Lord has taken five loaves and two fish, and now today to have this,” he said. “It’s important to know why you’re hear: it’s about glorifying God.” The ‘Why’ Behind the Ride Riders also heard from Arthur and Honey Bonjour who attended Operation Heal Our Patriots in 2023. They described how their week in Alaska changed their lives—and eternity—forever, rebuilding their marriage on the foundation of Jesus Christ. “When we were in Alaska, there were adventures—we went fishing with a waterfall behind us, we got to see bears in the wild, we went on boats and float planes—but none of that was what changed me,” said Arthur, a six-year Army veteran. “What changed me was all the stuff in between.” Arthur recalls grabbing hold of the Bible “for the first time in 42 years” on the nightstand in their cabin one day while in Alaska. From that moment on, God began to work in his heart. They talked with chaplains and, by the end of the week, Arthur and Honey accepted Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior, were baptized in the waters of Lake Clark, and dedicated their marriage to God before the other couples at Samaritan Lodge. “Coming to Alaska, my cup was broken, there were holes in my cup. I would continually just pour everything I had into this cup trying to fill it so that I can feel whole again and nothing ever worked,” Arthur said. “In Alaska, Jesus became my cup. I found that there is more to life—that I needed to be saved.” “[The chaplains, staff, and volunteers] knew before we knew that God was working in our lives,” Honey added. Since their week in Alaska, the Bonjours have become part of the Key Leader program, helping support and disciple other couples in their marriage and walk with Christ. The couple is also heavily involved in their local church in Berkeley Springs, West Virginia, and hopes other Operation Heal Our Patriots alumni find their own local community. “We are helping other couples who went to Operation Heal Our Patriots, because when you leave Alaska, you aren’t done,” Arthur said. “The main goal is for those who go to Alaska to start to become part of their community, to find their church, find opportunities to serve—to the point where they are so busy in their own communities that they don’t need Operation Heal Our Patriots anymore.” Walking Together After Alaska Since 2012, Operation Heal Our Patriots has ministered to over 2,000 military couples. Through this program, over 900 individuals have received Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, over 1,100 have been baptized, and more than 1,000 couples have publicly dedicated their marriages to God. This upcoming summer season, Samaritan Lodge plans to host and serve 170 couples. After their week in Alaska, couples join a family of alumni built around the unity found only in Christ. Through our Family Care ministry, we provide ongoing chaplain support, marriage enrichment opportunities, Biblical discipleship, Christ-centered community, and opportunities to serve. “Alaska is a big part of Operation Heal Our Patriots, but it’s just the start,” said director of Operation Heal Our Patriots John Pryor, who is a former Marine. “We want our couples to find hope in Christ. And from there, we want them to discover community by being plugged into a Bible-believing church where they can grow and thrive in their faith.” Family Care includes regional gatherings, discipleship weekends, and reunions for Operation Heal Our Patriots alumni. The Key Leader initiative trains alumni couples to mentor others, fostering a strong, Christ-centered community. Additionally, Team Patriot offers opportunities for these couples to serve together in Samaritan’s Purse U.S. disaster relief efforts, reinforcing their bonds and faith through service. Please pray for the many couples who have become part of Operation Heal Our Patriots, and for the scores of new couples who will be in Alaska this summer each week from Memorial Day to mid-September. Pray that their lives and marriages would be transformed by the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. ]]> https://www.samaritanspurse.org/article/blessed-with-a-home-after-hurricane-helene/ Blessed with a Home After Hurricane Helene https://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/956085041/0/samaritanspurse~Blessed-with-a-Home-After-Hurricane-Helene/ Fri, 15 May 2026 13:25:31 +0000 https://www.samaritanspurse.org/?post_type=sp-articles&p=270321 Andrea Green embraces a Samaritan's Purse rebuild team member as she celebrates her new home.It took 16 months for Andrea Green to get back home, and the last six months were spent in a hotel in Mountain City, Tennessee, her hometown for nearly three decades. Andrea received a key from Samaritan’s Purse and walked astounded into a new mobile home where she looked forward to “sleeping in that big bed. That’s what I want to do first.” Her 1970s-model trailer nestled at the foot of a hill of hardwood trees had served her well since 1998, and then it was gone. In the wake of Hurricane Helene, that hardwood hillside looked like it’d been logged overnight. Andrea Green, who’d enjoyed their beauty through a large display of bedroom windows since 1998, no longer had windows on one side of her mobile. A powerline pole had come to rest where she had slept for decades. And the hillside trees lay uprooted and crisscrossed along the contour of the mountain. “They were everywhere,” she said. “That hill had so many trees. So many trees fell down.” Rebuilding in Jesus’ Name Helene spared very few of the ancient hollers and small towns of southern Appalachia as it churned over the region in fall 2024, dumping a year of rain in a couple of days and making the landscape too loose even for the mountaintops to hold. As we continue to rebuild in the storm’s wake, we’re helping homeowners like Andrea get back on their feet. Our rebuild program has replaced hundreds of mobile homes like hers, giving these homeowners mobile-home sized structures built to the specifications of a stick-built house. This construction provides longevity but also increases safety in the event that such storms strike again. We’re also replacing stick-built homes, providing for repairs, offering rebuild grants to local churches, and restoring road access in the region with the replacement of bridges, culverts, and driveways. Receiving a Gift She Can’t Repay Andrea said it’s one of the biggest blessings she’s ever received. “I can’t believe I finally have a dishwasher,” she said. “I’ve never had a dishwasher. This place is beautiful.” Volunteers and staff gathered in late April 2026 to celebrate with Andrea as she called her property home again. They also wanted to remind her that all blessings, including this one, come from Jesus Christ. In addition to a special Billy Graham Training Center Bible signed by the staff and volunteers, she received a framed invoice showing materials and cost, none of which she’d have to cover. With the words “Paid in Full” stamped in red across it, the invoice serves as a reminder for her of God’s grace, a free gift paid in full by Jesus Christ. Our team also enjoyed a special time of prayer for Andrea and a blessing for her home. “I would never be able to repay this,” she said. “I’ve struggled most of my life. I’ve never been blessed like this. It’s the best gift I could ever have. Now I’ll be proud to come home. Just to sit down on this nice couch and just enjoy it.” Her new home also has windows with views of the hill, but now they’re double-paned and engineered to insulate against the harsh Appalachian winters. “God is good. I do pray. I pray every night. I talk to God,” she said, noting her excitement about getting back to church, which she’s missed some since the storm. “What I’ve learned in this is that God is good and he wants to take care of us.” ]]> Andrea Green embraces a Samaritan's Purse rebuild team member as she celebrates her new home.It took 16 months for Andrea Green to get back home, and the last six months were spent in a hotel in Mountain City, Tennessee, her hometown for nearly three decades. Andrea received a key from Samaritan’s Purse and walked astounded into a new mobile home where she looked forward to “sleeping in that big bed. That’s what I want to do first.” Her 1970s-model trailer nestled at the foot of a hill of hardwood trees had served her well since 1998, and then it was gone. In the wake of Hurricane Helene, that hardwood hillside looked like it’d been logged overnight. Andrea Green, who’d enjoyed their beauty through a large display of bedroom windows since 1998, no longer had windows on one side of her mobile. A powerline pole had come to rest where she had slept for decades. And the hillside trees lay uprooted and crisscrossed along the contour of the mountain. “They were everywhere,” she said. “That hill had so many trees. So many trees fell down.” Rebuilding in Jesus’ Name Helene spared very few of the ancient hollers and small towns of southern Appalachia as it churned over the region in fall 2024, dumping a year of rain in a couple of days and making the landscape too loose even for the mountaintops to hold. As we continue to rebuild in the storm’s wake, we’re helping homeowners like Andrea get back on their feet. Our rebuild program has replaced hundreds of mobile homes like hers, giving these homeowners mobile-home sized structures built to the specifications of a stick-built house. This construction provides longevity but also increases safety in the event that such storms strike again. We’re also replacing stick-built homes, providing for repairs, offering rebuild grants to local churches, and restoring road access in the region with the replacement of bridges, culverts, and driveways. Receiving a Gift She Can’t Repay Andrea said it’s one of the biggest blessings she’s ever received. “I can’t believe I finally have a dishwasher,” she said. “I’ve never had a dishwasher. This place is beautiful.” Volunteers and staff gathered in late April 2026 to celebrate with Andrea as she called her property home again. They also wanted to remind her that all blessings, including this one, come from Jesus Christ. In addition to a special Billy Graham Training Center Bible signed by the staff and volunteers, she received a framed invoice showing materials and cost, none of which she’d have to cover. With the words “Paid in Full” stamped in red across it, the invoice serves as a reminder for her of God’s grace, a free gift paid in full by Jesus Christ. Our team also enjoyed a special time of prayer for Andrea and a blessing for her home. “I would never be able to repay this,” she said. “I’ve struggled most of my life. I’ve never been blessed like this. It’s the best gift I could ever have. Now I’ll be proud to come home. Just to sit down on this nice couch and just enjoy it.” Her new home also has windows with views of the hill, but now they’re double-paned and engineered to insulate against the harsh Appalachian winters. “God is good. I do pray. I pray every night. I talk to God,” she said, noting her excitement about getting back to church, which she’s missed some since the storm. “What I’ve learned in this is that God is good and he wants to take care of us.” ]]> https://www.samaritanspurse.org/article/edward-graham-comforts-homeowners-in-tornado-ravaged-mississippi/ Edward Graham Comforts Homeowners in Tornado-Ravaged Mississippi https://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/955950491/0/samaritanspurse~Edward-Graham-Comforts-Homeowners-in-TornadoRavaged-Mississippi/ Thu, 14 May 2026 15:28:26 +0000 https://www.samaritanspurse.org/?post_type=sp-articles&p=270456 Edward Graham greets a Mississippi homeowner in front of his home. They shake hands.Samaritan’s Purse COO Edward Graham and his wife, Kristy, visited Mississippi to encourage homeowners just days after two destructive tornadoes swept through the southern part of the state. “No one was killed, and from what I see with the devastation, that is a miracle,” Edward Graham said. “I've heard stories of survival, where the roofs were just getting ripped off, and people were huddled into their showers and bathtubs.” Samaritan’s Purse immediately deployed to the counties of Lincoln and Lamar after devastating EF2 and EF3 twisters wrecked homes and left thousands without power late Wednesday evening May 6. Just two days later, armies of orange went into the communities to cut fallen trees, mud out houses, and tarp damaged roofs, while chaplains from the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association also ministered to homeowners. At one site, the Grahams met homeowner Justin Burdick, who pastors a local church. Because of the severe weather, Justin had canceled his Wednesday night service and stayed home with his family. But when the sky changed colors and the wind gained speed, Justin and his wife gathered their three children into the car and raced south. Just minutes later, the tornado directly struck their home, ripping apart the roof and knocking over several massive oak trees in their yard. “Despite our damage and despite our loss, the Lord was faithful and kind, and we were able to get out,” Justin said. Just days after the storm, Samaritan’s Purse volunteers began cutting fallen trees and clearing debris from his yard. “To look and see people out here now helping clean up, it's such a blessing to get that kind of support,” Justin said. As Edward Graham walked the property with Justin, he reminded him that he is not alone. “Know we have a lot of prayer warriors out there praying for you,” he said. The Grahams also met our volunteers and encouraged them to continue sharing the love of Jesus Christ. VOLUNTEER IN MISSISSIPPI “All that we do is not to do the good work of a charity, but it's to share the Gospel,” Edward Graham said. “There is power in the Word. So, if you've never shared it, do it and watch what happens. Watch the miracles.” Praising God Through the Storm The Grahams visited Coaltown Baptist Church in Purvis, Mississippi, which lost most of its roof in the twister’s 130-mph winds. Church members had just finished dinner when their regular midweek service was interrupted by a tornado siren sounding in the distance. Pastor Jimmy Breazeale and his wife, Frances, quickly ushered everyone into a room behind the sanctuary. As the raging wind roared around the building, the congregation fixed their eyes on Jesus by drowning out the noise with their favorite hymn. “About the time that tornado hit, everybody was singing ‘Amazing Grace,’” he recalled. “And they were singing loudly.” Although their newly renovated church building was destroyed, Pastor Jimmy credits God for sparing their lives. “God watched over us, and no one was hurt,” he said. “I know God is with us, I know this happened for a reason, and I know God is going to get the glory.” As the Grahams and Pastor Jimmy walked around the remains of the church, they stopped at the sign outside the sanctuary. “All the letters blew off in the storm, but those right there: Are you listening?” Pastor Jimmy pointed out. “God’s still in control, and He’s saying, ‘I'm showing you that I got the power and you need to be listening.’” Pastor Jimmy and Frances were overjoyed when they heard that Samaritan’s Purse plans to help the church rebuild. “We want to get back to worshiping,” Edward Graham said. “Now you can do that without a building, but it makes it a lot easier if you have a place for the community to gather.” Gifting God’s Word Because Pastor Jimmy and Frances had been focused on caring for their congregation, they had not been able to take care of the damage in their own yard. When a group of Samaritan’s Purse volunteers showed up to clear the downed trees in their yard, Frances breathed a sigh of relief. “It was like a weight lifted off my shoulders,” she said. After the team finished working, they presented the Breazeales with a Billy Graham Training Center Bible. Frances cried as she was handed the gift, because she had lost hers in the storm. It had been sitting in her car when the church steeple pierced the front windshield. “It’s just so beautiful,” she said, admiring the leather-bound Bible. “And everybody who worked in my yard wrote a note, signed it, and put where they were from.” When the Grahams visited the church, Frances was excited to show Edward the treasured Bible. He also signed the inside cover and included his favorite verse: “Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth” (John 17:17). Standing in the Need of Prayer Just across the street from Coaltown Baptist Church, Landry Touchstone couldn’t hold back her tears when a Samaritan’s Purse box truck pulled into her driveway and team members offered to help. In the wake of the tornado, her duplex had sustained extensive damage. After a tree fell directly onto her roof, part of her ceiling caved in, exposing her living room and laundry room. Fifty-foot hanging tree limbs swayed over her home, threatening to fall at any point. “Cleaning this up would have gotten pushed back for months, and I did not expect anybody to come out here,” Landry said. “But a few days later, Samaritan’s Purse just showed up, and they said, ‘We're here to help. We're here for you.’” In addition to deploying volunteer teams to do tree cleanup and debris removal, we sent out a skilled technical tree team who used boom lifts and skid steers to safely remove complex hanging tree limbs, like the ones over Landry’s home. They also tarped her roof just before another storm rolled in. Before the team began their work, they gathered with Landry to encourage her in prayer. “I just broke down into tears when they asked if they could pray with me, because I felt like that's all I needed,” Landry said. “I just needed somebody to hug me and pray with me. That alone was so relieving, standing in the middle of the mess.” Samaritan’s Purse volunteer Laura Adkins, part of our Site Leadership Team, sees disasters as a doorway for ministry. “We love being invited into a community to be the hands and feet of Jesus,” she said. “That’s our main purpose.” Edward Graham added a challenge: "We need people willing to come down here and serve in Mississippi and other locations around the country, to let people know they are not forgotten. There’s a lot of work to be done.” Please pray for our teams as they continue serving the storm-weary residents of southern Mississippi. Pray for men and women to come to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. To serve with our teams, visit spvolunteer.org. ]]> Edward Graham greets a Mississippi homeowner in front of his home. They shake hands.Samaritan’s Purse COO Edward Graham and his wife, Kristy, visited Mississippi to encourage homeowners just days after two destructive tornadoes swept through the southern part of the state. “No one was killed, and from what I see with the devastation, that is a miracle,” Edward Graham said. “I've heard stories of survival, where the roofs were just getting ripped off, and people were huddled into their showers and bathtubs.” Samaritan’s Purse immediately deployed to the counties of Lincoln and Lamar after devastating EF2 and EF3 twisters wrecked homes and left thousands without power late Wednesday evening May 6. Just two days later, armies of orange went into the communities to cut fallen trees, mud out houses, and tarp damaged roofs, while chaplains from the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association also ministered to homeowners. At one site, the Grahams met homeowner Justin Burdick, who pastors a local church. Because of the severe weather, Justin had canceled his Wednesday night service and stayed home with his family. But when the sky changed colors and the wind gained speed, Justin and his wife gathered their three children into the car and raced south. Just minutes later, the tornado directly struck their home, ripping apart the roof and knocking over several massive oak trees in their yard. “Despite our damage and despite our loss, the Lord was faithful and kind, and we were able to get out,” Justin said. Just days after the storm, Samaritan’s Purse volunteers began cutting fallen trees and clearing debris from his yard. “To look and see people out here now helping clean up, it's such a blessing to get that kind of support,” Justin said. As Edward Graham walked the property with Justin, he reminded him that he is not alone. “Know we have a lot of prayer warriors out there praying for you,” he said. The Grahams also met our volunteers and encouraged them to continue sharing the love of Jesus Christ. VOLUNTEER IN MISSISSIPPI “All that we do is not to do the good work of a charity, but it's to share the Gospel,” Edward Graham said. “There is power in the Word. So, if you've never shared it, do it and watch what happens. Watch the miracles.” Praising God Through the Storm The Grahams visited Coaltown Baptist Church in Purvis, Mississippi, which lost most of its roof in the twister’s 130-mph winds. Church members had just finished dinner when their regular midweek service was interrupted by a tornado siren sounding in the distance. Pastor Jimmy Breazeale and his wife, Frances, quickly ushered everyone into a room behind the sanctuary. As the raging wind roared around the building, the congregation fixed their eyes on Jesus by drowning out the noise with their favorite hymn. “About the time that tornado hit, everybody was singing ‘Amazing Grace,’” he recalled. “And they were singing loudly.” Although their newly renovated church building was destroyed, Pastor Jimmy credits God for sparing their lives. “God watched over us, and no one was hurt,” he said. “I know God is with us, I know this happened for a reason, and I know God is going to get the glory.” As the Grahams and Pastor Jimmy walked around the remains of the church, they stopped at the sign outside the sanctuary. “All the letters blew off in the storm, but those right there: Are you listening?” Pastor Jimmy pointed out. “God’s still in control, and He’s saying, ‘I'm showing you that I got the power and you need to be listening.’” Pastor Jimmy and Frances were overjoyed when they heard that Samaritan’s Purse plans to help the church rebuild. “We want to get back to worshiping,” Edward Graham said. “Now you can do that without a building, but it makes it a lot easier if you have a place for the community to gather.” Gifting God’s Word Because Pastor Jimmy and Frances had been focused on caring for their congregation, they had not been able to take care of the damage in their own yard. When a group of Samaritan’s Purse volunteers showed up to clear the downed trees in their yard, Frances breathed a sigh of relief. “It was like a weight lifted off my shoulders,” she said. After the team finished working, they presented the Breazeales with a Billy Graham Training Center Bible. Frances cried as she was handed the gift, because she had lost hers in the storm. It had been sitting in her car when the church steeple pierced the front windshield. “It’s just so beautiful,” she said, admiring the leather-bound Bible. “And everybody who worked in my yard wrote a note, signed it, and put where they were from.” When the Grahams visited the church, Frances was excited to show Edward the treasured Bible. He also signed the inside cover and included his favorite verse: “Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth” (John 17:17). Standing in the Need of Prayer Just across the street from Coaltown Baptist Church, Landry Touchstone couldn’t hold back her tears when a Samaritan’s Purse box truck pulled into her driveway and team members offered to help. In the wake of the tornado, her duplex had sustained extensive damage. After a tree fell directly onto her roof, part of her ceiling caved in, exposing her living room and laundry room. Fifty-foot hanging tree limbs swayed over her home, threatening to fall at any point. “Cleaning this up would have gotten pushed back for months, and I did not expect anybody to come out here,” Landry said. “But a few days later, Samaritan’s Purse just showed up, and they said, ‘We're here to help. We're here for you.’” In addition to deploying volunteer teams to do tree cleanup and debris removal, we sent out a skilled technical tree team who used boom lifts and skid steers to safely remove complex hanging tree limbs, like the ones over Landry’s home. They also tarped her roof just before another storm rolled in. Before the team began their work, they gathered with Landry to encourage her in prayer. “I just broke down into tears when they asked if they could pray with me, because I felt like that's all I needed,” Landry said. “I just needed somebody to hug me and pray with me. That alone was so relieving, standing in the middle of the mess.” Samaritan’s Purse volunteer Laura Adkins, part of our Site Leadership Team, sees disasters as a doorway for ministry. “We love being invited into a community to be the hands and feet of Jesus,” she said. “That’s our main purpose.” Edward Graham added a challenge: "We need people willing to come down here and serve in Mississippi and other locations around the country, to let people know they are not forgotten. There’s a lot of work to be done.” Please pray for our teams as they continue serving the storm-weary residents of southern Mississippi. Pray for men and women to come to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. To serve with our teams, visit spvolunteer.org. ]]> https://www.samaritanspurse.org/article/delivering-help-and-hope-to-the-northern-mariana-islands/ Delivering Help and Hope to the Northern Mariana Islands https://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/955848806/0/samaritanspurse~Delivering-Help-and-Hope-to-the-Northern-Mariana-Islands/ Wed, 13 May 2026 12:39:24 +0000 https://samaritanspurse.org/?post_type=sp-articles&p=270372 DART members set up clinic restart moduleOn three separate trips, Samaritan’s Purse 767 aircraft delivered more than 240,000 pounds of aid to the islands of Saipan and Tinian. Included in the cargo were medical supplies to help the healthcare infrastructure of the island recover from widespread devastation. As Super Typhoon Sinlaku gained speed in the western Pacific Ocean and shifted eastward, Northern Mariana Islanders sought safety under concrete structures and braced for impact. For nearly three days, the hovering storm ushered in torrential rain and strong winds, stripping trees, barricading streets with debris, and flooding homes and businesses. “I prayed every single minute of that storm." “I prayed every single minute of that storm,” said Tinian resident Arley Long. As a nurse practitioner, Arley not only lost parts of her home, but her clinic on the southern end of the island sustained excessive damage and began accumulating mold. Without electricity or supplies, she was unable to attend to her patient’s needs. “The clinic was massively flooded, and water was up to my ankles when I went in,” she said. “Many patients are homebound with bedsores. They have no power, so their wounds are getting worse.” Helping Clinics Recover Because Tinian is so remote, it often takes weeks for aid to reach the 40-square-mile island after a disaster. Arley praised God when she heard that Samaritan’s Purse was coming to her hurting community. In addition to delivering critical aid and offering medical care in the Northern Mariana Islands, our team set up three clinic restart modules–two in Saipan and one in Tinian. “These modules allow clinic staff to reopen and be able to treat the people within their community,” said Brett Alleman, Samaritan’s Purse medical operations officer. “Each clinic receives six boxes of consumables (like bandages), chairs, handwashing stations, an assortment of buckets, stethoscopes, surgical suture equipment, and a generator.” Arley was a recipient of this aid, allowing her to begin seeing patients again and making home visits. “A lot of patients have reached us through [social media],” Arley said. “We are thankful to Samaritan's Purse for the mobile clinics that they are setting up.” One of her patients, Augusta, has been bedbound since 2023 with a chronic disease. Bringing supplies from her new clinic, Arley was able to clean and bandage Augusta’s wounds. “Thanks to Samaritan’s Purse, volunteers, and donors, we have received help,” Augusta said. “I’m grateful.” Augusta also received a generator from Samaritan’s Purse, which allowed her to adjust her hospital bed that had previously been causing her discomfort and pain. Despite the great trials she has faced, Augusta has held fast to her faith. “At first, I was mad at God. ‘Why me?’” she would ask. “And then I began to realize that He had a plan for me. So, who am I to question it, but to embrace Him.” For Alleman, the medical supplies provided through the clinic restart module program offer medical professionals more than physical resources–they represent God’s tender care for the people of Saipan and Tinian. “Tears come to their eyes knowing that they get to actually support the patients that they love and care about so much,” he said. “There is this wave of relief over them to see that God's promise is being fulfilled before their eyes, and that help is coming.” Reaching Remote Communities Each day on the neighboring island of Saipan, our mobile medical team sets up in the hardest-hit communities and provides free medical care, while our outpatient clinic continues serving dozens of patients. Because most of the island is still without power and water, our two desalination systems remain hard at work and have produced thousands of gallons of clean drinking water for residents. Partnering with churches throughout the region to identify families in need, our teams have distributed essential aid like tarps, solar lights, generators, shovels, and mosquito nets. “These gifts that Samaritan's Purse gives are an avenue of sharing the true hope that is Jesus Christ,” said Eric Abragan, pastor of one of our partner churches, Life in the Son Christian Fellowship. “We focus on giving help but also giving hope, and we know hope is found in Jesus Christ.” The Crisostomo family experienced this hope when members of our team visited their home at the top of a mountain at the northern tip of Saipan. Due to their remote location, James, his wife, Nicole, and their five children hadn’t received aid since the storm. “We don't really get assistance up here, so for Samaritan’s Purse to come to see if people are living up here meant a lot,” James said. “And when they said they were going to give us lights, tarps, and a generator, it was overwhelming. I didn't know what to say.” Not only did their windows break open during the typhoon, but the family’s entire roof was swept away in the 150-mph winds, leaving their belongings exposed to the torrential rain. James pitched camping tents in the kitchen for the kids to sleep in at night. “We pretty much lost everything,” James said. “All that we owned got wet, damaged, or cracked. Pictures from when the kids were babies are gone. It's been hard.” When our team traveled up the mountain with supplies, the family was reminded that they had not been forgotten. “It is important to let these families know that they are safe and cared for, and to let them know we’re nothing other than vessels delivering these goods,” said Samaritan’s Purse Distribution Coordinator Shawn Kostrzewa. “It's just through Jesus.” With the tarps, James can now provide a temporary roof over his children’s heads and keep the belongings they were able to recover dry. The family has also utilized the generator to charge their phones and communicate with others. While the items our team delivered provided some physical relief, James was greatly encouraged when Shawn presented him with a Bible, signed by team members. The family had lost all their books in the storm, including their one copy of God’s Word.While James had always known about God, he had never surrendered his life to Him. After hearing the Gospel presentation from Shawn, James was greatly moved and gave his life to Jesus Christ! “The tarp, light, and generator are resources to help get their family more stable,” Shawn said, “but the Bible [will let them] look back and remember the love of Jesus.” Please pray for the communities in Saipan and Tinian as they continue to recover from the devastating typhoon. Please also keep our teams in your prayers as they serve islanders in Jesus’ Name. ]]> DART members set up clinic restart moduleOn three separate trips, Samaritan’s Purse 767 aircraft delivered more than 240,000 pounds of aid to the islands of Saipan and Tinian. Included in the cargo were medical supplies to help the healthcare infrastructure of the island recover from widespread devastation. As Super Typhoon Sinlaku gained speed in the western Pacific Ocean and shifted eastward, Northern Mariana Islanders sought safety under concrete structures and braced for impact. For nearly three days, the hovering storm ushered in torrential rain and strong winds, stripping trees, barricading streets with debris, and flooding homes and businesses. “I prayed every single minute of that storm." “I prayed every single minute of that storm,” said Tinian resident Arley Long. As a nurse practitioner, Arley not only lost parts of her home, but her clinic on the southern end of the island sustained excessive damage and began accumulating mold. Without electricity or supplies, she was unable to attend to her patient’s needs. “The clinic was massively flooded, and water was up to my ankles when I went in,” she said. “Many patients are homebound with bedsores. They have no power, so their wounds are getting worse.” Helping Clinics Recover Because Tinian is so remote, it often takes weeks for aid to reach the 40-square-mile island after a disaster. Arley praised God when she heard that Samaritan’s Purse was coming to her hurting community. In addition to delivering critical aid and offering medical care in the Northern Mariana Islands, our team set up three clinic restart modules–two in Saipan and one in Tinian. “These modules allow clinic staff to reopen and be able to treat the people within their community,” said Brett Alleman, Samaritan’s Purse medical operations officer. “Each clinic receives six boxes of consumables (like bandages), chairs, handwashing stations, an assortment of buckets, stethoscopes, surgical suture equipment, and a generator.” Arley was a recipient of this aid, allowing her to begin seeing patients again and making home visits. “A lot of patients have reached us through [social media],” Arley said. “We are thankful to Samaritan's Purse for the mobile clinics that they are setting up.” One of her patients, Augusta, has been bedbound since 2023 with a chronic disease. Bringing supplies from her new clinic, Arley was able to clean and bandage Augusta’s wounds. “Thanks to Samaritan’s Purse, volunteers, and donors, we have received help,” Augusta said. “I’m grateful.” Augusta also received a generator from Samaritan’s Purse, which allowed her to adjust her hospital bed that had previously been causing her discomfort and pain. Despite the great trials she has faced, Augusta has held fast to her faith. “At first, I was mad at God. ‘Why me?’” she would ask. “And then I began to realize that He had a plan for me. So, who am I to question it, but to embrace Him.” For Alleman, the medical supplies provided through the clinic restart module program offer medical professionals more than physical resources–they represent God’s tender care for the people of Saipan and Tinian. “Tears come to their eyes knowing that they get to actually support the patients that they love and care about so much,” he said. “There is this wave of relief over them to see that God's promise is being fulfilled before their eyes, and that help is coming.” Reaching Remote Communities Each day on the neighboring island of Saipan, our mobile medical team sets up in the hardest-hit communities and provides free medical care, while our outpatient clinic continues serving dozens of patients. Because most of the island is still without power and water, our two desalination systems remain hard at work and have produced thousands of gallons of clean drinking water for residents. Partnering with churches throughout the region to identify families in need, our teams have distributed essential aid like tarps, solar lights, generators, shovels, and mosquito nets. “These gifts that Samaritan's Purse gives are an avenue of sharing the true hope that is Jesus Christ,” said Eric Abragan, pastor of one of our partner churches, Life in the Son Christian Fellowship. “We focus on giving help but also giving hope, and we know hope is found in Jesus Christ.” The Crisostomo family experienced this hope when members of our team visited their home at the top of a mountain at the northern tip of Saipan. Due to their remote location, James, his wife, Nicole, and their five children hadn’t received aid since the storm. “We don't really get assistance up here, so for Samaritan’s Purse to come to see if people are living up here meant a lot,” James said. “And when they said they were going to give us lights, tarps, and a generator, it was overwhelming. I didn't know what to say.” Not only did their windows break open during the typhoon, but the family’s entire roof was swept away in the 150-mph winds, leaving their belongings exposed to the torrential rain. James pitched camping tents in the kitchen for the kids to sleep in at night. “We pretty much lost everything,” James said. “All that we owned got wet, damaged, or cracked. Pictures from when the kids were babies are gone. It's been hard.” When our team traveled up the mountain with supplies, the family was reminded that they had not been forgotten. “It is important to let these families know that they are safe and cared for, and to let them know we’re nothing other than vessels delivering these goods,” said Samaritan’s Purse Distribution Coordinator Shawn Kostrzewa. “It's just through Jesus.” With the tarps, James can now provide a temporary roof over his children’s heads and keep the belongings they were able to recover dry. The family has also utilized the generator to charge their phones and communicate with others. While the items our team delivered provided some physical relief, James was greatly encouraged when Shawn presented him with a Bible, signed by team members. The family had lost all their books in the storm, including their one copy of God’s Word.While James had always known about God, he had never surrendered his life to Him. After hearing the Gospel presentation from Shawn, James was greatly moved and gave his life to Jesus Christ! “The tarp, light, and generator are resources to help get their family more stable,” Shawn said, “but the Bible [will let them] look back and remember the love of Jesus.” Please pray for the communities in Saipan and Tinian as they continue to recover from the devastating typhoon. Please also keep our teams in your prayers as they serve islanders in Jesus’ Name. ]]> https://www.samaritanspurse.org/article/the-lord-brought-the-hospital-to-me/ The Lord Brought the Hospital to Me https://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/955793879/0/samaritanspurse~The-Lord-Brought-the-Hospital-to-Me/ Tue, 12 May 2026 12:38:44 +0000 https://www.samaritanspurse.org/?post_type=sp-articles&p=270106 Access to healthcare is being restored to many displaced Haitians.At 103 years old, Claircie* still worked hard in her garden. She relies on the harvest of vegetables and staple foods to feed herself, but recently she felt so ill she could barely get out of bed. She couldn’t afford the cost of treatment at a medical facility. So, she suffered at home hoping it would eventually pass. When she heard that Samaritan’s Purse was sending medical teams to her area, she worked up the strength to get there. Her head was pounding. When the mobile medical team examined her, they discovered she had dangerously high blood pressure. "Here I was welcomed with kindness, and this made me very happy.” Within just a couple of hours and with the right medications, Claircie was feeling better. She rejoiced that her symptoms had improved and was grateful for the kindness of the staff serving her in Jesus’ Name. “There are places I have gone where I was not received because I did not have money,” she said, “but here I was welcomed with kindness, and this made me very happy.” She was glad she could return home knowing what caused her illness and that the treatment was working. She was also grateful to tend her crops again and complete her work on the land. “Even now, I still enjoy going to my garden to sow and harvest,” said the centenarian. “I cannot bear to see work that needs to be done and not be able to do it.” Bringing Healthcare within Reach for Vulnerable Haitians Claircie* is one of nearly 20,000 Haitians we’ve treated through our mobile clinic program in the island nation. For many Haitians, access to healthcare has become increasingly out of reach in recent years. In the country’s remote rural areas, Haitians in desperate need of care are unable to travel to medical facilities. For so many others, the cost of care makes it a near impossibility. And, as families continue to flee gang violence, healthcare facilities are spread thin as displaced Haitians resettle in more rural communities, causing populations to surge. In response, Samaritan’s Purse has sent mobile clinics of in-country medical teams to bring basic healthcare to the displaced and vulnerable. So far, we have mobilized 88 mobile clinics in seven locations in Haiti. Suffering in Silence For a long time Theres* had been experiencing sharp pain, ranging from her head to her legs, but she had nowhere to turn for help. “For a long period, I endured my sickness in silence,” she said. “I thank the Lord with all my heart." She was able to visit our mobile clinic in her community recently, though, and got answers. “I explained all of these problems to the doctor, who listened to me carefully and examined me with kindness,” the elderly woman said about one of our mobile clinics. “Today I am very happy and full of gratitude because I was examined by doctors and received medications.” “I thank the Lord with all my heart for this opportunity. Today, I feel relieved, encouraged, and full of hope because I was not forgotten.” Spiritual Encouragement Through Medicine Spiritual encouragement was a powerful medicine for a patient named Maritza* who’d come to the clinic with her son. As the team took the time to understand her physical condition, they also addressed her spiritual needs. They encouraged her from God's Word, reminding her of His love for her. She saw the clinic and the kindness of the staff as a gift from God. She recommitted her life to following Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. “Although I had previously accepted Christ, I had turned back to the world. After hearing the preaching at the clinic, I felt deeply touched and decided to return to Christ. I realized that there is nothing lasting in the world. I am spiritually restored today,” she said. The Medicine of Kindness Pastor Edel’s* church sits in a community of nearly 10,000 people who would travel long distances for the nearest medical facility. This means many illnesses went untreated. He said the mobile clinic has been a blessing to the people he serves. “The work that Samaritan’s Purse is doing in this community is truly a divine provision of God,” he said. In addition to the medical care, Pastor Edel recounted the other ways that Samaritan's Purse has provided for the health of his community. This includes reliable access to clean water with the well we provided there in recent years. In many communities, our teams work through pastors to assess needs and for patient referrals. A patient named Louise* was sent by her pastor to our clinic in her area. She suffered from high blood pressure and persistent pain. It was an answer to prayer. “I believe it was God who opened this door for me at the right time,” she said. “I am very happy and deeply grateful for the care I received and for the compassion that was shown to me by the medical team. I felt listened to, respected, and cared for.” The Lord Brought the Hospital to Me The teams treated another centenarian, also 103 years old, named Mariane*. She said her hometown was flooded by Hurricane Melissa last year. The storm damage made transportation to a medical facility impossible for her. "Today, I am filled with joy because the Lord brought the hospital to me, free of charge.” “For a long time, I needed to go to the hospital, but I did not have the possibility to do so,” Mariane said. “I prayed to the Lord and said, ‘My Lord, you know my situation.’ Today, I am filled with joy because the Lord brought the hospital to me, free of charge. “The doctors examined me with care and compassion,” she said. “They gave me a prescription, and I went to the [clinic] pharmacy where I received my medications for free. My heart is full of gratitude.” Samaritan’s Purse began work in Haiti in 2010 in response to a devastating earthquake. Since then, we have continued to meet needs in communities across the island nation. As we help people in Jesus’ Name, we see lives and communities transformed by the Gospel of Jesus Christ. *Name changed for security. ]]> Access to healthcare is being restored to many displaced Haitians.At 103 years old, Claircie* still worked hard in her garden. She relies on the harvest of vegetables and staple foods to feed herself, but recently she felt so ill she could barely get out of bed. She couldn’t afford the cost of treatment at a medical facility. So, she suffered at home hoping it would eventually pass. When she heard that Samaritan’s Purse was sending medical teams to her area, she worked up the strength to get there. Her head was pounding. When the mobile medical team examined her, they discovered she had dangerously high blood pressure. "Here I was welcomed with kindness, and this made me very happy.” Within just a couple of hours and with the right medications, Claircie was feeling better. She rejoiced that her symptoms had improved and was grateful for the kindness of the staff serving her in Jesus’ Name. “There are places I have gone where I was not received because I did not have money,” she said, “but here I was welcomed with kindness, and this made me very happy.” She was glad she could return home knowing what caused her illness and that the treatment was working. She was also grateful to tend her crops again and complete her work on the land. “Even now, I still enjoy going to my garden to sow and harvest,” said the centenarian. “I cannot bear to see work that needs to be done and not be able to do it.” Bringing Healthcare within Reach for Vulnerable Haitians Claircie* is one of nearly 20,000 Haitians we’ve treated through our mobile clinic program in the island nation. For many Haitians, access to healthcare has become increasingly out of reach in recent years. In the country’s remote rural areas, Haitians in desperate need of care are unable to travel to medical facilities. For so many others, the cost of care makes it a near impossibility. And, as families continue to flee gang violence, healthcare facilities are spread thin as displaced Haitians resettle in more rural communities, causing populations to surge. In response, Samaritan’s Purse has sent mobile clinics of in-country medical teams to bring basic healthcare to the displaced and vulnerable. So far, we have mobilized 88 mobile clinics in seven locations in Haiti. Suffering in Silence For a long time Theres* had been experiencing sharp pain, ranging from her head to her legs, but she had nowhere to turn for help. “For a long period, I endured my sickness in silence,” she said. “I thank the Lord with all my heart." She was able to visit our mobile clinic in her community recently, though, and got answers. “I explained all of these problems to the doctor, who listened to me carefully and examined me with kindness,” the elderly woman said about one of our mobile clinics. “Today I am very happy and full of gratitude because I was examined by doctors and received medications.” “I thank the Lord with all my heart for this opportunity. Today, I feel relieved, encouraged, and full of hope because I was not forgotten.” Spiritual Encouragement Through Medicine Spiritual encouragement was a powerful medicine for a patient named Maritza* who’d come to the clinic with her son. As the team took the time to understand her physical condition, they also addressed her spiritual needs. They encouraged her from God's Word, reminding her of His love for her. She saw the clinic and the kindness of the staff as a gift from God. She recommitted her life to following Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. “Although I had previously accepted Christ, I had turned back to the world. After hearing the preaching at the clinic, I felt deeply touched and decided to return to Christ. I realized that there is nothing lasting in the world. I am spiritually restored today,” she said. The Medicine of Kindness Pastor Edel’s* church sits in a community of nearly 10,000 people who would travel long distances for the nearest medical facility. This means many illnesses went untreated. He said the mobile clinic has been a blessing to the people he serves. “The work that Samaritan’s Purse is doing in this community is truly a divine provision of God,” he said. In addition to the medical care, Pastor Edel recounted the other ways that Samaritan's Purse has provided for the health of his community. This includes reliable access to clean water with the well we provided there in recent years. In many communities, our teams work through pastors to assess needs and for patient referrals. A patient named Louise* was sent by her pastor to our clinic in her area. She suffered from high blood pressure and persistent pain. It was an answer to prayer. “I believe it was God who opened this door for me at the right time,” she said. “I am very happy and deeply grateful for the care I received and for the compassion that was shown to me by the medical team. I felt listened to, respected, and cared for.” The Lord Brought the Hospital to Me The teams treated another centenarian, also 103 years old, named Mariane*. She said her hometown was flooded by Hurricane Melissa last year. The storm damage made transportation to a medical facility impossible for her. "Today, I am filled with joy because the Lord brought the hospital to me, free of charge.” “For a long time, I needed to go to the hospital, but I did not have the possibility to do so,” Mariane said. “I prayed to the Lord and said, ‘My Lord, you know my situation.’ Today, I am filled with joy because the Lord brought the hospital to me, free of charge. “The doctors examined me with care and compassion,” she said. “They gave me a prescription, and I went to the [clinic] pharmacy where I received my medications for free. My heart is full of gratitude.” Samaritan’s Purse began work in Haiti in 2010 in response to a devastating earthquake. Since then, we have continued to meet needs in communities across the island nation. As we help people in Jesus’ Name, we see lives and communities transformed by the Gospel of Jesus Christ. *Name changed for security. ]]> https://www.samaritanspurse.org/article/a-presence-stronger-than-the-storm/ A Presence Stronger Than the Storm https://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/955575572/0/samaritanspurse~A-Presence-Stronger-Than-the-Storm/ Fri, 08 May 2026 20:43:32 +0000 https://www.samaritanspurse.org/?post_type=sp-articles&p=270342 Temara prayed for God to save her and her children as Typhoon Sinalaku hit her island community. He saved them, and gave the mother of two a newfound perspective of peace and gratitude.The day before the eye of the super typhoon passed over the island of Saipan, Temara gathered her two sons and hurried to her father’s house for protection. In the chaos of grabbing valuables and packing the car to leave, Temara stopped, placed her hands on the doorframe, and prayed that God would protect their home—and bring them safely back. “I asked God for His protection, His guidance, and His strength,” she said. “He kept us safe.” From Tuesday through Thursday, April 14-16, Typhoon Sinlaku slammed Saipan and neighboring islands, unleashing 180 mph winds and torrential rain across the area. But by Sunday, Samaritan’s Purse was there to help in Jesus’ Name. Immediately after the storm cleared, we responded to the Northern Mariana Islands in the western Pacific, where Temara calls home. We sent our 767 aircraft three times, packed with tons of relief supplies and equipment to support recovery efforts. Reeling from the Damage Born and raised on Saipan, Temara had endured many dangerous storms but none like this. Her husband was away for military training, leaving her to care for their two young sons alone. “I was in disbelief,” Temara said about the three days she spent sheltered as the storm battered her island home. “My mind was trying to grasp exactly what happened. There were a million things running through my mind—I didn’t know what I needed to do first.” Friday and Saturday were overwhelming as Temara began piecing her life back together. Like most homes on Saipan, her house is built of concrete, but her roof and flooring are wood. The cyclone’s wind and rain tore apart the roof, crashed through the glass windowpanes, and flooded both floors of the house. Electricity and running water were knocked out across the island. “When I saw my home and walked in, immediately my heart sank because I realized that this house wasn’t going to be livable for us,” she said. “As I left, I was still in shock.” God Working Amid Chaos On Sunday morning, she received a call from Samaritan’s Purse. Temara received a generator, five mosquito nets, tarp, blankets, and solar lights for her family. “It was God working in the midst of chaos,” Temara said of Samaritans’ Purse. “What does all this provision tell you about God’s character? He’s in control of everything, even when we don’t understand. There were tears of joy and a big sigh of relief just because the past week had been extremely difficult for me … He never leaves us, and He never forsakes us.” On the two largest islands, Saipan and Tinian, we have distributed thousands of relief supplies and set up water desalination systems to provide clean water. We have mobile medical teams roving the islands, caring for those injured in the storm and others suffering from chronic illnesses. We also quickly set up and staffed a clinic near the central hospital, which was damaged during the storm, to provide free medical care to patients. With each person we help, the Gospel is shared and God is glorified. Holding On to a Firm Foundation The supplies Temara received from Samaritan’s Purse formed a bridge to something greater the Lord was teaching her. “If there is one thing I know it’s that I’m not held by my own strength,” the mother said. “It’s been challenging, but God has reminded me that He is here. He’s always been here. God is good even when things aren’t.” Raised in the church, Temara knew about God, but it wasn’t until recently that she truly trusted Him with everything she had. This past Easter Sunday, she and her husband were baptized. Weeks later, the storm upended her life, yet God provided a reminder that He remains in control. “When everything happened with Samaritan’s Purse, I was saying, ‘Glory be to God,’ because He’s working; He’s working through you,” she said. The first Sunday after the storm, her church gathered for worship even as the island lay in ruins. There, her Savior reminded her of His love and comfort. One song especially stood out: “A Firm Foundation.” Christ is my firm foundation The rock on which I stand When everything around me is shaken I've never been more glad That I put my faith in Jesus Because He's never let me down He's faithful through generations Oh, so why would He fail now? He won't He won't He won't fail Hope Emerges “The winds were louder than my thoughts,” Temara recalls of the storm as she sits in the doorway of her hollowed-out home nearly two weeks after it struck her peaceful island. The lower level of the house still drains with water days after wind-driven rain crashed through the glass windowpanes. She walks to her backyard, where splintered trunks and twisted branches are all that remain of her garden. The towering breadfruit trees she watched grow as a child now lie on the ground uprooted. Nearby, pineapple shrubs are ripped apart, and a sole papaya tree stands stripped of its leaves. She had been days away from harvesting its fruit, she mentions as she gazes at what’s left of the tree. “It was God’s way of reminding us that we’re blessed. It will grow again, and it will bear fruit for us next season,” Temara says, her pain giving way to hope. Pray for Temara and her island community as the long road to recover begins. Pray that Samaritan’s Purse teams still working in the Northern Mariana Islands would continue to share the Gospel with conviction, and that many islanders would put their trust in Jesus Christ. ]]> Temara prayed for God to save her and her children as Typhoon Sinalaku hit her island community. He saved them, and gave the mother of two a newfound perspective of peace and gratitude.The day before the eye of the super typhoon passed over the island of Saipan, Temara gathered her two sons and hurried to her father’s house for protection. In the chaos of grabbing valuables and packing the car to leave, Temara stopped, placed her hands on the doorframe, and prayed that God would protect their home—and bring them safely back. “I asked God for His protection, His guidance, and His strength,” she said. “He kept us safe.” From Tuesday through Thursday, April 14-16, Typhoon Sinlaku slammed Saipan and neighboring islands, unleashing 180 mph winds and torrential rain across the area. But by Sunday, Samaritan’s Purse was there to help in Jesus’ Name. Immediately after the storm cleared, we responded to the Northern Mariana Islands in the western Pacific, where Temara calls home. We sent our 767 aircraft three times, packed with tons of relief supplies and equipment to support recovery efforts. Reeling from the Damage Born and raised on Saipan, Temara had endured many dangerous storms but none like this. Her husband was away for military training, leaving her to care for their two young sons alone. “I was in disbelief,” Temara said about the three days she spent sheltered as the storm battered her island home. “My mind was trying to grasp exactly what happened. There were a million things running through my mind—I didn’t know what I needed to do first.” Friday and Saturday were overwhelming as Temara began piecing her life back together. Like most homes on Saipan, her house is built of concrete, but her roof and flooring are wood. The cyclone’s wind and rain tore apart the roof, crashed through the glass windowpanes, and flooded both floors of the house. Electricity and running water were knocked out across the island. “When I saw my home and walked in, immediately my heart sank because I realized that this house wasn’t going to be livable for us,” she said. “As I left, I was still in shock.” God Working Amid Chaos On Sunday morning, she received a call from Samaritan’s Purse. Temara received a generator, five mosquito nets, tarp, blankets, and solar lights for her family. “It was God working in the midst of chaos,” Temara said of Samaritans’ Purse. “What does all this provision tell you about God’s character? He’s in control of everything, even when we don’t understand. There were tears of joy and a big sigh of relief just because the past week had been extremely difficult for me … He never leaves us, and He never forsakes us.” On the two largest islands, Saipan and Tinian, we have distributed thousands of relief supplies and set up water desalination systems to provide clean water. We have mobile medical teams roving the islands, caring for those injured in the storm and others suffering from chronic illnesses. We also quickly set up and staffed a clinic near the central hospital, which was damaged during the storm, to provide free medical care to patients. With each person we help, the Gospel is shared and God is glorified. Holding On to a Firm Foundation The supplies Temara received from Samaritan’s Purse formed a bridge to something greater the Lord was teaching her. “If there is one thing I know it’s that I’m not held by my own strength,” the mother said. “It’s been challenging, but God has reminded me that He is here. He’s always been here. God is good even when things aren’t.” Raised in the church, Temara knew about God, but it wasn’t until recently that she truly trusted Him with everything she had. This past Easter Sunday, she and her husband were baptized. Weeks later, the storm upended her life, yet God provided a reminder that He remains in control. “When everything happened with Samaritan’s Purse, I was saying, ‘Glory be to God,’ because He’s working; He’s working through you,” she said. The first Sunday after the storm, her church gathered for worship even as the island lay in ruins. There, her Savior reminded her of His love and comfort. One song especially stood out: “A Firm Foundation.” Christ is my firm foundation The rock on which I stand When everything around me is shaken I've never been more glad That I put my faith in Jesus Because He's never let me down He's faithful through generations Oh, so why would He fail now? He won't He won't He won't fail Hope Emerges “The winds were louder than my thoughts,” Temara recalls of the storm as she sits in the doorway of her hollowed-out home nearly two weeks after it struck her peaceful island. The lower level of the house still drains with water days after wind-driven rain crashed through the glass windowpanes. She walks to her backyard, where splintered trunks and twisted branches are all that remain of her garden. The towering breadfruit trees she watched grow as a child now lie on the ground uprooted. Nearby, pineapple shrubs are ripped apart, and a sole papaya tree stands stripped of its leaves. She had been days away from harvesting its fruit, she mentions as she gazes at what’s left of the tree. “It was God’s way of reminding us that we’re blessed. It will grow again, and it will bear fruit for us next season,” Temara says, her pain giving way to hope. Pray for Temara and her island community as the long road to recover begins. Pray that Samaritan’s Purse teams still working in the Northern Mariana Islands would continue to share the Gospel with conviction, and that many islanders would put their trust in Jesus Christ. ]]> https://www.samaritanspurse.org/article/deploying-after-mississippi-tornadoes/ Deploying After Mississippi Tornadoes https://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/955567364/0/samaritanspurse~Deploying-After-Mississippi-Tornadoes/ Fri, 08 May 2026 18:02:42 +0000 https://www.samaritanspurse.org/?post_type=sp-articles&p=270312 People move through the debris in tornado-hit Mississippi.Several tornadoes ripped through southern Mississippi on Wednesday night, May 6, damaging hundreds of homes and leaving thousands of families without power across multiple counties. Among the hardest hit areas are Lamar and Lincoln counties in the south-central region of the state. In addition to tornadoes, large hail, heavy rain, and strong winds further damaged neighborhoods and knocked over power lines. In response, Samaritan’s Purse deployed to the Magnolia State to help hurting homeowners in the two-county region recover and remind reeling families that they aren’t forgotten by God. Two of our Disaster Response Units—tractor-trailers full of relief equipment—traveled to the Deep South to assist this response. VOLUNTEER IN MISSISSIPPI Disaster Response Unit #6 departed our ministry facility in Coppell, Texas, on Friday, May 8, for our host church, Pleasant Hill Baptist Church at 2305 Pleasant Hill Drive SE in Bogue Chitto, to assist our response in Lincoln County. Disaster Response Unit #3 also departed Friday morning from our Wilkes Office and Warehouse in North Carolina, headed to Lamar County. Our host church at this site is First Baptist Church at 77 Shelby Speights Drive in Purvis, Mississippi. Volunteers at both locations are hard at work serving in Jesus' Name, but more people are needed. VOLUNTEER: LINCOLN COUNTY | LAMAR COUNTY Over the next several weeks, disaster relief teams will assist residents in cleaning up fallen trees and removing scattered debris out of homes and yards. Our dedicated volunteers will also tarp roofs damaged in the storm to protect from further rain damage. As volunteers serve these families in Jesus’ Name, they will also have opportunities to share about the hope they have in Jesus Christ. Chaplains from the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association’s Rapid Response Team (BGEA-RRT) are also present in Mississippi to offer hope from God’s Word. Please pray for communities in southern Mississippi as they recover from these devastating tornadoes. Visit spvolunteer.org to sign up to volunteer as the hands and feet of Christ in Mississippi. ]]> People move through the debris in tornado-hit Mississippi.Several tornadoes ripped through southern Mississippi on Wednesday night, May 6, damaging hundreds of homes and leaving thousands of families without power across multiple counties. Among the hardest hit areas are Lamar and Lincoln counties in the south-central region of the state. In addition to tornadoes, large hail, heavy rain, and strong winds further damaged neighborhoods and knocked over power lines. In response, Samaritan’s Purse deployed to the Magnolia State to help hurting homeowners in the two-county region recover and remind reeling families that they aren’t forgotten by God. Two of our Disaster Response Units—tractor-trailers full of relief equipment—traveled to the Deep South to assist this response. VOLUNTEER IN MISSISSIPPI Disaster Response Unit #6 departed our ministry facility in Coppell, Texas, on Friday, May 8, for our host church, Pleasant Hill Baptist Church at 2305 Pleasant Hill Drive SE in Bogue Chitto, to assist our response in Lincoln County. Disaster Response Unit #3 also departed Friday morning from our Wilkes Office and Warehouse in North Carolina, headed to Lamar County. Our host church at this site is First Baptist Church at 77 Shelby Speights Drive in Purvis, Mississippi. Volunteers at both locations are hard at work serving in Jesus' Name, but more people are needed. VOLUNTEER: LINCOLN COUNTY | LAMAR COUNTY Over the next several weeks, disaster relief teams will assist residents in cleaning up fallen trees and removing scattered debris out of homes and yards. Our dedicated volunteers will also tarp roofs damaged in the storm to protect from further rain damage. As volunteers serve these families in Jesus’ Name, they will also have opportunities to share about the hope they have in Jesus Christ. Chaplains from the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association’s Rapid Response Team (BGEA-RRT) are also present in Mississippi to offer hope from God’s Word. Please pray for communities in southern Mississippi as they recover from these devastating tornadoes. Visit spvolunteer.org to sign up to volunteer as the hands and feet of Christ in Mississippi. ]]> https://www.samaritanspurse.org/article/god-at-work-in-saipan-and-tinian/ God at Work in Saipan and Tinian https://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/955318460/0/samaritanspurse~God-at-Work-in-Saipan-and-Tinian/ Tue, 05 May 2026 15:28:10 +0000 https://www.samaritanspurse.org/?post_type=sp-articles&p=270246 Water, shelter, and medicine are among the vital supplies Samaritan’s Purse has provided thousands of families on the distant Pacific islands of Saipan and Tinian over the last two weeks following the year’s most powerful cyclone. As we work in Jesus’ Name, weary islanders are hearing and responding to the Gospel. Watch the video above to see more of what God is doing in the western Pacific through Samaritan’s Purse. Over the course of three days in mid-April, Super Typhoon Sinlaku wreaked havoc on the Northern Mariana Islands, a U.S. territory in the western Pacific. Trees were flattened, roofs blew off their frames, and the entire power grid collapsed—leaving the islands in darkness with no flowing water. Immediately after the storm cleared, Samaritan’s Purse sent three airlifts via our 767 aircraft to Saipan with two water desalination machines, tons of shelter supplies, a mobile medical clinic, and many more relief items. Dozens of disaster specialists on the ground are hard at work, partnering with the local church to help meet the most pressing needs on the islands in the typhoon’s aftermath. A Huge Amount of Love Arrives on Tiny Islands In two-weeks’ time, we’ve distributed over 6,500 tarps, nearly 6,000 solar lights, 500 mosquito nets, and nearly 15,000 jerry cans on the islands of Saipan and Tinian. To help restore electricity for the most vulnerable, we’ve provided 203 generators for those with chronic illnesses who depend heavily on electricity to take care of themselves. The work is ongoing as our teams continue to distribute the airlifted items to households across the two islands. Our mobile medical teams have ventured to displacement shelters at local schools and churches to meet vital medical needs to those who lost everything in the storm. We’ve set up three clinic restart modules—two on Saipan and one on Tinian—to support local medical facilities damaged in the storm. At our outpatient clinic, Samaritan’s Purse doctors and nurses have treated nearly 900 patients who come in sick, wounded, or to replace lost medicine. Many arrive at our clinic in physical pain, with a deep hurt in their heart. “A lot of times when they arrive, they are asking themselves, ‘Why, God?’ And they think He’s forgotten them,” said Christine Dominic, a triage nurse at our clinic. “But we get to be here to tell them that He is right here with them; we tell them that they aren’t forgotten but remembered by us and God.” Living Water Flows Amid our multifaceted response, clean water has been the largest need. At two sites along the beach, Samaritan’s Purse teams set up desalination systems that convert thousands of gallons of ocean water each day into pure drinking water. Long lines form from sunup to sundown every day as families flock to our water taps for water to cook, clean, and drink. We’ve produced over 96,000 gallons of water so far. But every one of these families will grow thirsty again. That’s why chaplains from the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association share the Gospel of Jesus Christ—the Living Water—with these islanders at our water points, but also at our medical clinic and distribution sites. We praise God that 23 people have accepted Christ as Savior in the past few days! As our work continues, pray for Samaritan’s Purse staff and our church partners. Pray for the people of Saipan and Tinian to be comforted by God’s love and know that He has not forgotten them. ]]> Water, shelter, and medicine are among the vital supplies Samaritan’s Purse has provided thousands of families on the distant Pacific islands of Saipan and Tinian over the last two weeks following the year’s most powerful cyclone. As we work in Jesus’ Name, weary islanders are hearing and responding to the Gospel. Watch the video above to see more of what God is doing in the western Pacific through Samaritan’s Purse. Over the course of three days in mid-April, Super Typhoon Sinlaku wreaked havoc on the Northern Mariana Islands, a U.S. territory in the western Pacific. Trees were flattened, roofs blew off their frames, and the entire power grid collapsed—leaving the islands in darkness with no flowing water. Immediately after the storm cleared, Samaritan’s Purse sent three airlifts via our 767 aircraft to Saipan with two water desalination machines, tons of shelter supplies, a mobile medical clinic, and many more relief items. Dozens of disaster specialists on the ground are hard at work, partnering with the local church to help meet the most pressing needs on the islands in the typhoon’s aftermath. A Huge Amount of Love Arrives on Tiny Islands In two-weeks’ time, we’ve distributed over 6,500 tarps, nearly 6,000 solar lights, 500 mosquito nets, and nearly 15,000 jerry cans on the islands of Saipan and Tinian. To help restore electricity for the most vulnerable, we’ve provided 203 generators for those with chronic illnesses who depend heavily on electricity to take care of themselves. The work is ongoing as our teams continue to distribute the airlifted items to households across the two islands. Our mobile medical teams have ventured to displacement shelters at local schools and churches to meet vital medical needs to those who lost everything in the storm. We’ve set up three clinic restart modules—two on Saipan and one on Tinian—to support local medical facilities damaged in the storm. At our outpatient clinic, Samaritan’s Purse doctors and nurses have treated nearly 900 patients who come in sick, wounded, or to replace lost medicine. Many arrive at our clinic in physical pain, with a deep hurt in their heart. “A lot of times when they arrive, they are asking themselves, ‘Why, God?’ And they think He’s forgotten them,” said Christine Dominic, a triage nurse at our clinic. “But we get to be here to tell them that He is right here with them; we tell them that they aren’t forgotten but remembered by us and God.” Living Water Flows Amid our multifaceted response, clean water has been the largest need. At two sites along the beach, Samaritan’s Purse teams set up desalination systems that convert thousands of gallons of ocean water each day into pure drinking water. Long lines form from sunup to sundown every day as families flock to our water taps for water to cook, clean, and drink. We’ve produced over 96,000 gallons of water so far. But every one of these families will grow thirsty again. That’s why chaplains from the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association share the Gospel of Jesus Christ—the Living Water—with these islanders at our water points, but also at our medical clinic and distribution sites. We praise God that 23 people have accepted Christ as Savior in the past few days! As our work continues, pray for Samaritan’s Purse staff and our church partners. Pray for the people of Saipan and Tinian to be comforted by God’s love and know that He has not forgotten them. ]]> https://www.samaritanspurse.org/article/samaritans-purse-is-responding-to-georgia-wildfires/ Samaritan’s Purse Is Responding to Georgia Wildfires https://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/955220285/0/samaritanspurse~Samaritans-Purse-Is-Responding-to-Georgia-Wildfires/ Mon, 04 May 2026 13:38:08 +0000 https://www.samaritanspurse.org/?post_type=sp-articles&p=270152 Samaritan's Purse has deployed Disaster Relief Unit #1 to south Georgia where wildfires have burned for weeks and destroyed many homes.Over recent weeks, wildfires have scorched more than 20,000 acres along south Georgia's Highway 82. Many homeowners have been affected. Emergency responders have increasingly contained the blazes, making it safe for Samaritan's Purse to enter the area. Our volunteers started the morning of May 4, serving families in Brantley County whose homes were lost or damaged to the flames. They are helping residents with debris removal from properties, while also sharing the hope of the Gospel with those who are hurting. Our Disaster Response Unit #1 departed North Wilkesboro, North Carolina, on April 30 and established a base of operations at our host church, Hickox Baptist Church at 7224 Caney Bay Road in Nahunta. Several of our Disaster Relief Vehicles housed at local churches, along with other equipment, also deployed to equip our volunteers with tools and supplies. Visit spvolunteer.org for more information on how you can help be the hands and feet of Jesus to Georgia homeowners. Billy Graham Rapid Response Team chaplains will also be on hand to provide emotional support and spiritual encouragement. Please continue to pray for these many suffering families and for our teams as they serve them in Jesus' Name. ]]> Samaritan's Purse has deployed Disaster Relief Unit #1 to south Georgia where wildfires have burned for weeks and destroyed many homes.Over recent weeks, wildfires have scorched more than 20,000 acres along south Georgia's Highway 82. Many homeowners have been affected. Emergency responders have increasingly contained the blazes, making it safe for Samaritan's Purse to enter the area. Our volunteers started the morning of May 4, serving families in Brantley County whose homes were lost or damaged to the flames. They are helping residents with debris removal from properties, while also sharing the hope of the Gospel with those who are hurting. Our Disaster Response Unit #1 departed North Wilkesboro, North Carolina, on April 30 and established a base of operations at our host church, Hickox Baptist Church at 7224 Caney Bay Road in Nahunta. Several of our Disaster Relief Vehicles housed at local churches, along with other equipment, also deployed to equip our volunteers with tools and supplies. Visit spvolunteer.org for more information on how you can help be the hands and feet of Jesus to Georgia homeowners. Billy Graham Rapid Response Team chaplains will also be on hand to provide emotional support and spiritual encouragement. Please continue to pray for these many suffering families and for our teams as they serve them in Jesus' Name. ]]> https://www.samaritanspurse.org/article/cambodian-mother-learns-about-feeding-and-faith/ Cambodian Mother Learns About Feeding and Faith https://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/955215203/0/samaritanspurse~Cambodian-Mother-Learns-About-Feeding-and-Faith/ Mon, 04 May 2026 12:29:56 +0000 https://samaritanspurse.org/?post_type=sp-articles&p=269635 Oeurn with her two childrenOeurn, 20, used to struggle to know how to feed her two young children. But then as she began learning from Samaritan’s Purse staff members, things began to change. The young mother participated in the Samaritan’s Purse First Steps for Maternal and Newborn Health project where she learned about the importance of exclusive breastfeeding in the first six months of a child’s life. Despite having to walk long distances or borrow her aunt’s motorbike to get to the trainings, Oeurn continued to attend the lessons faithfully, where she also learned about the complementary nutrition needed for children aged 6-23 months. Today, she prepares a thick, enriched porridge using rice, fish, pumpkin and other vegetables. She adds ivy gourd leaves, amaranth, and cooking oil as well. The homemade mix ensures her children receive proper nutrition. “I breastfed my youngest child exclusively for six months, and now I give enriched porridge three times a day,” Oeurn said. “I follow what I learned, and my child is healthy.” She clearly sees how her 11-month-old is healthier and more developed—having fully participated in the program—than her 28-month-old, who only partially benefited because of her age. Today, her youngest also attends Samaritan’s Purse early childhood development training led by a local teacher. The physical and cognitive growth activities are giving this child an additional foundation that older siblings did not have. Healthy Living, New Heart During the First Steps course, Oeurn also learned important practices for hygiene and healthcare, including proper handwashing, recognizing danger signs during pregnancy, and caring for sick children. She now understands when to seek medical help, the importance of attending all prenatal checkups, and delivering her babies at a health center, should their family expand in the future. Samaritan’s Purse also provided Oeurn with building materials including wood, zinc, nails, and pillars to replace the temporary shelter they used to live in. With the help of her husband and other relatives, the family is constructing a new home, and Samaritan’s Purse plans to supply them with a latrine soon. Oeurn is grateful that Samaritan’s Purse taught her about clean water and sanitation. With a water filter we provided, Oeurn now ensures that her family drinks only safe water and avoids untreated sources. And until the latrine is dug, they visit a nearby bathroom facility. This comprehensive assistance from Samaritan’s Purse showed Oeurn the love of Jesus Christ in action. So when our staff shared the Gospel message with her, she accepted Him into her heart as Lord on March 17, 2026. “Jesus is the God who blesses and provides. He is my Savior.” “Jesus is the God who blesses and provides,” she said. “He is my Savior.” Today, Oeurn attends a local church, where she is growing in her newfound faith and finding encouragement in prayer and community. “Oeurn has applied what she learned,” said Bun, a Samaritan’s Purse Cambodia field officer. “She now provides proper nutrition, uses clean, filtered water, and takes better care of her children. She has also embraced Jesus Christ and is committed to following God.” Please pray that Oeurn would follow the Lord all her days and that her husband and children will come to a saving knowledge of Him as they witness the transformation in her life. ]]> Oeurn with her two childrenOeurn, 20, used to struggle to know how to feed her two young children. But then as she began learning from Samaritan’s Purse staff members, things began to change. The young mother participated in the Samaritan’s Purse First Steps for Maternal and Newborn Health project where she learned about the importance of exclusive breastfeeding in the first six months of a child’s life. Despite having to walk long distances or borrow her aunt’s motorbike to get to the trainings, Oeurn continued to attend the lessons faithfully, where she also learned about the complementary nutrition needed for children aged 6-23 months. Today, she prepares a thick, enriched porridge using rice, fish, pumpkin and other vegetables. She adds ivy gourd leaves, amaranth, and cooking oil as well. The homemade mix ensures her children receive proper nutrition. “I breastfed my youngest child exclusively for six months, and now I give enriched porridge three times a day,” Oeurn said. “I follow what I learned, and my child is healthy.” She clearly sees how her 11-month-old is healthier and more developed—having fully participated in the program—than her 28-month-old, who only partially benefited because of her age. Today, her youngest also attends Samaritan’s Purse early childhood development training led by a local teacher. The physical and cognitive growth activities are giving this child an additional foundation that older siblings did not have. Healthy Living, New Heart During the First Steps course, Oeurn also learned important practices for hygiene and healthcare, including proper handwashing, recognizing danger signs during pregnancy, and caring for sick children. She now understands when to seek medical help, the importance of attending all prenatal checkups, and delivering her babies at a health center, should their family expand in the future. Samaritan’s Purse also provided Oeurn with building materials including wood, zinc, nails, and pillars to replace the temporary shelter they used to live in. With the help of her husband and other relatives, the family is constructing a new home, and Samaritan’s Purse plans to supply them with a latrine soon. Oeurn is grateful that Samaritan’s Purse taught her about clean water and sanitation. With a water filter we provided, Oeurn now ensures that her family drinks only safe water and avoids untreated sources. And until the latrine is dug, they visit a nearby bathroom facility. This comprehensive assistance from Samaritan’s Purse showed Oeurn the love of Jesus Christ in action. So when our staff shared the Gospel message with her, she accepted Him into her heart as Lord on March 17, 2026. “Jesus is the God who blesses and provides. He is my Savior.” “Jesus is the God who blesses and provides,” she said. “He is my Savior.” Today, Oeurn attends a local church, where she is growing in her newfound faith and finding encouragement in prayer and community. “Oeurn has applied what she learned,” said Bun, a Samaritan’s Purse Cambodia field officer. “She now provides proper nutrition, uses clean, filtered water, and takes better care of her children. She has also embraced Jesus Christ and is committed to following God.” Please pray that Oeurn would follow the Lord all her days and that her husband and children will come to a saving knowledge of Him as they witness the transformation in her life. ]]>