Samaritans Purse

SAMARITAN'S PURSE IS A NONDENOMINATIONAL EVANGELICAL CHRISTIAN ORGANIZATION PROVIDING SPIRITUAL AND PHYSICAL AID TO HURTING PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD WITH THE PURPOSE OF SHARING GOD'S LOVE THROUGH HIS SON, JESUS CHRIST.

OPERATION CHRISTMAS CHILD (OCC): THROUGH THIS 30-YEAR-OLD PROJECT, SAMARITAN'S PURSE COLLECTS AND DELIVERS GIFT-FILLED SHOEBOXES TO HURTING CHILDREN AROUND THE WORLD. WE DO THIS TO DEMONSTRATE GOD'S LOVE, GAIN A HEARING FOR THE GOSPEL, AND SHARE THE TRUE MEANING OF CHRISTMAS-THE BIRTH OF JESUS CHRIST, OUR LORD AND SAVIOR. JESUS TOLD US, "GO THEREFORE AND MAKE DISCIPLES OF ALL THE NATIONS" (MATTHEW 28:19). IN 2023, A TOTAL OF 11.3 MILLION SHOEBOX GIFTS WERE PRAYERFULLY PACKED FOR BOYS AND GIRLS ALL OVER THE WORLD BY PEOPLE FROM 11 COUNTRIES. SINCE 1993, MORE THAN 220 MILLION SHOEBOX GIFTS HAVE BEEN DISTRIBUTED IN MORE THAN 170 COUNTRIES AND TERRITORIES. NATIONAL COLLECTION WEEK IN 2024 WILL BE NOVEMBER 18-25 AT THOUSANDS OF LOCATIONS ACROSS THE UNITED STATES.

THE MISSION OF SAMARITAN'S PURSE IS TO OBEDIENTLY SERVE THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. AT THE CORE OF OUR MINISTRY IS THE BELIEF THAT MANKIND HAS BEEN SEPARATED FROM GOD BY SIN, AND OUR ONLY HOPE OF SALVATION COMES FROM THE ATONING SACRIFICE OF GOD'S SON, JESUS CHRIST. "IF YOU CONFESS WITH YOUR MOUTH THE LORD JESUS AND BELIEVE IN YOUR HEART THAT GOD HAS RAISED HIM FROM THE DEAD, YOU WILL BE SAVED" (ROMANS 10:9). MANY CLAIM TO BEHAVE MERCIFULLY TOWARD THEIR NEIGHBORS OUT OF A SENSE OF SOCIAL CONSCIOUSNESS. AT SAMARITAN'S PURSE, WE TAKE OUR NAME AND MANDATE FROM CHRIST'S INSTRUCTION THAT WE SHOULD FIRST LOVE THE LORD WITH OUR HEARTS, SOULS, MINDS, AND STRENGTH. CARING FOR OUR NEIGHBORS THEN FLOWS FROM OUR DEEP LOVE FOR GOD. THIS COMMAND IS ILLUSTRATED IN THE PARABLE OF THE GOOD SAMARITAN AS TOLD BY JESUS AND RECORDED IN LUKE 10:25-37 (NEW KING JAMES VERSION): AND BEHOLD, A CERTAIN LAWYER STOOD UP AND TESTED HIM, SAYING, "TEACHER, WHAT SHALL I DO TO INHERIT ETERNAL LIFE?" HE SAID TO HIM, "WHAT IS WRITTEN IN THE LAW? WHAT IS YOUR READING OF IT?" SO HE ANSWERED AND SAID, "'YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND,- AND 'YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.'- AND HE SAID TO HIM, "YOU HAVE ANSWERED RIGHTLY; DO THIS AND YOU WILL LIVE." BUT HE, WANTING TO JUSTIFY HIMSELF, SAID TO JESUS, -AND WHO IS MY NEIGHBOR?" THEN JESUS ANSWERED AND SAID: "A CERTAIN MAN WENT DOWN FROM JERUSALEM TO JERICHO, AND FELL AMONG THIEVES, WHO STRIPPED HIM OF HIS CLOTHING, WOUNDED HIM, AND DEPARTED, LEAVING HIM HALF DEAD. NOW BY CHANCE A CERTAIN PRIEST CAME DOWN THAT ROAD. AND WHEN HE SAW HIM, HE PASSED BY ON THE OTHER SIDE. LIKEWISE A LEVITE, WHEN HE ARRIVED AT THE PLACE, CAME AND LOOKED, AND PASSED BY ON THE OTHER SIDE. BUT A CERTAIN SAMARITAN, AS HE JOURNEYED, CAME WHERE HE WAS. AND WHEN HE SAW HIM, HE HAD COMPASSION. SO HE WENT TO HIM AND BANDAGED HIS WOUNDS, POURING ON OIL AND WINE; AND HE SET HIM ON HIS OWN ANIMAL, BROUGHT HIM TO AN INN, AND TOOK CARE OF HIM. ON THE NEXT DAY, WHEN HE DEPARTED, HE TOOK OUT TWO DENARII, GAVE THEM TO THE INNKEEPER, AND SAID TO HIM, 'TAKE CARE OF HIM; AND WHATEVER MORE YOU SPEND, WHEN I COME AGAIN, I WILL REPAY YOU.' SO WHICH OF THESE THREE DO YOU THINK WAS NEIGHBOR TO HIM WHO FELL AMONG THE THIEVES?- AND HE SAID, "HE WHO SHOWED MERCY ON HIM." THEN JESUS SAID TO HIM, "GO AND DO LIKEWISE." AT SAMARITAN'S PURSE, WE ARE RESPONDING TO CHRIST'S COMMAND TO DO LIKEWISE AS WE MINISTER TO THOSE SUFFERING FROM THE RESULTS OF SIN IN OUR WORLD: WAR, POVERTY, DISASTER, DISEASE, AND FAMINE. THE BIBLE TELLS US, "THE HEART IS DECEITFUL ABOVE ALL THINGS, AND DESPERATELY WICKED; WHO CAN KNOW IT?" (JEREMIAH 17:9). IN THE NEW TESTAMENT, WE READ THAT "THE WAGES OF SIN IS DEATH" (ROMANS 6:23). BECAUSE OF ADAM AND EVE'S DISOBEDIENCE, EVERY HUMAN BEING IS BORN WITH THE STAIN OF SIN, WHICH, WITHOUT THE CLEANSING BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST, ULTIMATELY LEADS TO PHYSICAL AND SPIRITUAL DEATH. THE LORD, IN HIS MERCY, SENT HIS BELOVED SON, JESUS CHRIST, FROM HEAVEN TO THIS EARTH ON A RESCUE MISSION. JOHN 3:16 SAYS, "FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD THAT HE GAVE HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON, THAT WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM SHOULD NOT PERISH, BUT HAVE EVERLASTING LIFE." JESUS TOOK OUR SINS UPON HIMSELF, SUFFERING AND DYING ON A ROMAN CROSS. HE TOOK OUR SINS TO THE GRAVE, AND ON THE THIRD DAY, HE AROSE AGAIN. THROUGH HIS DEATH AND RESURRECTION, JESUS BECAME THE WAY FOR US TO BE RECONCILED TO GOD. HE SAID, "I AM THE WAY, THE TRUTH, AND THE LIFE. NO ONE COMES TO THE FATHER EXCEPT THROUGH ME" (JOHN 14:6). IF YOU CHOOSE TO REMAIN IN YOUR SINS, YOU WILL BE SEPARATED FROM GOD FOREVER. BUT, IF YOU PLACE YOUR FAITH AND TRUST IN WHAT JESUS HAS DONE, YOU WILL BE SAVED BY GOD'S GRACE. THIS IS THE GOOD NEWS: "HE WHO BELIEVES IN HIM IS NOT CONDEMNED; BUT HE WHO DOES NOT BELIEVE IS CONDEMNED ALREADY, BECAUSE HE HAS NOT BELIEVED IN THE NAME OF THE ONLY BEGOTTEN SON OF GOD" (JOHN 3:18). IF YOU WANT TO RECEIVE GOD'S FREE GIFT OF SALVATION, YOU CAN PRAY A SIMPLE PRAYER LIKE THIS ONE: DEAR GOD, I AM A SINNER. I AM SORRY FOR MY SINS. PLEASE FORGIVE ME. HELP ME TO TURN FROM MY SINFUL LIFE. I BELIEVE BY FAITH THAT JESUS CHRIST IS YOUR SON WHO DIED FOR MY SINS, AND WHOM YOU HAVE RAISED TO LIFE. I WANT TO TRUST JESUS AS MY SAVIOR AND FOLLOW HIM AS MY LORD FROM THIS DAY FORWARD AND FOREVERMORE. AMEN. IF YOU HAVE PRAYED THIS, OR WOULD LIKE SOME SPIRITUAL HELP, PLEASE CALL THE FOLLOWING NUMBER TO SPEAK WITH A COUNSELOR: 1-888-388-2683. YOU CAN TRUST THESE WORDS ARE TRUE: "FOR BY GRACE YOU HAVE BEEN SAVED THROUGH FAITH, AND THAT NOT OF YOURSELVES; IT IS THE GIFT OF GOD, NOT OF WORKS, LEST ANYONE SHOULD BOAST" (EPHESIANS 2:8-9). AT SAMARITAN'S PURSE, WE TAKE PRAYER SERIOUSLY. THANKS TO WHAT JESUS CHRIST HAS DONE, WE CAN TAKE OUR PRAYER CONCERNS DIRECTLY TO OUR GOD IN HEAVEN. WE CAN ASK HIM TO INTERVENE IMMEDIATELY ON BEHALF OF THOSE WHOSE LIVES ARE IN DANGER, AND WE TRUST HIM TO PROVIDE THE RESOURCES FOR US TO SWIFTLY ACCOMPLISH HIS WORK AND HIS WILL. THE QUARTERLY MAGAZINE OF SAMARITAN'S PURSE, PRAYERPOINT, IS DEVOTED ENTIRELY TO PRAYER FOR OUR PROJECTS AROUND THE WORLD. WE TRUST THAT AS GOD ANSWERS PRAYERS, HE WILL MEET THE NEEDS OF HIS PEOPLE. IN ADDITION TO THE MINISTRIES LISTED IN PART III, THE FOLLOWING MINISTRIES ARE OUR RESPONSE TO THE EFFECTS OF SIN ON HUMANITY AND THE NATURAL WORLD. OUR MISSION IS TO BRING GOD'S LOVE, HEALING, AND COMPASSION TO THOSE WHO ARE HURTING OR LOST. U.S. DISASTER RELIEF: : IN 2023, SAMARITAN'S PURSE SENT OUR DISASTER RELIEF UNITS ON 27 DEPLOYMENTS IN 15 STATES, INCLUDING TWO LOCATIONS IN FLORIDA AND ONE IN GEORGIA FOLLOWING HURRICANE IDALIA; AS WELL AS HAWAII FOLLOWING A DEVASTATING WILDFIRE ON THE ISLAND OF MAUI. MORE THAN 11,800 VOLUNTEERS HELPED OVER 7,500 HOUSEHOLDS WITH EMERGENCY REPAIRS, REBUILT 61 HOMES, AND LED 870 INDIVIDUALS TO SAVING FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST. -AND HOW SHALL THEY PREACH, EXCEPT THEY BE SENT? AS IT IS WRITTEN, HOW BEAUTIFUL ARE THE FEET OF THEM THAT PREACH THE GOSPEL OF PEACE, AND BRING GLAD TIDINGS OF GOOD THINGS" (ROMANS 10:15) OPERATION HEAL OUR PATRIOTS: SAMARITAN'S PURSE ESTABLISHED OPERATION HEAL OUR PATRIOTS IN 2012 TO HELP STRENGTHEN THE MARRIAGES OF WOUNDED MILITARY VETERANS. DURING THE 2023 SEASON, WE WERE ABLE TO HAVE 180 MILITARY COUPLES SPEND A WEEK AS OUR GUESTS IN ALASKA, WHERE THEY PARTICIPATED IN MARRIAGE ENRICHMENT LESSONS LED BY RETIRED MILITARY CHAPLAINS AND ALSO ENJOYED OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES DESIGNED TO DRAW THEM CLOSER TO GOD AND CLOSER TO EACH OTHER. IN 12 YEARS, MORE THAN 1,500 COUPLES HAVE PARTICIPATED, AND OVER HALF OF THEM HAVE REDEDICATED THEIR MARRIAGES. SAMARITAN'S PURSE HAS ALSO MADE A COMMITMENT TO PROVIDE AFTERCARE FOR EACH COUPLE AS LONG AS THEY NEED IT. WE ALSO ESTABLISHED TEAM PATRIOT TO GIVE WOUNDED VETERANS A SPECIAL OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE ON OUR DOMESTIC DISASTER RELIEF TEAMS. THEY DEPLOYED 16 TIMES IN 2023. "YET IN ALL THESE THINGS WE ARE MORE THAN CONQUERORS THROUGH HIM WHO LOVED US" (ROMANS 8:37). THE GREATEST JOURNEY: THIS IS A FOLLOW-UP DISCIPLESHIP PROGRAM DEVELOPED BY SAMARITAN'S PURSE ESPECIALLY FOR CHILDREN WHO RECEIVE SHOEBOX GIFTS FROM OPERATION CHRISTMAS CHILD. WE TRAIN TEACHERS AND PROVIDE LESSON BOOKS IN 84 LANGUAGES AS WELL AS NEW TESTAMENTS FOR CHILDREN WHO GRADUATE FROM THE COURSE. IN 2023, MORE THAN FIVE MILLION CHILDREN PARTICIPATED IN THESE CLASSES, WITH NEARLY THREE MILLION MAKING DECISIONS TO TRUST JESUS CHRIST AS THEIR LORD AND SAVIOR. "BUT JESUS SAID, 'LET THE LITTLE CHILDREN COME TO ME, AND DO NOT FORBID THEM; FOR OF SUCH IS THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN'" (MATTHEW 19:14). CHILDREN'S HEART PROJECT: THIS PROJECT OF SAMARITAN'S PURSE BRINGS PATIENTS TO PARTNER HOSPITALS IN NORTH AMERICA, THE CARIBBEAN, AND SOUTH KOREA FOR CRITICAL HEART OPERATIONS THAT ARE NOT AVAILABLE WHERE THEY LIVE. WE WERE ABLE TO PROVIDE LIFE-SAVING SURGERY FOR 62 PATIENTS IN 2023. SINCE 1997, WE HAVE PROVIDED SURGERY FOR OVER 1,500 PATIENTS. WHILE SURGEONS CORRECT LIFE-THREATENING HEART DEFECTS, PATIENTS AND THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS EXPERIENCE THE LOVE OF CHRIST THROUGH THEIR HOST FAMILIES AND CHURCHES, AND MANY RESPOND TO THE GOSPEL. "BUT I HAVE TRUSTED IN YOUR MERCY; MY HEART SHALL REJOICE IN YOUR SALVATION" (PSALM 13:5). WORLD MEDICAL MISSION: SAMARITAN'S PURSE SUPPORTS MISSION HOSPITALS AROUND THE WORLD BY SENDING MEDICAL VOLUNTEERS, MEDICAL SUPPLIES, AND EQUIPMENT. IN 2023, WE ARRANGED SHORT-TERM TRIPS FOR 715 HEALTHCARE VOLUNTEERS TO SERVE IN 40 MISSION HOSPITALS. OUR MEDICAL WAREHOUSE SHIPPED 43 CONTAINERS OF LIFE-SAVING EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES, AND OUR TEAM OF BIOMEDICAL TECHNICIANS MADE 22 TRIPS OVERSEAS TO INSTALL AND MAINTAIN CRITICAL EQUIPMENT. OUR POST-RESIDENCY PROGRAM HAS HELPED MORE THAN 230 CHRISTIAN PHYSICIANS AND DENTISTS PREPARE FOR LONG-TERM MISSIONARY SERVICE SINCE 2004. DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO (DRC): THE DRC IS AMONG 25 COUNTRIES WHERE SAMARITAN'S PURSE OPERATES FIELD OFFICES TO WORK IN JESUS' NAME TO MEET LOCAL NEEDS. IN THE DRC, HUNDREDS O

UKRAINE RESPONSE: SAMARITAN'S PURSE HAS BEEN WORKING IN UKRAINE SINCE THE RUSSIAN INVASION IN FEBRUARY 2022. IN 2023, OUR TEAMS DISTRIBUTED MORE THAN 238 MILLION POUNDS OF FOOD, PROVIDED OVER 53 MILLION LITERS OF WATER, GAVE OUT MORE THAN 473,000 BIBLES, AND PROVIDED 4,600 WOOD STOVES TO HURTING FAMILIES. SINCE THE START OF THE CONFLICT, SAMARITAN'S PURSE HAS DELIVERED MORE THAN 1 MILLION POUNDS OF RELIEF SUPPLIES AND HELPED NEARLY 14.5 MILLION PEOPLE, INCLUDING MORE THAN 21,800 MEDICAL PATIENTS. NOTE: THE GEOGRAPHIC REGIONS OF THE IRS CLASSIFIES UKRAINE AS PART OF "RUSSIA & NEIGHBORING STATES". THIS REFERENCE OCCURS MANY TIMES THROUGHOUT SCH. F.

SOUTH SUDAN RELIEF: SAMARITAN'S PURSE CONTINUED TO SUPPORT REFUGEES, INTERNALLY DISPLACED PERSONS AND VULNERABLE MEMBERS OF THE HOST COMMUNITY IN SOUTH SUDAN THROUGHOUT 2023. TEAMS DISTRIBUTED FOOD AND NUTRITIONAL SUPPLEMENTS TO OVER 396,000 PEOPLE IN UNITY AND UPPER NILE STATES; AND PROVIDED OUTPATIENT SERVICES AND TREATMENT TO 61,856 INDIVIDUALS IN MAYENDIT, MAYOM AND MAIWUT COUNTIES VIA MOBILE MEDICAL UNITS. OUR WATER, SANITATION, AND HYGIENE PROJECTS DRILLED OR REHABILITATED 120 BOREHOLES TO PROVIDE CLEAN WATER TO MORE THAN 57,700 PEOPLE. LIVELIHOOD PROJECTS SUPPORTED MORE THAN 49,600 PEOPLE. WE ALSO WORKED WITH THE LOCAL CHURCH AND GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS TO ENCOURAGE, TRAIN, AND DISCIPLE MORE THAN 218,700 PEOPLE THROUGH MINISTRY AND BIBLICAL LEADERSHIP TRAINING PROGRAMS.