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: THROUGH THIS PROJECT, SAMARITAN'S PURSE COLLECTS AND DELIVERS GIFT-FILLED SHOEBOXES TO MILLIONS OF 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 2019, OPERATION CHRISTMAS CHILD REACHED BOYS AND GIRLS IN MORE THAN 100 COUNTRIES WITH 10,569,405 GIFT BOXES, INCLUDING 8,950,144 COLLECTED IN THE U.S. (OTHERS COME FROM CANADA, THE UNITED KINGDOM, GERMANY, FINLAND, SPAIN, AND AUSTRALIA.) SINCE 1993, OCC HAS HANDED OUT OVER 179 MILLION SHOEBOX GIFTS. NATIONAL COLLECTION WEEK WILL BE NOV. 16-23, 2020, AT THOUSANDS OF LOCATIONS ACROSS THE U.S.

U.S. DISASTER RELIEF: MORE THAN 14,800 VOLUNTEERS SERVED WITH OUR NORTH AMERICAN MINISTRIES IN 2019 AND HELPED OVER 4,600 HOUSEHOLDS. TEAMS RESPONDED TO HURRICANE DORIAN IN THE BAHAMAS AND NORTH CAROLINA AND REPAIRED OR REBUILT 114 HOUSES FOR STORM VICTIMS IN TEXAS, LOUISIANA, ALABAMA, FLORIDA, AND THE CAROLINAS. DISASTER RELIEF TEAMS RESPONDED TO TORNADOES IN ALABAMA, TEXAS, OHIO, MISSOURI, AND ALABAMA; FLOODS IN NEBRASKA, MICHIGAN, OKLAHOMA, AND NORTH CAROLINA; AND A WILDFIRE IN CALIFORNIA. OUR VOLUNTEERS ALSO BUILT CHURCHES IN TWO ALASKAN VILLAGES. ON THE TEXAS-MEXICO BORDER, MORE THAN 120 VOLUNTEERS WORKED TO HELP DESPERATE IMMIGRANTS. "FOR ALL THE LAW IS FULFILLED IN ONE WORD, EVEN IN THIS: "YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF" (GALATIANS 5:14).

SOUTH SUDAN RELIEF: SAMARITAN'S PURSE DISTRIBUTED FOOD RATIONS TO MORE THAN 529,000 PEOPLE AND SUPPLEMENTARY FOOD TO OVER 77,500 WOMEN AND CHILDREN AT RISK OF MALNUTRITION. WE ALSO PROVIDED OVER 590 MILLION LITERS OF CLEAN WATER TO REFUGEES. OUR INTERNATIONAL MEDICAL TEAMS AT MABAN HOSPITAL SERVED 4,695 PATIENTS AND PERFORMED 2,613 SURGERIES. OVER 3,100 PEOPLE RECEIVED BIBLES, AND MORE THAN 168,000 HEARD THE GOSPEL THROUGH THE JESUS FILM AND OTHER PROGRAMS FACILITATED BY LOCAL CHURCHES-MANY OF THESE CHURCHES CONSTRUCTED BY SAMARITAN'S PURSE SINCE 2005. "FOR HE SATISFIES THE LONGING SOUL, AND FILLS THE HUNGRY SOUL WITH GOODNESS" (PSALM 107:9).

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: 1-877-247-2426. 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. BAHAMAS: AFTER HURRICANE DORIAN HIT THE BAHAMAS, SAMARITAN'S PURSE RESPONDED IMMEDIATELY. OUR DC-8 CARGO PLANE MADE A TOTAL OF 18 TRIPS TO THE ISLANDS, TRANSPORTING 360 TONS OF EMERGENCY SUPPLIES. WE ESTABLISHED AN EMERGENCY FIELD HOSPITAL ADJACENT TO THE DAMAGED HOSPITAL IN FREEPORT, WHERE WE PROVIDED CARE TO NEARLY 8,000 PATIENTS AND PERFORMED 196 SURGERIES. WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH LOCAL CHURCHES, WE DISTRIBUTED MORE THAN 16,700 TARPS, 17,110 BLANKETS, 7,170 HYGIENE KITS, 5,950 AIR MATTRESSES, AND 6,690 SOLAR LIGHTS. AFTER THE EMERGENCY PHASE, OUR TEAMS CLEANED OVER 17,000 CUBIC METERS OF DEBRIS AND RENOVATED 28 HOUSES. THIS WORK CONTINUES IN 2020. IRAQ: SAMARITAN'S PURSE ASSISTED IN REBUILDING OR REPAIRING 184 HOMES DAMAGED BY ISIS TERRORISTS, AND PROVIDED TRAUMA COUNSELING TO MORE THAN 1,600 PEOPLE. WE DISTRIBUTED FOOD RATIONS TO OVER 18,600 PEOPLE AND WINTER BOOTS TO OVER 2,000 CHILDREN. MANY OF THESE INDIVIDUALS WERE REFUGEES FROM THE FIGHTING IN SYRIA. MORE THAN 6,530 PEOPLE HEARD THE GOSPEL. COLOMBIA: SAMARITAN'S PURSE WORKED ON THE BORDER TO MINISTER TO MIGRANTS LEAVING VENEZUELA. WE SERVED MORE THAN 105,000 HOT MEALS, DISTRIBUTED 5,910 BACKPACKS AND 35,140 HYGIENE KITS, AND CARED FOR 14,180 PATIENTS THROUGH A PRIMARY CARE CLINIC AND A MOBILE CLINIC. IN THE COURSE OF THIS WORK, OVER 183,500 PEOPLE WERE PRESENTED WITH THE GOSPEL. DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO: IN THE MIDST OF AN ONGOING EBOLA OUTBREAK, SAMARITAN'S PURSE TREATED MORE THAN 600 PEOPLE AT A TREATMENT CENTER WE SET UP IN THE VILLAGE OF KOMANDA. WE ALSO PROVIDED TRAINING AND SUPPLIES FOR HOSPITALS AND CLINICS TO EQUIP THEM TO RESPOND TO THE OUTBREAK. TO HELP PREVENT THE SPREAD OF EBOLA, WE PROMOTED PROPER HYGIENE TECHNIQUES TO OVER 97,500 PEOPLE. WE ALSO PROVIDED FOOD RATIONS TO MORE THAN 200,000 PEOPLE AND SUPPLEMENTARY FOOD TO OVER 3,700 WOMEN AND CHILDREN AT RISK OF MALNUTRITION. MORE THAN 19,000 PEOPLE WERE ASSISTED WITH SEEDS AND TOOLS TO ENABLE THEM TO CARE FOR THEIR FAMILIES FOR YEARS TO COME, AND MORE THAN 15,000 HEARD THE GOSPEL THROUGH PROJECTS TRAINING AND VISITS. OTHER INTERNATIONAL PROJECTS: SAMARITAN'S PURSE DEPLOYED A DISASTER ASSISTANCE RESPONSE TEAM TO MOZAMBIQUE TO HELP SURVIVORS OF TROPICAL STORM IDAI, THE SECOND DEADLIEST TROPICAL STORM EVER IN THE SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE. SAMARITAN'S PURSE SET UP AN EMERGENCY FIELD HOSPITAL TO CARE FOR MORE THAN 5,700 PEOPLE IN THE FLOODED TOWN OF BUZI; AND ALSO DISTRIBUTED 159 TONS OF EMERGENCY SUPPLIES, INCLUDING BLANKETS AND WATER FILTERS. ALSO DURING 2019, WE HAD FIELD OFFICES IN 21 COUNTRIES TO HELP IMPOVERISHED FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES WITH ACCESS TO CLEAN WATER, AGRICULTURAL ASSISTANCE, SCHOOLS, AND OTHER ESSENTIAL SERVICES. WORLD MEDICAL MISSION: THE MEDICAL ARM OF SAMARITAN'S PURSE ARRANGED 800 SHORT-TERM TRIPS FOR VOLUNTEERS TO SERVE AT 38 MISSION HOSPITALS AROUND THE WORLD. ANOTHER 31 DOCTORS WERE ON TWO-YEAR ASSIGNMENTS THROUGH OUR POST- RESIDENCY PROGRAM AS THEY FOLLOWED GOD'S CALL TO DEVOTE THEIR CAREERS TO OVERSEAS MISSIONS. OUR MEDICAL WAREHOUSE SHIPPED 189 TONS OF SUPPLIES TO 24 HOSPITALS AND CLINICS IN 21 COUNTRIES, AND OUR BIOMEDICAL TECHNICIANS VISITED 29 HOSPITALS TO REPAIR, UPDATE, OR SERVICE LIFE-SAVING MEDICAL EQUIPMENT. WE PRAISE GOD FOR HOW HE USES THESE SERVANTS TO SAVE LIVES AND SPREAD THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST, THE GREAT PHYSICIAN. "THE LORD IS NEAR TO ALL WHO CALL UPON HIM, TO ALL WHO CALL UPON HIM IN TRUTH" (PSALM 145:18). THE GREATEST JOURNEY: THIS IS A FOLLOW-UP PROGRAM DEVELOPED BY SAMARITAN'S PURSE ESPECIA