Samaritan's Purse - In Pictures

Franklin Graham in the Nuba Mountains

2012-04-23T18:42:35-05:00

Nuba Mountains Under Siege

2012-04-22T18:56:00-05:00

World Water Day 2012

2012-03-21T18:33:00-05:00

It is estimated that 1.58 million people die each year from diarrheal diseases caused by unclean water, inadequate sanitation and poor hygiene habits—equivalent to one person dying every 20 seconds. The majority of these are children in developing countries. That's why Samaritan's Purse works to provide a thirsty world with clean water.

Midwest Tornado Relief

2012-03-15T18:47:00-05:00

Samaritan's Purse photographers Matt Powell and Paul Sherar document our tornado relief efforts in Illinois and Indiana.

Japan Tsunami Relief - One Year Later

2012-03-05T09:05:00-05:00

Samaritan's Purse responded to the massive earthquake and tsunami that hit March 11, 2011 by sending 93 tons of relief supplies one week after the disaster. We have continued working in Japan for a year to help the Japanese people recover. Our efforts have included mud-outs, reconstruction, supply distributions, and community events to uplift the spirits of those who have lost so much. Please continue to pray for Japan as there is still much work to be done.

Before & After- Cleft Lip Surgery

2012-02-09T14:47:01-05:00

People born with a cleft lip are frequently shunned by society in South Sudan. The condition is often attributed to sorcery, and those with it are made outcasts. Recently, Samaritan's Purse flew 41 patients from all over the country to the capital, Juba, to have their cleft lips repaired. They ranged in age from 2 months to 40 years, and nearly all came with tragic tales of emotional, and sometimes physical, abuse because of their condition. One by one, patients were taken into the operating room with deformities, and one by one they were carried into the recovery room with normal lips. Family members’ faces lit up when they saw the dramatic difference.

Mobile Medical Outreach in Kenya

2012-01-19T19:14:00-05:00

Missionaries started Kapsowar Hospital as a small dispensary, nearly 80 years ago. Today, the 126-bed hospital provides medical care for more than 300,000 people who live in rural villages in the Cherangani Hills and Kerio Valley in northwestern Kenya. Hospital staff recently launched a mobile medical outreach to help bring physical healing and the hope of the Gospel to the Pokot people who live miles away in the Kerio Valley.

OCC Dominican Republic Distributions

2012-01-17T22:05:00-05:00

Operation Christmas Child shoe box gifts collected last year are bringing joy to children around the world. These boys and girls in the Dominican Republic received their gifts the week after Christmas.

Haiti- 2 Years After the Quake

2012-01-12T13:44:01-05:00

Samaritan's Purse programs continue to show that God has not forgotten the people of Haiti in the two years since the devastating earthquake that struck the country on January 12, 2010.

OCC Dominican Republic with Scotty McCreery

2012-01-09T19:39:00-05:00

Christmas Joy in the Dominican Republic and Haiti

2012-01-09T19:36:30-05:00

Fox News hosts Greta Van Susteren and Sean Hannity recently spent part of their Christmas vacations distributing Operation Christmas Child shoe box gifts to children in the Dominican Republic and Haiti along with Samaritan's Purse President Franklin Graham. Greta and her husband, John, have supported Operation Christmas Child for many years. They handed out shoe box gifts in the Dominican Republic and Haiti. Her program, On The Record, in the top-rated program on cable news in its time slot, consistently attracts more than twice as many viewers as any other show. Sean was joined by his wife, Jill, and their two children in the Dominican Republic. His program, Hannity, is also the top-rated show in its time slot.

Bertie County Rebuild Projects

2011-12-22T21:01:00-05:00

A home rebuilding project in the aftermath of a deadly tornado in Bertie County, North Carolina, has helped transform hopelessness to joy.

2011 Year In Pictures

2011-12-21T18:47:00-05:00

An overview of our work in 2011 as captured through the lenses of our staff photographers.

Madagascar - A community changed by a simple gift

2011-11-21T18:31:00-05:00

Samaritan's Purse photographer Paul Sherar reports from Madagascar, where he visited a village transformed by Operation Christmas Child.

Just over the ridge I could see a billowing cloud of white smoke streaming upward off the hilly, arid region of central Madagascar. The area was so remote that our helicopter pilot had to fly to the closest town on the map and then go 12 miles due north to find it.

As we approached the smoke signal we could see hands waving from the entire community, excited about our arrival. Many had never seen foreigners before, yet alone a helicopter.

Cleft Lip Surgery- South Sudan

2011-11-07T19:24:01-05:00

Samaritan's Purse is helping provide cleft lip surgery for dozens of patients in South Sudan. Images by David Uttley.

South Sudan, Yida Camp Refugees

2011-11-07T15:26:00-05:00

Franklin Graham flew into a remote area of South Sudan on Friday to visit a makeshift refugee camp where Samaritan’s Purse is providing life-saving aid to more than 22,000 people. The camp is a safe haven for desperate refugees fleeing the ongoing violence in the Nuba Mountains of Sudan. Images by David Morrison.

Operation Christmas Child Lithuania

2011-11-01T13:29:01-05:00

Operation Christmas Child Mongolia

2011-10-26T17:27:00-05:00

The Greatest Journey in Haiti

2011-10-26T15:28:00-05:00

Democratic Republic of Congo Projects

2011-10-26T14:26:00-05:00

The northeastern border regions of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have become a battleground as the Lord’s Resistance Army attack villages, kill unarmed civilians, burn homes, and take captives. Thousands of people have fled and are living with relatives or in makeshift shelters in larger, more secure towns. Samaritan’s Purse is providing food for thousands of at-risk families and supporting medical facilities. In 2011 Samaritan’s Purse writer Gary Martyn and photographer Matt Powell traveled to the Democratic Republic of Congo to document our relief efforts there.

Bolivia Projects

2011-10-26T12:48:00-05:00

Hurricane Irene Disaster Relief

2011-09-22T18:23:01-05:00

Samaritan's Purse staff and volunteers help Hurricane Irene victims in New Jersey and Vermont

South Sudan Emergency Food Air Drop

2011-08-29T18:28:54-05:00

Samaritan’s Purse is delivering life-saving food for thousands of people in South Sudan who fled fighting in the Nuba Mountains.

Horn of Africa Food Crisis

2011-08-15T19:19:01-05:00

Samaritan's Purse is supplying food, water, and other aid to thousands of families in a drought-stricken region of Africa

South Sudan Independence Day

2011-07-11T12:42:00-05:00

South Sudanese from throughout the country and the world came together on July 9 in the capital city of Juba to celebrate the birth of the new nation, the Republic of South Sudan. Independence day comes 6 years after the signing of a peace agreement that ended two decades of civil war between the Arab-dominated north and the predominantly African and Christian people of the south, a war that cost more than 2 million lives. Franklin Graham, president of Samaritan's Purse, met with President of South Sudan Salva Kiir on Sunday to congratulate him and encourage him in prayer and Godly counsel as he leads this new nation. Samaritan's Purse will continue to work in Sudan and South Sudan to help meet physical and spiritual needs and to demonstrate God's love to the people of both nations.

The Ruth Bell River Boat - Bolivia

2011-06-23T18:42:00-05:00

A Samaritan’s Purse medical boat, the Ruth Bell, is traveling along the Mamore' River in the Bolivian Amazon to reach isolated communities with medical care and the hope of the Gospel. World Medical Mission is sending teams of doctors on the boat to treat people, many of whom have never received medical care in their entire lives. Our staff also puts on evangelism activities in these communities by passing out Bibles, showing films such as "The Jesus Film", and leading worship and games with the children.

Tornado Relief in Missouri

2011-05-27T19:25:00-05:00

A massive tornado ripped through Joplin on May 22, killing at least 142 people as it tore through a densely populated section of the city. It is the deadliest single tornado in the United States since record keeping began more than 60 years ago. Samaritan's Purse Disaster Relief responded immediately and is helping victims recover by clearing out debris, repairing homes, and bringing the Good News of Jesus Christ.

Franklin Graham In DPRK

2011-05-13T19:08:01-05:00

Franklin Graham spent several days in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea to meet senior officials about humanitarian needs including agricultural, medical, and food needs.

Alabama Tornado Volunteers

2011-05-06T17:50:02-05:00

Alabama Disaster Relief

2011-05-02T18:51:00-05:00

North Carolina Tornado Relief

2011-04-20T14:18:00-05:00

Samaritan's Purse staff and volunteers are cleaning up debris, making emergency repairs on houses, and ministering to victims of the worst spring storms to hit North Carolina in two decades

Japan Relief - Franklin Graham Visit

2011-04-13T17:15:01-05:00

Franklin Graham viewed areas devastated by the earthquake and tsunami, met with church partners in Sendai and Tokyo, and surveyed our efforts to provide emergency aid to disaster victims on a recent visit to Japan.Samaritan’s Purse is continuing to work though local church partners to provide relief and comfort to people in hard-hit coastal communities.

African Bible College Re-Opens

2011-03-25T11:56:00-05:00

Japan Relief Airlift

2011-03-21T18:54:00-05:00

Japan Relief

2011-03-17T17:13:00-05:00

Libyan Border Refugee Relief

2011-03-14T17:34:00-05:00

Men and women from various countries fleeing Libya have been stranded in the border compound between Libya and Egypt unable to cross because of visa restrictions. Samaritan’s Purse has been providing meals and other aid here and in other transit camps along Libya's borders.

Liberia Projects

2011-03-07T18:34:00-05:00

Joni Byker, a member of our staff in Liberia, provides glimpses of our work in the country.

Aaron Gillespie Visits Haiti

2011-02-16T17:16:00-05:00

Aaron Gillespie, lead singer for popular Christian band The Almost and the former drummer for Underoath, just wrapped up a three-day trip with Samaritan’s Purse and the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association in Haiti. Gillespie traveled to Haiti to film a music video for his upcoming solo worship album, “Anthem Song,” scheduled to release on March 8. The video is for the first single, “We Were Made for You.”

One Word - One Year After the Quake

2011-01-18T17:01:00-05:00

On the first anniversary of the earthquake, Samaritan's Purse writer Gary Martyn and photographer Paul Sherar asked 10 Haitians who lived near the epicenter to write one word describing their thoughts and feelings from January 12, 2010. These were their responses.

Haiti: One Year After the Quake

2011-01-11T19:26:00-05:00

Festival of Hope

2011-01-10T14:08:00-05:00

Thousands of Haitians heard Franklin Graham proclaim the Gospel at the National Soccer Stadium in Port-au-Prince on January 9. Hundreds responded to the invitation to trust in Jesus Christ for eternal life after the message and worship led by Christian artists Michael W. Smith, LeCrae, Dennis Agajanian, and the Tommy Coomes Band. The festival, coordinated by the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, was given in response to an invitation from Haitian pastors, calling for their nation to turn to Christ.

Franklin Graham & Operation Christmas Child in Haiti

2011-01-10T13:49:00-05:00

Franklin Graham helped pass out gift-filled shoe boxes to nearly 500 children at the Evangelist Church of Nazon, Haiti on January 7, 2011. The gifts brought joy and the hope of the Gospel to hundreds of children who have been suffering from the effects of last year's earthquake that devastated the nation on January 12, 2010. Many of these children have lost family members and friends from the disaster and are still living in squalid conditions. Samaritan's Purse plans to distribute 250,000 shoe boxes in Haiti this year through our Operation Christmas Child project.

2010 Year in Pictures

2010-12-27T03:25:01-05:00

The ministry of Samaritan's Purse captured by our dedicated team of photojournalists

Delivering Comfort and Joy

2010-12-24T02:20:01-05:00

Operation Christmas Child shoe box gifts brought smiles to the faces of hundreds of Haitian children in December. About 300 boxes were delivered to boys and girls at the Cabaret Baptist Children’s Home, located near our cholera treatment clinic in Bercy. The following day we gave gifts to 500 children at a church in Titanyen, where Samaritan’s Purse built a shelter community. Additional shoe box distributions will be held in January.

Faces of Sudan

2010-12-17T01:42:01-05:00

Honduras- Animals & Agriculture

2010-12-06T15:41:10-05:00

Haiti - Cholera spreads and the need increases

2010-11-22T17:42:33-05:00

Haiti: Cholera Epidemic Rises

2010-11-16T19:24:00-05:00

Operation Christmas Child Spreads Hope in Sudan

2010-11-15T15:11:01-05:00

Children in Lainya often play with artillery shell casings they find buried in the tall grass outside their homes and churches. The “toys” serve as deadly reminders of a civil war that ended in Sudan just five years ago. But a growing sense of hope and renewal is spreading across the nation today. In 2010, more than 1,500 children in the Lainya area received gift filled shoe boxes through Operation Christmas Child distributions at four churches that had been destroyed during the war, but rebuilt by Samaritan’s Purse. Church leaders like Pastor Rufus Leri at St. Lazarus Church welcomed the opportunity to minister to the children in the church and the community. “The children are the foundation of the church,” he said. “Without the children, there is no hope for the future. We need to teach them about the Lord.”

Hurricane Mitch - 12 Year Anniversary

2010-10-28T19:13:45-05:00

Samaritan's Purse began working in Honduras in 1998 in response to Hurricane Mitch. We are still there 12 years later, meeting the needs of vulnerable people. Our work includes health programs for families, clean water and sanitation projects, livestock and livelihood programs, support for orphanages, and the Children's Heart Project.

Reggie Peterson - Operation Christmas Child

2010-10-11T19:16:00-05:00

Decorated World War II veteran now a "soldier" for Operation Christmas Child.

North Korea Flood Relief

2010-09-14T17:45:00-05:00

Samaritan’s Purse airlifted some 90 tons of relief supplies to the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea to help victims of massive flooding. The 747 cargo plane landed in Pyongyang on September 2nd. The next day the supplies were on their way to the affected areas.

Hurricane Katrina Relief - 5 years and still working

2010-08-26T18:41:00-05:00

The Hurricane Katrina response proved to be the biggest in the history of the Samaritan's Purse North American Disaster Relief program. Over 13,000 volunteers from 49 states and Canada worked out of seven sites from Alabama to Louisiana to help more than 9,500 families recover from the storm. On the five-year anniversary of the storm, crews are still working in New Orleans, building and refurbishing houses.

Disabled Childrens Ministry - Kurdistan, Iraq

2010-08-03T17:43:00-05:00

Samaritan's Purse is giving wheelchairs to disabled children and is supporting a special education center in Halabja, Iraq. This Kurdish area was bombed and gassed by Saddam Hussein's military forces on March 16, 1988. The attack killed 5,000 men, women, and children and inflicted many more with long-term illnesses and disabilities. The Kurdish people have been slowly rebuilding their homes and lives for over 20 years. In this small community, there are about 4,500 children who can’t leave their homes due to disabilities.

Haiti 6 Months After the Quake-Outreach

2010-07-16T19:09:23-05:00

Samaritan’s Purse works through local church partners to provide help for quake victims. A home church and a children’s Bible class were started in the Lafiteau shelter community.

Haiti 6 Months After the Quake- Shelters From Above

2010-07-15T15:58:00-05:00

Haiti 6 Months After the Quake- Food Program Continues

2010-07-12T12:00:00-05:00

Operation Christmas Child - Trinidad

2010-07-12T11:43:00-05:00

The Greatest Journey in Trinidad

2010-07-12T11:35:00-05:00

Haiti: 6 Months After the Quake- Cite Soleil Clinic

2010-07-07T17:46:01-05:00

Haiti 6 Month Update 1

2010-07-06T13:56:00-05:00

Shelters built by Samaritan's Purse are providing a safe haven for more than 2,000 families.

Cameroon, West Africa- Operation Christmas Child

2010-06-21T18:40:00-05:00

To the ends of the earth.....

Searching for Broken Hearts – Kurdistan, Iraq

2010-05-24T16:26:00-05:00

A Children’s Heart Project Team served in Kurdistan this month to do heart screenings, echoes, and catheter procedures. The doctors went into elementary schools in the villages, where 60 percent of the population consists of widows and orphans, and screened over 1,500 children for heart defects. If any of the children’s’ heart beats seemed suspicious, they were sent to the new local community center for additional examinations. At the Samaritan’s Purse-funded center, Children’s Heart Project cardiologists Kirk Milhoan and Mary Porisch performed 127 heart echoes. Thirty-eight children were identified as good candidates for heart surgery.

Nashville Flood Relief

2010-05-07T18:54:00-05:00

Samaritan’s Purse staff and volunteers are helping people impacted by historic flooding in Tennessee. We have established two bases for relief operations in the Nashville area.

Riding High For The Master

2010-04-21T19:07:00-05:00

Samaritan's Purse recently teamed with Riding High Ministries to conduct an all-day instructional clinic at Angola Prison in Louisiana. Professional rodeo cowboys taught techniques to inmates who participate in the prison's annual rodeo, while also sharing the love of Christ.

A photo essay of HOPE - HIV/AIDS projects

2010-04-16T16:30:01-05:00

At Samaritan's Purse, we see the HIV/AIDS crisis as more than a disease--it is an unprecedented responsibility to demonstrate Christ-like love, compassion, and grace to a world that may not otherwise hear or experience this message. There is hope for people living with HIV/AIDS. Our prayer is that these photos and stories will move you from observation to involvement in bringing the Good News of Jesus Christ to those who suffer.

Shelter From the Coming Storms

2010-04-01T17:45:00-05:00

Temporary shelters now being built in Haiti will replace makeshift tents, providing better protection during the coming rainy season. These images show the new shelters being built, contrasted with the camps that will soon be replaced.

Temporary Shelters for Haiti

2010-03-26T14:43:00-05:00

As the rainy season approaches, Samaritan's Purse is meeting critical needs by providing sturdy, temporary shelters for hundreds of quake-stricken families.

Bible College Graduation - Nuba Moutains, Sudan

2010-03-23T17:09:00-05:00

A Bible school built by Samaritan’s Purse in the Nuba Mountains of Sudan graduated its first class in 2010. Franklin Graham and Sami Dagher, a ministry partner who organized the school and sends teachers from seminaries in Lebanon and Syria, were on hand for the ceremony.

Turkana Feeding Program - Northern Kenya

2010-03-06T18:28:00-05:00

Since 2006, Samaritan's Purse has been working to reduce deaths due to malnutrition among children and pregnant and nursing women. Twenty nine feeding centers in northern Kenya's drought-stricken Turkana district have been established and special high-nutrition food has been provided to malnourished infants and children. Through this feeding program, God has made a way for evangelistic outreach to people who know little or nothing about the Gospel. Many of them have come to faith in Jesus Christ, giving up their traditional African religions, and are now involved in local churches. One village chief said, “The mothers of the children are thanking God for this program.”

Haiti Relief - Food Distribution

2010-02-22T20:12:00-05:00

On Saturday, February 20th Samaritan's Purse provided 145 tons of food to 5,791 families—the largest single distribution we have conducted since the earthquake. The total amount of food distributed through this project since Jan. 31 is 1,474 tons to 60,601 families/353,646 people in Cite Soleil.

Hope For Sudan

2010-02-22T17:38:00-05:00

Pray for the nation of Sudan.

Haiti Relief- Simple Hygiene Saves Lives

2010-02-16T19:18:00-05:00

Samaritan’s Purse is providing clean water, latrines, health education, and personal hygiene workshops for people living in tent camps. Children attend a hand washing workshop to reduce the spread of waterborne diseases.

Haiti Relief- Baptist Haiti Mission Hospital

2010-02-16T13:30:00-05:00

Samaritan's Purse sent emergency medical teams to Baptist Haiti Mission Hospital to help people who were seriously injured during the January 12 earthquake. More than 4,000 people have been treated at the hospital.

Haiti Relief- 3 Days of Fasting + Prayer

2010-02-15T18:14:00-05:00

Haitian President Rene Preval canceled traditional Carnival celebrations. Instead, Christians across the nation crowded into local churches for three days of fasting and prayer.

Haiti Relief- The Second Barge Arrives

2010-02-12T20:23:00-05:00

The second barge full of supplies arrives in Haiti. Samaritan's Purse team members work 24 hours straight to unload.

Haiti Relief- Cite Soleil Medical Clinic

2010-02-12T19:57:00-05:00

The second stage of Haiti’s medical emergency has begun, with diarrheal illnesses, acute respiratory infections, and malnutrition beginning to claim lives by the dozen. Samaritan's Purse has restored a neighborhood clinic in Cite Soleil where a World Medical Missions volunteer team has arrived and is seeing around 100 patients a day.

The Greatest Journey

2010-02-11T21:35:00-05:00

The follow-up discipleship program is a three-step program that equips local churches and ministry partners to help children become faithful followers of Christ.

Haiti Relief- Rubble Removal

2010-02-11T18:38:00-05:00

These are some of the people that Samaritan's Purse will be helping as we remove rubble and clear the way for rebuilding in Haiti.

Haiti Relief - Water Filters

2010-02-11T16:14:00-05:00

Samaritan's Purse provides clean water, along with health and hygiene education, in Haiti. It's one of the best measures we can take in preventing infectious disease.

Franklin Graham Visits Haiti

2010-02-08T14:52:01-05:00

Franklin Graham traveled to Haiti to review project sites in Leogane and Grand Goave.

Haiti Relief Day 20

2010-02-04T13:52:00-05:00

Samaritan's Purse continues to work through churches in Haiti to bring relief to the suffering people of that nation. Demolition work continues on a church that will be restored and become a center of distribution and care for the surrounding community.

Haiti Relief : Day 19

2010-02-02T12:55:01-05:00

Samaritan's Purse demolition work began today at a church in the Cite Soliel area of Port-au-Prince. The walls of the church, which fell during the quake, will be rebuilt and the church will become a major distribution center and health clinic for the surrounding community.

Haiti Relief : Day 18

2010-02-01T11:25:00-05:00

Samaritan's Purse is participating in a program to distribute 42 metric tons of rice to hungry families daily for the next two weeks. On day one, more than 3,300 families received bags of rice.

The Barge Arrives- Haiti Relief Day 17

2010-01-31T16:01:00-05:00

A barge carrying 400 tons of emergency relief supplies and heavy equipment arrived in Port-au-Prince on Friday. The new materials reached the island just in time to fuel major distributions.

Haiti Relief : Day 17

2010-01-30T03:02:00-05:00

People struggling for survival in the slums of Port-au-Prince received an infusion of hope and a reminder of God’s love when Samaritan’s Purse distributed 1,000 family emergency relief kits through a local church. The streets of the community became a sea of Samaritan’s Purse blue as people headed back to their homes with shelter materials, blankets, family hygiene kits, and collapsible water containers.

Haiti Relief :: Day 16

2010-01-29T16:06:00-05:00

Survivors in the slums of Port-au-Prince and surrounding communities are finding new hope as Samaritan's Purse teams deliver, food, clean water, shelter materials, hygiene kits, and other relief items.

Haiti Relief :: Day 15

2010-01-28T03:05:00-05:00

Today we visited people living in tent-camps around the areas of Leogane and Bolosse. There are still tremendous needs everywhere.

Haiti Earthquake Relief

2010-01-18T15:23:00-05:00

The first week of relief work following the earthquake that struck Haiti on January 12th. Samaritan's Purse teams deployed within hours and began working with our ministry partners including Baptist Haiti Mission to provide medical help for victims of the quake.

North Carolina Ice Storm Relief

2009-12-25T13:53:00-05:00

Samaritan's Purse Disaster Relief responds to Christmas Day ice storm in North Carolina's High Country.

Bangladesh World Medical Mission

2009-11-30T13:35:00-05:00

Baptist Memorial Christian Hospital. Bangladesh.

Samoa Tsunami Relief

2009-11-23T18:19:00-05:00

Samaritan's Purse Disaster Relief providing supplies and assistance to the people of Samoa after a devastating Tsunami.

Philippines Flood Relief

2009-11-20T12:42:01-05:00

Samaritan's Purse disaster relief responds to severe flooding in the Philippines.