Hours before the storm Willie Godfrey’s dogs started digging, and Willie wondered why—but not for long. Only minutes before noon on Easter Sunday an EF-3 tornado touched down in West Monroe, Louisiana, and carved a six-mile path across the community heading directly for the Godfreys’ home. “The dogs know. They know,” Willie said. “Now I…
Samaritan’s Purse Completes Work in Tornado-Devastated Texas
Samaritan’s Purse volunteer teams have completed work in Onalaska, Texas, where homeowners were recovering after an EF3 tornado packing 140 mile per hour winds tore through several neighborhoods in the late afternoon of April 22. More than 370 volunteers joined our efforts to help these hurting homeowners in Jesus’ Name by clearing fallen trees and…
Celebrating God’s Work Through Our Volunteers in Tennessee
About the time the tornado warning sounded on her phone, Mallary Netterville heard the trees snapping in her yard. The only other warning would be the flickering lights. “The lights flickered. Then they flickered again. Then the power went out,” Mallary said. “Then it hit.” Part of a tree punched a hole in the roof…
Franklin Graham Travels to Chattanooga to See Tornado Recovery Efforts
Samaritan’s Purse President Franklin Graham traveled to hard-hit Chattanooga, Tennessee, today to encourage homeowners in the aftermath of recent tornadoes that battered communities in 10 states across the South. “It looks like a bomb went off. It’s a mess here,” Graham said. “But Samaritan’s Purse has an army of volunteers working in these communities. We…
Samaritan’s Purse Responding to Flooding in Michigan
Samaritan’s Purse has volunteers and staff working on the ground in central Michigan, in Midland County, where heavy rains and the failure of two dams caused a 500-year flood event. One of our Disaster Relief Units—a tractor trailer loaded with relief supplies and equipment—has been deployed and is stationed at our church base, Calvary Baptist…
Samaritan’s Purse Completes Work in Bowie, Texas
An EF-1 tornado sliced through the town of Bowie, Texas, on Friday, May 22, damaging dozens of homes. Soon after, Samaritan’s Purse volunteers were busy clearing yards and homes of trees and debris and placing tarps on storm-damaged roofs. We assisted homeowners throughout Montague County, working in Jesus’ Name to help hurting people. We completed…
Michigan Is Blessed by the Hard Work of Our Volunteers
A day before the floodwaters arrived, James Mrdutt received a text from local authorities warning that the water was headed for his community in Midland, Michigan. Sure enough, the next evening, the water poured in and inundated neighborhoods with water, silt, and mud. The Mrdutts were among thousands of homeowners who experienced the devastation of…
It’s Good to Be Back Home Again
Ever since Hurricane Harvey hit southeast Texas in 2017, Francisca Castañeda has wondered where to call home. The house she’d lived in for 12 years in La Grange, west of Houston, was condemned shortly after the storm, which dumped more than 60 inches of rain on some areas of the Lone Star State. “There was…
Flood Relief Work Completed in Midland, Michigan
Over the weekend, our volunteer teams in Midland, Michigan, completed work on flooded homes in the area. Over the course of our relief work, nearly 1,500 volunteers joined our relief efforts and completed clean up and recovery on 315 homes. We praise God for at least 49 salvations, many seeds planted, and many people blessed…
Samaritan’s Purse Responding to Eastern Carolina Tornado
Samaritan’s Purse has deployed to Bertie County in Eastern North Carolina after a devastating EF-3 tornado tore through the area early on the morning of Aug. 4. The tornado, spawned by Hurricane Isaias, reached maximum sustained winds of 145 mph and destroyed homes and killed two people. At least 20 have been injured. Staff, vehicles,…