Bringing the Hope of the Gospel to the Frontlines in Ukraine

Dear Friend,

Samaritan's Purse recently had the opportunity to host former Vice President Mike Pence in Ukraine, where he met our teams and evangelical church partners as they attend to emergency needs and bring the hope of the Gospel to a country that has been under siege for 500 days.

Seven out of nine people in Ukraine say they have known someone who was killed or wounded. Yet our church partners have been steadfast and worked relentlessly to meet the needs of those who are hurting.

My son Edward accompanied Vice President Mike Pence as they visited our projects and talked with families we've helped. They also had the opportunity to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The president said he had seen blue Samaritan's Purse tarps securing damaged houses, and he asked for our help and expertise in providing drinkable water.

Samaritan's Purse teams were among the first on the scene to rescue flood victims following the disastrous breach of the Kakhovka Dam in June. In the wake of the flood, we're on guard against outbreaks of cholera, working to make sure Ukrainian doctors have the supplies and medicines they need.

Our relief projects in Ukraine go deep into the "red" zones, where families are still living in contested places that are vulnerable to attack. Just after Vice President Mike Pence's visit, one of our water projects was hit by a missile. We are thankful that no one was injured, and we are working to make repairs so people can get clean water again.

Samaritan's Purse has drilled 22 wells and provided 68 million liters of water in Ukraine, and we have distributed 186 million pounds of food through our church partners. We have also distributed 169,000 Bibles in the Ukrainian language.

Some 13.8 million people—close to one-third of Ukraine's prewar population—have received food, water, medical care, or other assistance provided by Samaritan's Purse, thanks to the generosity and prayers of God's people.

Listen Again: For months, Samaritan’s Purse worked in an undisclosed location in Ukraine—a liberated city just miles from the frontlines. Now, it’s finally safe to share that story with the world. In this episode we take you to an Emergency Field Hospital hidden in a bunker. Patients share what it was like to live in the aftermath of war and the hope they’re experiencing now.

As we work in the strong Name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we want Ukrainians to know that God loves them and has not forgotten them. Vice President Mike Pence went out of his way to personally pray with many Ukrainians. He told one family we have helped: "You prayed, and you weren't afraid. Your bravery inspires me."

The network of church partners was developed through our Operation Christmas Child project in Ukraine. We're also exporting some of our U.S. disaster relief expertise to clean mud and mold out of flooded houses so families can return home. Pray that the church in Ukraine will not grow weary in doing good and will not lose heart (Galatians 6:9).

Thank you for your prayers and support.

ALASKA: Building a church on America's last frontier

I recently had the opportunity to visit the coastal village of Koyuk, Alaska, where Samaritan's Purse is building a new church for the community. Koyuk is one of the last stops on the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, 170 miles from the finish line in Nome. If you're not a musher, the only ways to get there are by boat or small plane; there are no roads or highways.

Koyuk is home to about 300 Inupiat people and just one church, with a very weather-beaten 40-year-old sanctuary that needs to be replaced. "This is a huge undertaking to build a church in such a remote location," Pastor Don Cross said. But at Samaritan's Purse, we trust the Lord to work in difficult circumstances. This will be the 11th church we've built on the Alaskan frontier.

All the construction materials had to be shipped aboard an ocean-going barge, and Samaritan's Purse has flown in teams of skilled volunteers to build a new sanctuary designed to withstand Alaskan winters. The long summer days this close to the Arctic Circle have enabled our teams to make great progress, and we look forward to seeing the congregation moving into its new home soon and becoming a beacon for the Gospel in the entire village. Everyone in Koyuk is so excited to see what the Lord is doing!

Thank you for your prayers and support for Samaritan's Purse as we work in Jesus' Name around the world, from the frontlines in Ukraine to the frontier of Alaska. May God richly bless you.

Sincerely,
Franklin Graham