Strong Hand of Love

Hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans who have fled to Colombia in recent years are crying out to God for help. They are like Peter sinking in the waves of the Sea of Galilee, says Hans Peña, Samaritan's Purse ministry program coordinator in Colombia. But, just as Jesus reached out His hand to lift up His disciple, God is offering help and showing His lovingkindness to these migrant families.

Samaritan's Purse is bringing food baskets, or mercados, to those living from hand-to-mouth each day. “These mercados are a demonstration of God's extended hand,” Peña recently told dozens of migrants at a church in Cúcuta.

Desireé and her young daughter were grateful to be among those who received a food basket filled with corn meal, rice, flour, beans, canned tuna, powdered milk, salt, sugar, and oil. “Thank you for the food package,” she said.

“It was such a great blessing from God.”

Desireé and her husband, who was studying to be a math teacher, left Venezuela about three years ago because they couldn't support themselves in a freefalling economy with violent crime on the rise. While moving to Colombia has helped in some ways, they still face many challenges. They are barely getting by as Desireé makes handmade hair bows to sell and her husband works at a hardware store.

“We have seen Jesus in every situation, in every person, in every support we have received.”

“It's been really difficult because we had to leave our family there, and we're not used to it here,“ Desireé told us, tearing up as she talked about her grandmother, mother, uncles, and cousins left behind in Venezuela.

Nonetheless, her faith sustains her across the border. “We have seen Jesus in every situation, in every person, in every support we have received,” she said.

As our team in Colombia reaches out to those in physical and spiritual need, we are offering food for today and telling them about Jesus, the bread of God.

“For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”

Please check out our Christmas catalog to discover ways that you can help those who need emergency relief.