Updated: May 21 with video on May 23 Samaritan’s Purse has deployed to Lake Charles, Louisiana, after torrential rain caused serious flooding across the southern part of the state. As much as 12.5 inches of rain fell in 24 hours in Lake Charles, where people are still recovering from two hurricanes (Delta and Laura) that…
Franklin Graham in Florida to Encourage Homeowners and Volunteers
Samaritan’s Purse President Franklin Graham traveled to Lee County, Florida, on Thursday, Oct. 6, where Hurricane Ian took dead aim last week and pummeled the Fort Myers area as a Category 4 storm. More than 100 people were killed, and at least hundreds of homes were either ripped apart or flooded. One resident described it…
Crisis & Disaster Response
College Students Volunteer, Help Florida Widow
When Thelma Reynolds, 87, returned to her home after Hurricane Ian ripped through her North Port, Florida, neighborhood, she was shocked by what she discovered—her house was in shambles. “We were on what they call the ‘dirty side’ of the storm, which rotated counterclockwise, and it just sat here for several hours,” she said. “It…
Crisis & Disaster Response
Florida Man Rescued Just in Time
As Hurricane Idalia barreled toward Florida’s Gulf Coast, Samaritan’s Purse U.S. Disaster Relief specialists prepositioned two Disaster Relief Units full of supplies in Georgia. The Category 3 hurricane soon made landfall on Wednesday morning, Aug. 30, near Keaton Beach in Florida’s Big Bend region with 125-mph winds and a record storm surge. The team prayed…
Crisis & Disaster Response
Water Filtration Systems Deployed to the Asheville Area
Samaritan’s Purse is once again expanding relief efforts in western North Carolina with the deployment of community water filtration systems to the town of Swannanoa and other hard-hit areas. Designed by a Samaritan’s Purse team of engineers, each water system can provide up to 50,000 liters of clean water daily—enough for 10,000 people. These units…
Crisis & Disaster Response
Finding Joy in Jesus After the Storm
Winds roared through Scott’s quiet neighborhood in the heart of Valdosta, Georgia, as Hurricane Helene pushed north past Florida and into the Peach State. In the dark night sky, the towering pines overhead crashed down onto his house, bursting through the ceiling as he and his wife, Terri, huddled in the bathroom. “If you look…
Crisis & Disaster Response
Volunteers Serve a Carolina Family Mourning Terrible Loss
Nothing remained where her sister’s home once stood. No furniture, clothes, or kitchen dishes. Anna Wiebe and her husband, Ryan, stood in silence as they stared at the expanse of water that now consumed the family’s property. Neither knew what to say. “I was numb and in disbelief. I couldn’t believe that this was happening,”…
Crisis & Disaster Response
Edward Graham Encourages Volunteers Serving in Florida Panhandle
UPDATE (May 1, 2019): Our disaster relief response has concluded, with nearly 3,000 volunteers serving more than 1,200 homeowners. We praise God that 125 people came to faith in Jesus Christ during this response. We will also soon begin rebuilding homes in the Panhandle. Edward Graham, son of Samaritan’s Purse President Franklin Graham, recently traveled…
Crisis & Disaster Response
Spring Breakers Make a Big Difference in Texas
Spring break is a time-honored college tradition. It’s a chance for students to get some well-deserved rest and relaxation, typically by lounging at the beach, splashing in the waves, and soaking up the sun. But Isaiah Wiese, a freshman at John Brown University in Arkansas, didn’t have his toes stuck in the sand during this…
Crisis & Disaster Response
Volunteers in Florida Lead Dying Air Force Veteran to Christ
Robbie Bushway can tell you how God moves in mysterious ways—just ask him. His father, Bob, had hardened his heart for years, yet came to faith in Christ thanks to a violent hurricane. A 74-year-old Vietnam veteran, Bob was sick with lung disease and unwilling to evacuate when the fury of Hurricane Michael tore through…
