It was an extraordinary September Saturday for children and their families on New Orleans’ North Shore of Lake Pontchartrain. Around 100 participants from 11 churches in the area gathered at Crossgate Church in Robert for the first annual Operation Christmas Child Kids’ Summit. Organized by volunteer area coordinator Beth Hiller of River Fellowship in nearby…
Crisis & Disaster Response
Samaritan’s Purse Responding After Storms Bash Western Tennessee
Samaritan’s Purse is on the ground in Adamsville, Tennessee, where strong storms and straightline winds damaged 70 percent of communities in McNairy County in the western part of the state. Volunteers are assisting homeowners, including a large number of elderly residents, whose homes and property have been damaged by large trees and debris. Our teams…
Crisis & Disaster Response
Samaritan’s Purse Deploys to Mississippi After Deadly Storms Spin Through the South
Samaritan’s Purse North American Ministries (NAM) is deploying to DeSoto County, Mississippi, where Governor Phil Bryant has declared a state of emergency after two tornadoes caused extensive damage on Saturday morning (Jan. 11). Billy Graham Rapid Response Team chaplains will be joining us on the ground for this response as well. The National Weather Service…
Crisis & Disaster Response
Residents Grateful for Volunteer Help After Mississippi Tornadoes
Alonzo and Sarah Lee Thompson were awakened the morning of Jan. 11 when a tornado hit their home and ripped through their community. “I will never forget it. It sounded like dynamite,” Alonzo shared. “I can’t explain how it felt, it just happened so quick, and then the lights went out.” In response to devastating…
Crisis & Disaster Response
Mississippi Homeowner Recalls Terrifying Tornado, Gives Thanks for Volunteers
After a powerful EF2 tornado ripped off her home’s roof, Sue Williams was overjoyed to welcome an army of Samaritan’s Purse volunteers on her devastated Mississippi property. “It’s a gift from God. They are absolutely a Godsend,” she said. “I was standing out here in the yard this morning, and they offered to help when…
Crisis & Disaster Response
‘Hope in Orange Shirts’
For weeks, dark smoke clung to the horizon in the southern Australian territory of Victoria—the wilderness was on fire. Nearby families desperately attempted to remove unnecessary brush from their properties, knowing it would serve as instant kindling should the wind shift and the fire barrel towards their homes. Rob and Shan Hutchings were no exception.…
Crisis & Disaster Response
After Terrible Flooding, Oregon Residents Need Help
UPDATE: For a more recent article about our Oregon response, go here. Residents of Umatilla County and other parts of northeastern Oregon suffered through historic flooding on Feb. 6 and 7. Hundreds of homes were damaged, while roads and bridges were washed out. A 62-year-old woman died as water swept through her property. Two days…
Samaritan’s Purse Responding in Flooded Mississippi
Samaritan’s Purse staff have deployed to Jackson, Mississippi, to help hurting homeowners as many houses were recently inundated by the Pearl River. Waters crested at 36.7 feet—the third highest mark on record and a height not seen on the waterway in nearly four decades. A Samaritan’s Purse U.S. Disaster Relief Unit—a tractor trailer filled with…
Residents Give Thanks as Volunteers Lend a Hand in Eastern Oregon
“The storm was just supposed to be rain for two days. It was not supposed to be a big deal,” shared homeowner Russ Clinkenbeard. “It was so surprising how fast it happened.” Some eight to ten inches of water burst into his home as he tended to his 2-year-old son while his wife was at…
Volunteers Eager to Serve After Pearl River Floods in Mississippi
Samaritan’s Purse is on the ground near Jackson, Mississippi, providing relief to families who are struggling after the Pearl River recently flooded. Volunteers from across the U.S. are helping families clear their property of debris, remove waterlogged drywall and insulation, and salvage any personal belongings that may have survived the floodwaters. Inspired to serve in…
