As Hurricane Maria roared ashore at 6:15 a.m. last September 20, pummeling the municipality of Yabucoa, Puerto Rico, Raul Diaz huddled inside his parent’s house. He watched in horror as Maria’s powerful winds ripped the roof off of his own nearby home. The storm then also took with it his balcony and half of the…
Crisis & Disaster Response
Finding Hope in a Heartbeat
Bethy and her husband Gustavo have been living on the streets of San Pedro Sula, Honduras, for weeks. Hurricane Eta’s heavy rains flooded their home, forcing them to seek temporary refuge elsewhere. “It was so scary,” Gustavo said. “We had to set an alarm every 25 minutes to wake up and see what the water…
Crisis & Disaster Response
Volunteer Teams Help the Hurting as Louisiana Starts Long Recovery
On Oct. 9, Hurricane Delta inundated the Gulf Coast—bringing high winds approaching 100 mph and heavy rains up to 17 inches in some places. The powerful storm ripped up a path nearly identical to that of Hurricane Laura, an even more powerful Category 4 storm that hit just six weeks earlier. In the wake of…
Crisis & Disaster Response
Service Is a Calling for Volunteers in Hurricane-Devastated Florida
SIGN UP TO VOLUNTEER Hurricane Michael pummeled the Florida Panhandle two months ago today, yet in Panama City and other areas the effects of the storm are still being felt. Hundreds of people are living in tents. Large trees still lay on punctured roofs, allowing rain to pour into homes. A major employer has announced…
As Our Work Continues, a Fourth Airlift Carries Teams, Supplies to Caribbean
In our ongoing and expanding relief efforts in four Caribbean locations, multiple DC-8 airlifts to Carriacou and Jamaica have carried in relief and medical supplies and personnel. We praise God for how He continues to work through our staff and partner churches to bring hope to hurting communities and remind Caribbean islanders that they are…
Crisis & Disaster Response
Widows Give Thanks for Help with Hurricane Cleanup
SIGN UP TO VOLUNTEER FOR OUR HURRICANE FLORENCE RESPONSE Mary Kerns wasn’t taking any chances. The last time, almost 20 years ago, a major hurricane threatened her hometown, she ended up being rescued out of waist-deep water in her home. So, a week ago, when Hurricane Florence roared into Jacksonville, Mary packed some clothes and…
Crisis & Disaster Response
Relief Arriving in Puerto Rico After Hurricane Fiona
Update for Sept. 23: Samaritan’s Purse is responding in Puerto Rico where Hurricane Fiona hit Sept. 17-18 as a Category 1 storm, tearing through the southern and western parts of the island. We airlifted over 16 tons of emergency relief supplies to Puerto Rico on Thursday, Sept. 22. Materials included 2,200 shelter tarps; two community…
Relief Efforts Expand to South Carolina; Work Continues on Tar Heel Coast
SIGN UP TO VOLUNTEER FOR OUR HURRICANE FLORENCE RESPONSE As Samaritan’s Purse continues to assist homeowners in three different cities in North Carolina following Hurricane Florence, we are responding to calls for help in South Carolina. Staff and a disaster relief unit—a tractor trailer filled with equipment and supplies—have been sent to Horry County, where…
Volunteers in Georgia Described as a ‘Yard Full of Angels’
SIGN UP TO VOLUNTEER FOR OUR HURRICANE RESPONSES Families in Albany, Georgia, are no strangers to natural disasters. Samaritan’s Purse first responded in the southern Georgia town after a string of severe storms and a tornado devastated the community in January 2017. Now, this month, less than two years later, Hurricane Michael decimated Albany, leaving…
Crisis & Disaster Response
Samaritan’s Purse Continues Work in the Devastated Bahamas
Roland counted 15 dead bodies floating in the water the day after Hurricane Dorian finally released the Abaco Islands from its deadly grip. The storm completely flattened every home in Roland’s neighborhood. “Nothing is here. I have no place to live. I have no job,” he said. The restaurant where Roland worked is gone. The…
