Terror, violence, and death weren’t supposed to follow him home. Army Staff Sergeant Josh Abbatoye thought he’d left war on the battlefields of Iraq and Afghanistan. Throughout multiple deployments in a 17-year military career he’d survived eight traumatic brain injuries, five improvised explosive devices (IEDs), and a rocket-propelled grenade that left shrapnel stuck in his…
Discipleship, Education & Training
Marriage Ministry Helps Marine Couple at Perfect Time
Samaritan’s Purse launched Operation Heal Our Patriots to minister to military service members wounded after 9/11. Our commitment to these couples starts with a week of Biblically based marriage classes and wilderness excursions in the pristine wilderness surrounding Lake Clark National Park. After they come home from what for many is a life-changing experience, Samaritan’s…
Wounded Veterans and Their Spouses Discover Hope in Christ
The metal bracelet on Army Sergeant Justin Gallagher’s wrist, light as it was, had weighed on him for years. It was “like an anchor,” he said, because he had returned home from Iraq and three of his friends had not. Just before Christmas 2006, during operations in Fallujah, Iraq, a bomb detonated near two of…
Edward Graham Volunteers in Louisiana with Team Patriot
Edward Graham traveled this week to southwest Louisiana to encourage Samaritan’s Purse teams as they come alongside hurting homeowners. Many communities in the Bayou State are still struggling to recover after powerful hurricanes pummeled the area in recent months. Hurricane Delta slammed ashore as a Category 2 storm in early October and hit just a…
Discipleship, Education & Training
Operation Heal Our Patriots Kicks off Summer Season
May 27 Update: Ten wounded military personnel and their spouses arrived at Samaritan Lodge Alaska on Sunday, May 26. These first couples of the season are already going through Biblically based marriage training and enjoying wilderness excursions. One husband and wife received the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior on Sunday night. On Memorial Day, the…
Discipleship, Education & Training
Veterans Day 2018: Operation Heal Our Patriots Refreshes Military Couples
When Army Sergeant Larry Kaibetoney and his wife Chani touched down at Samaritan Lodge Alaska this summer, it was the first time either of them had been welcomed by an American flag-waving crowd. “When we landed and there were all these people here who came out to meet us, I felt energized. I felt welcome.…
Discipleship, Education & Training
A New Season of Operation Heal Our Patriots Begins in Alaska
As we honor our fallen U.S. heroes over Memorial Day weekend, we welcomed the first group of military couples to Alaska for the Operation Heal Our Patriots summer season. “Each year we get to see God work powerfully in the lives of these couples,” said Franklin Graham, President of Samaritan’s Purse. “God has been faithful…
Discipleship, Education & Training
Operation Heal Our Patriots Starts Summer Season in Alaska
The 10th season of Operation Heal Our Patriots began Memorial Day weekend as we welcomed the first planeloads of wounded veterans and their spouses to Samaritan Lodge Alaska. The couples will participate in a week of relationship building through chaplain-led marriage classes as well as excursions such as fishing, hiking, kayaking, and wildlife viewing. On…
Crisis & Disaster Response
Vera’s Journals: Seeing God on the Frontlines
As our partners go into Ukraine’s red zone delivering aid on behalf of Samaritan’s Purse, Vera accompanies some of them to translate. Excerpts of her journal entries, which follow, show the horrors of war yet illustrate how God is present and active even where the battles rage. November 4, 2022 A stream of light breaks…
Crisis & Disaster Response
Delivering Emergency Food to Ukraine
As the war in Ukraine continues well past 1,000 days, Samaritan’s Purse remains in the embattled nation where we have served since the beginning of the conflict. Our staff and partners are supplying bags of food to families near the frontlines in order to curb the ache of hunger and encourage them to persevere. In…
