Former Army Sergeant Trey Moye and his wife Lindsay were struggling in their marriage after he left the military. “When you transition from active duty military to civilian life you feel alone,” Trey said. “You bring pain back and anxiety. It’s a tough transition.” In early July, Trey and Lindsay attended Operation Heal Our Patriots,…
Celebrating a Season of Changed Lives
As the year’s last two flights of veterans and spouses lifted off on Friday (Sept. 23), the 11th summer season of Operation Heal Our Patriots in Alaska came to an end, and we thank God for the wonderful, grace-filled testimonies these couples now have to share. Over the course of 17 weeks, 164 couples came…
Forgiveness and Forgiving
Army Sergeant James Sizemore and his wife, Krystle, were already best friends when they were married 10 years ago. James had already left the Army, but he struggled with post-traumatic stress after deploying during Operation Iraqi Freedom. Krystle encouraged him to seek help, and this allowed James to work on his mental health so the…
Discipleship, Education & Training
Military Couples Begin New Chapter in Alaska
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…
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…
Stepping Out in Faith in Alaska
Olga Patterson had already waded out with our chaplains into Lake Clark, shivering and smiling in the waist-deep, glacier-fed waters during a particularly cold season at Samaritan Lodge Alaska. It had only been a few weeks or so since the snow had stopped falling on the surrounding peaks. She probably couldn’t have picked colder water.…
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
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
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
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…
