On the Ground with Samaritan's Purse

Revival After Disaster Nov 15, 2024

When a storm hits in our lives, we always have a choice of how we react. Are we going to shut down and let fear paralyze us? Or, do we see the opportunity in it? This week, Kristy Graham shares how disasters often open the door for revival. Hear how the Church is stepping up in places like Brazil and Jamaica to share the Gospel with their neighbors in the wake of disasters.
Resources:

Read about how leaders found rest and renewed vision for ministry in flooded Brazil.
Hear more stories from Jamaica in the wake of Hurricane Beryl.
Listen to “God Can Use It” to hear from Tim Lee, a Vietnam veteran, who shares his story of resiliency.

God Can Use It Nov 08, 2024

Oftentimes, we don’t choose the path that the Lord has for us. We don’t choose hard circumstances, but God can use it. He can use everything in our lives—good and bad—for His glory. In honor of Veteran’s Day, Kristy Graham talks with Tim Lee, a Vietnam veteran, whose story of resiliency and trust is an example of this.
Resources:

Learn more about Operation Heal Our Patriots.
Hear more of Tim Lee’s story when he shared at the Operation Heal Our Patriots reunion earlier this year.
Listen to “An Instrument for God’s Glory” to hear how a simple shoebox gift made Devon feel seen and loved by God and changed the course of his life.

An Instrument for God’s Glory Nov 01, 2024

God had a purpose for Devon’s life, a plan he could have never imagined. At 12 years old, Devon received an Operation Christmas Child shoebox. This simple gift made Devon feel seen and loved by God and changed the course of his life. Hear how Devon has been an instrument for God’s glory through every season—even through a hurricane.
Resources:

Find an Operation Christmas Child Shoebox drop-off location near you!
Learn more about Operation Christmas Child.
Hear more about the goodness of God through the Hurricane Beryl response.
Listen to “Beauty From Ashes: Hurricane Helene” to hear how Billy Graham Chaplains are coming alongside homeowners after Hurricane Helene, sharing the hope of Jesus Christ.

Beauty From Ashes: Hurricane Helene Oct 25, 2024

This week, Kristy Graham highlights an invaluable aspect of ministry in the Hurricane Helene response: the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association Rapid Response Team Chaplains. Josh Holland, the international director of this team, talks about what it is like ministering to someone in their toughest moment. Hear stories from Josh’s time serving in the Asheville area and Scripture that uplifts him through heartache.
Resources:

Read about Samaritan’s Purse Hurricane Helene response.
God provides comfort in the wake of a storm.
Learn more about the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association Rapid Response Team.
Listen to “God’s Love Showed Up: Hurricane Helene” to hear the Roten family’s story of trust and faith in God during Hurricane Helene from Samaritan’s Purse staff devotions.

God’s Love Showed Up: Hurricane Helene Oct 18, 2024

Flood waters from Hurricane Helene rushed through the Roten family’s property, but they trusted in the Lord. Even after the water receded and losing almost everything, they can clearly see God's faithfulness. Hear this story from Samaritan’s Purse staff devotions and be encouraged amid the storms going on in your life.
Resources:

Watch “Love Showed Up.”
Read about Samaritan’s Purse Hurricane Helene Response.
God provides comfort in the wake of a storm.
Listen to “Hope in Heartache: Hurricane Helene” to hear how, in this seemingly hopeless situation, God provides a peace that cannot be shaken.

Hope in Heartache: Hurricane Helene Oct 11, 2024

When Hurricane Helene devastated communities throughout the Southeast, thousands of volunteers stepped up to serve in Jesus’ Name. Kristy Graham talked with Samaritan’s Purse staff from North American Ministries and International Projects about the uniqueness of the response and how in this seemingly hopeless situation, God gives a peace that cannot be shaken. Samaritan’s Purse is a beacon in a difficult time, pointing those hurting to the hope of the Gospel.
Resources:

Learn more about Samaritan’s Purse Hurricane Helene Response.
Read how God provides comfort in the wake of a storm.
Listen to “Opening Doors in Israel and Gaza” to hear how God is helping Samaritan’s Purse work in a tough region.

Opening Doors in Israel and Gaza Oct 04, 2024

God is miraculously opening doors for Samaritan’s Purse to respond in both Israel and Gaza. Bev Kauffeldt and John Silkman, who are helping lead this response, share about what the Lord is teaching them personally and about our partners on the ground. One year after Hamas attacked Israel and the war began, God is equipping Samaritan’s Purse to give hope to the hopeless.

Watch how Samaritan’s Purse is bringing relief to Israel and Gaza.
Read about the armored ambulances Samaritan’s Purse gifted to Magen David Adom.
Listen to “First Responders in Israel: The Morning of October 7” to hear how two first responders saw God’s hand at work even in the midst of great tragedy.
Listen to “Leading in Humble Confidence: Israel” to hear from John Silkman about how he strives to walk in humble confidence as he leads in a tense region of the world.

Surrendering Control to God Sep 27, 2024

Relinquishing control is hard, but God is sovereign. Dave Philips, a deputy director for international projects at Samaritan’s Purse, shares how we can witness suffering firsthand, and choose to surrender it to the Lord—trusting Him with everything. Hear powerful Scripture that Dave clung to during his recent trip to Sudan.
Resources:

Read more about how Samaritan’s Purse is helping save lives in Sudan.
Listen to “Fighting Spiritual Battles: Human Trafficking in Berlin” to hear how Alabaster Jar volunteers and staff come alongside women trapped in prostitution to show them they are daughters deeply cherished by God.

Fighting Spiritual Battles: Human Trafficking in Berlin Sep 20, 2024

In the red light district of Berlin, thousands of women are trapped in prostitution. Oftentimes, these women feel dirty and unworthy of love. Alabaster Jar volunteers and staff come alongside these women to show them they are daughters deeply cherished by God. Marina and Mariana, who lead Alabaster Jar for Samaritan’s Purse Germany, talked with Kristy about the power of prayer and what it’s like to witness God transforming hearts amid such deep spiritual darkness.

Read further about Alabaster Jar from our Affiliate Office based in Germany.
Learn more about how Samaritan’s Purse is combatting human trafficking around the world.
Learn more about God’s love and how you can accept Jesus Christ as your personal Savior.
Listen to “Finding Treasure in the Field” to hear how Jeremy Zerkle has seen the Church step up after devastating disasters across the U.S.

Finding Treasure in the Field Sep 13, 2024

Disasters are not a distraction from ministry, they are opportunities for ministry. Kristy Graham sat down with Jeremy Zerkle from North American Ministries, who shared Scripture and stories from the field, where he has seen the Church step up amid devastating disasters across the U.S.

Resources:

Volunteer with U.S. Disaster Relief!
Call the Billy Graham Prayer Line at 888-388-2683.
Listen to “A Hope and a Future” to hear from Ukrainian college students that are receiving a Christ-centered education at Montreat College through Samaritan’s Purse.

A Hope and a Future Aug 30, 2024

College students from Ukraine now have the opportunity to receive a Christ-centered education at North Carolina’s Montreat College through Samaritan’s Purse. Hear from Dr. Paul Maurer, the president of Montreat College, about how the Lord has directed this partnership as well as some of these Ukrainian students about what this opportunity has meant to them and how God is working in their lives.
Resources:

Read more about the Ukrainians studying for Christ at Montreat College.
Listen to “Before They’re Broken: Human Trafficking Prevention” where Barry Jessen shares what it has been like to see people break free from physical and spiritual bondage through anti-human trafficking and safe migration programming.

Before They’re Broken: Human Trafficking Prevention Aug 23, 2024

Barry Jessen, the country director for Samaritan’s Purse in Cambodia, talked with Kristy Graham about how the Lord led him and his family to Cambodia over a decade ago. Barry shared what it has been like to see people break free from physical and spiritual bondage through anti human trafficking and safe migration programming.
Resources:

Hear more from Barry Jessen about what it is like to be a country director.
Listen to “Faithfully Ministering to the Next Generation in Peru” where Kristy Graham takes listeners to witness Operation Christmas Child outreach events and a graduation ceremony for The Greatest Journey in Lima.

Faithfully Ministering to the Next Generation in Peru Aug 16, 2024

Travel with Kristy Graham to Lima, Peru, where you will hear what it was like to witness Operation Christmas Child outreach events and a graduation ceremony for The Greatest Journey. Many kids received shoebox gifts, but most importantly, they heard the Gospel of Jesus Christ. You will also hear directly from the hearts of pastors and Operation Christmas Child partners who are working diligently to equip the next generation by sharing the hope of Christ.
Resources:

Find out more about Operation Christmas Child.
Learn more about God’s love and how you can accept Jesus Christ as your personal Savior.
Listen to “Step Out in Faith” to hear how the Lord opened the doors for Holly’s incredible leap of faith—moving to Israel.

Step Out in Faith Aug 09, 2024

Holly Silkman talks with Kristy Graham about a new project in Israel that will impact people physically, mentally, and spiritually: an equine therapy center. Hear how the Lord opened the doors for this incredible leap of faith and what her prayer is for this program.
Resources:

Learn more about how Samaritan’s Purse is bringing relief to Israel and Gaza.
Listen to “Leading in Humble Confidence: Israel” to hear from John Silkman about how he strives to walk in humble confidence and reliance on the Lord as he leads in a complex, tense region of the world.
Hear from John Silkman at the beginning of Samaritan’s Purse response in Israel.

Spreading Hope on the Island of Carriacou Aug 02, 2024

This week, hear directly from residents of Carriacou, who are picking up the pieces after the devastation of Hurricane Beryl. Kaitlyn Josten was on the ground from the beginning of the response. She spoke with beneficiaries, pastors, and Samaritan’s Purse partners about how they are finding hope in the heartache.

Resources:

Read more about the medical teams at work in our Emergency Field Hospital on Carriacou.
Listen to “Bearing Each Other's Burdens: Liberia Ebola Response Part 2” about how staff were able to lift each other up through the trials that took place a decade ago.

Bearing Each Other's Burdens: Liberia Ebola Response Part 2 Jul 26, 2024

When they didn’t feel like they could take another step, the Samaritan’s Purse team fighting Ebola in Liberia encouraged each other with Scripture. The verses they shared suddenly became a lifeline even though they had heard them countless times over the years. Kristy Graham talked with John Freyler and Dr. Lance Plyler about how they were able to lift each other up and bear one another’s burdens through the trials that took place a decade ago.
Resources:

Have you heard the Good News of Salvation?
Listen to “Remembering the Liberia Ebola Response: 10 Years Later” to hear from the hearts of our team members about how they witnessed God’s faithfulness even as they walked through this deep valley.

Remembering the Liberia Ebola Response: 10 Years Later Jul 19, 2024

Ten years ago, Samaritan’s Purse responded to the Ebola outbreak in Liberia. Kristy Graham spoke with our staff who were on the ground from the beginning about their experiences fighting the deadly disease and the suffering they witnessed daily. Hear from the hearts of our team members about how they witnessed God’s faithfulness even as they walked through the deepest valley and how they learned to fully rely on the Lord through it all.
Resources:

Learn more about God’s love and how you can accept Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior.
Listen to “Goodness of God: Hurricane Beryl Response” to hear what it was like for Samaritan’s Purse to partner with the local church in Grenada.

Goodness of God: Hurricane Beryl Response Jul 12, 2024

Hurricane Beryl roared through the Caribbean, leaving total destruction in its wake. On Grenada’s Carriacou Island, nearly all structures were destroyed. Less than 24 hours after the storm hit, Samaritan’s Purse began serving those in desperate need of help and hope. Tune in to this week’s episode to hear from Kaitlyn Josten, who joined the first wave of responders, about what it was like to partner with the local church in Grenada. Also, you will hear from Operation Christmas Child and North American Ministries about their roles in the response.
Resources:

The Next Generation of Volunteers: U.S. Disaster Relief Jul 05, 2024

Volunteers are the lifeblood of Samaritan’s Purse U.S. Disaster Relief, and the next generation is here to serve as the hands and feet of Jesus Christ when homeowners are at their lowest. In this week’s episode, Bruce Poss with North American Ministries shared how he has seen God’s faithfulness through this next generation of servant leaders. Kristy Graham also spoke with two young volunteers about their recent experiences serving in Arkansas and Florida.
Resources:
Come serve with us!
https://www.samaritanspurse.org/our-ministry/nam/#volunteer-now

Learn how God can bring comfort in the wake of a storm.
https://www.samaritanspurse.org/our-ministry/knowing-god/

Listen to “Suffering Well: Pastor Skip Heitzig” to hear how Pastor Skip came to know Christ through a Billy Graham sermon and what it has been like to travel the world with Franklin Graham.
https://ontheground.samaritanspurse.org/podcast/suffering-well-pastor-skip-heitzig

Suffering Well: Pastor Skip Heitzig Jun 21, 2024

Kristy Graham talks with Pastor Skip Heitzig, who pastors Calvary Church in Albuquerque and serves on the board of directors of Samaritan’s Purse. Pastor Skip shares how he came to know Christ through a Billy Graham sermon and talks about what it has been like to travel the world with Franklin Graham, witnessing Samaritan’s Purse projects in action. You will also hear how we can persevere amid suffering through a Biblical lens.
Resources:

Learn more about God’s love and how you can accept Jesus Christ as your personal Savior.
Listen to “An Anchor of Hope: Brazil Flood Response” where you will hear from Leslie Klein, a member of our Disaster Assistance Response Team, and pastors on the ground, who have witnessed the body of Christ come together in the wake of this tragedy.

An Anchor of Hope: Brazil Flood Response Jun 14, 2024

In response to major flooding across southern Brazil last month, Samaritan's Purse sent a Disaster Assistance Response Team to help in Jesus’ Name. Hear stories from Leslie Klein, a member of our Disaster Assistance Response Team, and testimonies from pastors on the ground, who have witnessed the body of Christ come together in the wake of this tragedy.
Resources:

Read more about how Samaritan’s Purse is partnering with local churches to meet overwhelming needs in Brazil.
Have You Heard the Good News of Salvation?
Listen to “Leading in Humble Confidence: Israel” where Kristy Graham talked to John Silkman, the country coordinator for Samaritan’s Purse in Israel, about how he strives to walk in humble confidence as he leads in a complex region of the world.

Leading in Humble Confidence: Israel May 31, 2024

John Silkman, the country coordinator for Samaritan’s Purse in Israel, spoke with Kristy Graham about how he strives to walk in humble confidence and reliance on the Lord as he leads in a complex, tense region of the world. John shared what he is seeing on the ground in Israel and how Samaritan’s Purse programs build bridges in communities, providing hope to those hurting.
Resources:

Read more about how Samaritan’s Purse provided brand-new ambulances in honor of fallen Israeli medics.
Listen to “First Responders in Israel: The Morning of October 7” where Kristy talked to two Israeli first responders who were serving their communities when Hamas attacked.

One Week in Alaska May 24, 2024

For 17 weeks every summer, military veterans and their spouses are invited to Operation Heal Our Patriots for a week-long marriage retreat. Kristy Graham takes listeners behind-the-scenes to experience what these military couples do day by day, immersing them in what life is like at Samaritan Lodge Alaska. Hear how the Lord transforms marriages through Biblically based marriage classes, excursions in the beautiful Alaskan wilderness, and intentional conversations with chaplains, staff, and volunteers.
Resources:

Learn more about Operation Heal Our Patriots.
Read “Forgiveness and Forgiving” to hear how God changed lives last season during Operation Heal Our Patriots season.
Listen to “Our Ultimate Healer” to hear from members of our medical staff who have led teams providing cleft lip and cataract surgeries in remote corners of the world, served in mission hospitals, and been a part of Disaster Assistance Response Teams.

Our Ultimate Healer May 17, 2024

God is our ultimate healer—He can heal physically and, more importantly, spiritually. Samaritan's Purse medical staff and volunteers treat people’s physical conditions, and they also share the love of Christ. Hear from members of our medical staff who have led teams providing cleft lip and cataract surgeries in remote corners of the world, served in mission hospitals, and been a part of Disaster Assistance Response Teams. Learn more about how they have been able to meet physical and spiritual needs around the world.
Resources:

Sign up to attend this year’s Prescription for Renewal conference.
Find out more about how you can serve with the Samaritan’s Purse Disaster Assistance Response Team.
Learn more about World Medical Mission.
Check out our episode about cataract surgeries in South Sudan where after years of darkness, patients received their eyesight.
Listen to The Greatest Love, an episode about a Samaritan’s Purse maternal-child health clinic near the Colombia-Venezuela border that provides needed medical attention for moms and babies.

The Greatest Love May 03, 2024

Parenting is a challenge, and when faced with a crumbling economy and healthcare system, expecting mothers in Venezuela felt helpless. A Samaritan’s Purse maternal-child health clinic near the Colombia-Venezuela border provides much-needed medical attention for moms and babies. While at the clinic, these families are cared for by doctors and chaplains, and are told about the greatest love that exists: Jesus Christ. One of our podcast correspondents, Kaitlyn, traveled to Colombia to speak with families about how these monthly appointments have changed their lives.
Resources:

Listen to Jesus Pursues You to hear Dr. Ed Carns’ testimony of how God used people in his life to encourage him in his faith as he served all around the world.
Tune into a miracle story about three generations of women impacted by Children’s Heart Project.

Jesus Pursues You Apr 26, 2024

Dr. Ed Carns has served in the far corners of the world with Samaritan’s Purse both with World Medical Mission and the Disaster Assistance Response Team. He shares his testimony of how God used people in his life to point him to Christ and encourage him in his faith. The stories he shares with Kristy Graham demonstrate how God pursues each person individually.
Resources:

Find out more about World Medical Mission and how you can volunteer at a remote mission hospital.
Learn more about God’s love and how you can accept Jesus Christ as your personal Savior.
Listen to Opening Our Hearts to God’s Word, an encouraging episode about how the Bible can help lift our eyes beyond our current situation and toward our eternal hope in Jesus Christ.

Building Resiliency in Christ Apr 19, 2024

Bev Kauffeldt has served with Samaritan’s Purse around the world for more than two decades. Her life experience internationally coupled with her own testimony and cancer diagnosis have taught her to rely on God for strength daily. Bev candidly shares about failure and how it has taught her to rely on Christ.

Resources:
Find out more about the Samaritan’s Purse Apprenticeship Program that Bev Kauffeldt leads.
Learn more about God’s love and how you can accept Jesus Christ as your personal Savior.
Listen to Opening Our Hearts to God’s Word, an encouraging episode about how the Bible can help lift our eyes beyond our current situation and towards our eternal hope in Jesus Christ.

Opening Our Hearts to God’s Word Apr 12, 2024

Scripture is alive and active, and no matter the circumstances we face in life, God’s Word can help lift our eyes beyond our current situation and towards our eternal hope in Jesus Christ. This week, we are taking you behind the scenes to Samaritan’s Purse staff devotions where Randy Bishop talks about the history of the English Bible and how important it is that we not only read God’s Word, but crave it daily. Hear Kristy Graham and other members of the podcast team share Scripture that has impacted them in their walk with the Lord.
Resources:

Have You Heard the Good News of Salvation?
Listen to Hope Is Where the Healing Starts to learn how God is working in the lives of Ugandan families to bring hope in a seemingly impossible situation.

For further study, below are sources that Randy Bishop used in his devotion:

1. Filling Up the Afflictions of Christ
The Cost of Bringing the Gospel to the Nations in the Lives of William Tyndale, Adoniram Judson, and John Paton

The Swans Are Not Silent, Book Five

By John Piper, Crossway, 2009

2. The Legacy of the King James Bible
Celebrating 400 Year of the Most Influential English Translation

By Leland Ryken, Crossway, 2011

3. The Origin of the Bible
By various authors including F.F. Bruce, J.I. Packer, Philip Comfort, and Carl F. H. HenryTyndale House Publishers, 2012

Hope Is Where the Healing Starts Mar 29, 2024

God is our hope and our ever-present help in trouble, but there are times when our circumstances seem impossible. For some families in countries with minimal health resources, their children suffer from an untreatable condition: a heart defect. This is where Children’s Heart Project steps in to provide life-changing heart surgery, and God works in their lives to bring hope in a seemingly impossible situation. Kristy Graham talked with Sheena, a program manager for Children's Heart Project in Uganda, who shared her own story of healing. Additionally, our podcast correspondent, Stephen, traveled to Uganda to join Sheena’s team as they met with families and conducted screenings to identify children who are eligible for surgery this year.
Resources:

Listen to Francis’ miracle story to hear how God used Children’s Heart Project, not only through this 7-year-old boy, but in the lives of his parents and his entire community in Uganda.
Hear about three generations of women whose lives were changed through Children’s Heart Project.
In Renewing Lives by Healing Hearts, hear from two Mongolian mothers about how their children’s hearts were healed physically and, in the process, they themselves were renewed spiritually.
Check out our episode Healing Hearts: Children’s Heart Project where Kristy Graham introduces you to Hishga, a young girl from Mongolia who received life-saving heart surgery.

The Heart of a Country Director Mar 22, 2024

Country directors play a key role in leading and carrying out the mission of Samaritan’s Purse in our 15 country offices around the world. They work to ensure the passion for the Gospel stays at the forefront of everything their office engages in—from preventing human trafficking to providing clean water. Kristy Graham spoke to Edward Densham, the senior director of international projects, about what it is like to serve alongside country directors. Hear stories directly from some of these men and women about the impact of programming in their countries.
Resources:

Read about how Clean Water Strengthens Kenya’s Villages.
Learn how Livelihood Projects Open Doors for Women in Cambodia.
Listen to last week’s episode to hear how the Lord transformed Matt and Kayla Tucker’s hearts through Operation Heal Our Patriots.

The Transforming Power of the Gospel: Operation Heal Our Patriots Mar 15, 2024

Operation Heal Our Patriots transforms lives and gives veterans and their spouses hope in Jesus Christ. This week-long marriage retreat in Alaska provides military couples with Biblical training and Godly counsel, but the ministry does not stop there—Operation Heal Our Patriots walks with these couples for life. Kristy Graham, host of On the Ground with Samaritan’s Purse, witnessed many military couples surrender their lives to Christ at the recent Operation Heal Our Patriots reunion. After, Matt and Kayla Tucker shared how the Lord healed their hearts and restored their marriage last summer in Alaska. We also take listeners to the Operation Heal Our Patriots reunion to hear from Tim Lee, a veteran who served in the Vietnam War, and Kristy’s husband, Edward Graham.
Resources:

Call the Billy Graham Prayer Line at 888-388-2683.
Watch the video and read more about the recent Operation Heal Our Patriots reunion.
Listen to last week’s episode to hear how Samaritan’s Purse helps vulnerable women and girls around the world experience God’s love in tangible ways.

Helping Vulnerable Women Feel Seen and Loved Mar 08, 2024

Samaritan’s Purse protection programing around the world helps vulnerable women and girls experience God’s love in tangible ways by creating safer communities built on the foundation of Christ. Kristy Graham talked to Monica Napier, the global protection technical advisor, about her passion for this important work and her recent trip to Niger. Kristy also spoke with Hanna Mukora, a protection program manager, who works on the ground in the Democratic Republic of the Congo where we provide women with a safe space to share about their trauma and engage in vocational training.
Resources:

Learn more about women’s programs in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Read about Liya's Journey.
Listen to Serving as a Spouse in Ministry, where Joy Dagher shares what it has been like sharing the Good News in dangerous places while also raising a family.

Serving as a Spouse in Ministry Mar 01, 2024

Joy Dagher is a devoted wife, mother, and ambassador for Christ, who has chosen to cling to the promises of God in all circumstances. Joy and her husband, Sami Dagher, who was featured in our last episode, have spent their lives sharing the Good News in dangerous places while also raising a family. Kristy Graham asked Joy about her life as a spouse in ministry, and how she has trusted in the Lord to sustain her through uncertain times.
Resources:

Steps to Peace with God.
Listen to Ministering in the Hard Places to hear from Joy’s husband, Sami, about his work in ministry, topics like prayer and discipleship, and how the Lord brought about his life verse.

Ministering in the Hard Places Feb 16, 2024

Pastor Sami Dagher has served the Lord for decades in hard places that are not open to the Gospel. On a recent visit to international headquarters, Kristy Graham asked Sami about his work in ministry, topics like prayer and discipleship, and how the Lord brought about his life verse. Sami is full of wisdom and, though his life has not been easy, he has taken his experiences and used them for good—ultimately, for the glory of God.
Resources:

Have you heard the Good News of Salvation?
Listen to our latest episode to hear how God worked miraculously, not only through a young boy named Francis, but in the lives of his parents and his entire community in Uganda.

From Emergency Detour to Miracle Story Feb 09, 2024

Francis, a young boy born with a heart defect, was in desperate need of surgery. When Children's Heart Project approved Francis to receive this life-saving procedure at a partner hospital in the Cayman Islands, it was a burden lifted. Francis and the team were en route to the hospital until the plans changed abruptly—there was an emergency during the flight. Over the next 102 days, God worked, not only through Francis, but in the lives of his parents and his entire community in Uganda.

Hear about three generations of women whose lives were changed through Children’s Heart Project.
Listen to Renewing Lives by Healing Hearts, and hear from two Mongolian mothers about how their children’s hearts were healed physically and, in the process, they themselves were renewed spiritually.
Check out our episode Healing Hearts: Children’s Heart Project where Kristy Graham introduces you to Hishga, a young girl from Mongolia.

Franklin Graham Dedicates Ambulances in Israel Feb 02, 2024

Description: Franklin Graham, president of Samaritan’s Purse, joined hundreds of Israeli citizens last week to dedicate 14 new ambulances to Israel’s emergency services agency, Magen David Adom. Each ambulance was given in memory of fallen medics who lost their lives due to the ongoing Israel-Hamas war. While on the ground, our podcast correspondent, Stephen, spoke with partners and those we are helping.

Resources:

Samaritan’s Purse Provides Ambulances in Honor of Fallen Israeli Medics.
https://www.samaritanspurse.org/article/samaritans-purse-provides-ambulances-in-honor-of-fallen-israeli-medics/
Listen to our recent episode where Kristy talked to two Israeli first responders who were serving their communities when Hamas attacked Israel on the morning of October 7.
https://ontheground.samaritanspurse.org/podcast/first-responders-in-israel-the-morning-of-october-7
In God’s Providential Hand: A Conversation with Jim Dailey, hear how the vice president of communications at Samaritan’s Purse has persevered in times of trial.
https://ontheground.samaritanspurse.org/podcast/gods-providential-hand-a-conversation-with-jim-dailey

Beyond the Headlines: God Sees Jan 26, 2024

The news moves on quickly to the next headline, but God doesn't—He sees the pain and the hurt caused by natural and manmade disasters. Even in the most remote corners of the world or storms that only affect one person, God sees all of our needs. The disasters we cover today aren’t headline news, but they are responses in which God has given Samaritan’s Purse the opportunity to respond. This week, hear stories from leaders and others on the ground serving and sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Resources:

Learn how you can serve with North American Ministries.
Find out more about the Samaritan’s Purse Disaster Assistance Response Team.
Read Seeing God’s Hand in the Tornado’s Wake about the response in Catawba county.
God is at Work in the Lives of Liberia Burn Patients.
Listen to God’s Providential Hand: A Conversation with Jim Dailey to hear how he has witnessed God’s sovereignty throughout his 25 years of working in the ministry.

God’s Providential Hand: A Conversation with Jim Dailey Jan 19, 2024

Jim Dailey, vice president of communications at Samaritan’s Purse, spoke with Kristy Graham about how he has witnessed God’s sovereign, providential hand throughout his 25 years of working in the ministry. Jim shared about perseverance in times of trial, and what it has been like taking the Gospel to the ends of the earth.
Resources:

Learn how you can Help in Jesus’ Name.
Have You Heard the Good News of Salvation?
Listen to Franklin Graham: God’s Faithfulness in 2023 to hear about what stood out to Franklin Graham last year as well as what is ahead for Samaritan’s Purse in 2024.

Franklin Graham: God’s Faithfulness in 2023 Jan 09, 2024

Kristy Graham sat down with her father-in-law and Samaritan’s Purse president, Franklin Graham, who shared what he saw the Lord do in 2023. Franklin talked about where the organization responded around the world and how he saw God’s faithfulness in the midst of seemingly hopeless conflicts and disasters. Hear directly from Franklin’s heart about what stood out to him last year while also looking to what’s ahead in 2024.
Resources:

Call the Billy Graham Prayer Line at 888-388-2683.
Visit the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association website.
Listen to our recent episode where Kristy talked to two Israeli first responders who were serving their communities when Hamas attacked Israel on the morning of October 7.
Listen to Rushing Aid to Turkey: Inside the Command Center.
Listen to Families Who Lost Everything Find New Hope: Mississippi Home Dedications to hear more about the Mobile Home Replacement Program.

Listen Again: Abiding in Christ Jan 05, 2024

Steve Nickel, vice president of Donor Ministries at Samaritan’s Purse, sits down with Kristy Graham to share his heart for the Lord and how he has been blessed through interacting with faithful supporters of the ministry. Steve talks about how he followed God’s call to come to Samaritan’s Purse and what it looks like to abide in Christ daily.
Resources:

Learn more about how you can give your time through volunteering with North American Ministries.
Steps to Peace with God.
Listen to our latest episode to hear how Appalachian State Mountaineers packed hundreds of Operation Christmas Child Shoeboxes for kids around the world.

Appalachian State Mountaineers Send Christmas Joy Worldwide Dec 29, 2023

Watch this video about the Appalachian State University football packing party.
It’s not too late to build an Operation Christmas Child shoebox online.
Learn more about how you can host your own packing party in 2024.
Listen to Banding Together as the Body of Christ: Hurricane Otis to hear how Samaritan’s Purse is providing physical and spiritual relief to those hurting in Acapulco.

A Christmas Devotion from Kristy Graham Dec 22, 2023

With the Christmas season upon us, we look back with thanksgiving to the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ. While reading Luke 1, Kristy Graham was convicted by the faithful example Mary set when the angel appeared before her and said she would give birth to the Son of God. In this Christmas devotion, Kristy discusses four character qualities Mary possessed that we can learn from: submission, fellowship, suffering, and praise.
Resources:

Listen to Cissie Graham Lynch’s podcast episode on Fearless to hear what first inspired Kristy to study Mary this year.
Listen to “Banding Together as the Body of Christ: Hurricane Otis” to hear how Samaritan’s Purse is providing physical and spiritual relief to those hurting in Acapulco.
Read these passages that Kristy mentioned in the episode.
- Luke 1:37-55
- Psalm 16:11
- Psalm 66:2
- Genesis 12:1
- Hebrews 11:8
- Luke 22:42
- Galatians 6:2
- Psalm 43
- Luke 2
- Romans 5:1-5
- John 16:33
- John 3:16

Banding Together as the Body of Christ: Hurricane Otis Dec 15, 2023

When a Category 5 hurricane ravaged the coastal city of Acapulco, Mexico, in October, tens of thousands of people were devastated. They felt hopeless. Four Samaritan’s Purse departments—North American Ministries, International Projects, Hispanic Initiatives, and Operation Christmas Child—as well as the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association all joined together to provide physical and spiritual relief to those who are hurting in Acapulco.

Resources:

Read about Edward Graham’s recent trip to Acapulco in which he encouraged homeowners and met with local pastors.
Have you heard the Good News?
Listen to our latest episode to hear testimonies from both sides of an Operation Christmas Child shoebox gift—those who pack and those who receive.

Both Sides of a Shoebox Gift Dec 08, 2023

Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes will soon be sent out to the nations, giving millions of children the opportunity to hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This week, we are covering the impact on both sides of the shoebox—from the generous packers to the children who receive them. Dania, who grew up in the Middle East and received a shoebox gift as a child, shares how this simple gift gave her hope. After Dania’s story, Kristy Graham takes listeners to the processing center in Boone, North Carolina where she asked volunteers why they pack shoeboxes.
Resources:

Read Leila Mae Cummings’s story where she shares that Age Is No Obstacle for Shoebox Packing.
Build an Operation Christmas Child shoebox online.
A brief glimpse at both sides of a shoebox gift.
Listen to last week’s episode to hear from two Israeli first responders who were serving on the ground when Hamas attacked Israel on the morning of October 7.

First Responders in Israel: The Morning of October 7 Dec 01, 2023

Kristy Graham talked to two first responders who were serving on the ground when Hamas attacked Israel on October 7. Hadass and Uri, workers for Magen David Adom, an emergency medical service for Israel, shared how they saw God’s hand at work even in the midst of great tragedy.
Resources:

Read about how Samaritan’s Purse is Providing Ambulances and Other Life-Saving Support in Israel.
Have you heard the Good News of Salvation?
Listen to last week’s episode about answered prayers from across the ministry in 2023.

Answered Prayers 2023 Nov 24, 2023

God is so good, and He hears our prayers—big or small. Thanksgiving is a time to reflect on what we are grateful for and the ways the Lord has answered our prayers. Sometimes He gives us what we want, but oftentimes, He gives us what we need in His timing. In this week’s episode, hear numerous stories of answered prayers from across Samaritan’s Purse in 2023.

Franklin Graham: A Christmas Catalog of Opportunities Nov 17, 2023

Kristy Graham sat down with her father-in-law, Samaritan’s Purse President Franklin Graham, to hear his thoughts on ways to give this season through the Christmas catalog. From providing a family with a milk cow to building a well for a community, there are numerous ways to bless people all around the world this Christmas and share the Gospel.
Resources:

Shop the Samaritan’s Purse Christmas Catalog.
Call the Billy Graham Prayer Line at 888-388-2683.
Visit the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association website.
Listen to our latest episode in honor of Veteran’s Day.

Veteran’s Day: More Than Just a Statistic Nov 10, 2023

Samaritan’s Purse honors the faithful military service of our veterans. This Veteran’s Day, we are celebrating the work that God is doing through Operation Heal Our Patriots, which not only saves marriages, but lives as well. Military couples hear the Gospel and find hope and healing through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Kristy Graham talked with Matthew and Dawn Sheppard, a couple who was completely changed this summer through their participation in Operation Heal Our Patriots. Hear how God transformed their marriage, and how the veteran's suicide rate became more than just a statistic to them.
Resources:

Find out more about the life-saving ministry of Operation Heal Our Patriots.
Apply for next season of Operation Heal Our Patriots.
Learn more about the Good News of salvation.
Listen to our latest episode to hear from members of our national staff who consistently go above and beyond in their communities.

A Tribute to Our National Staff Nov 03, 2023

Samaritan’s Purse could not do what we do without thousands of national staff who serve faithfully in their home countries. Hear directly from members of our national staff from across the world who consistently go above and beyond in their communities. Kristy Graham spoke with Edward Densham, the senior director of International Projects, to discuss the vital role national staff fulfill for our ministry.

Resources:

Watch the two-part documentary about Samaritan’s Purse work in Ukraine.
Read more about livelihood projects in Cambodia that are restoring hope for countless families.
Start your new life with Christ.
Listen to What Is the Gospel?

What Is the Gospel? Oct 27, 2023

The deputy director of Mission Aviation Services, Matt Olson, has flown injured children to receive care, transported Bibles to faraway places, and shepherded our staff safely to their destinations, all through the means of aviation. We’ll take you behind the scenes to hear what Matt recently shared during staff devotions about the simplicity of the Gospel. Kristy talks with Matt about his testimony and the way he's seen God work while taking the Gospel to the ends of the earth.
Resources:

Learn more about how Samaritan’s Purse uses aviation as a means to share the Gospel.
Read about how to share your faith with others.
Listen to our latest episode about our work on the ground in Israel, Armenia, Morocco, and Libya.

Bonus Episode: Israel and Armenia Oct 14, 2023

Samaritan’s Purse is hard at work in Israel, Armenia, Morocco, and Libya. Hear directly from leadership about how Samaritan’s Purse is serving people in need there. Kristy Graham also talks to the team lead on the ground in Israel to hear his first-hand perspective and share ways to pray.
Resources:

A message from Franklin Graham on Israel.
Read about how our team on the ground in Armenia is showing God’s love by treating burn victims.
Read more about how Samaritan’s Purse has rushed aid to Armenia.

Renewing Lives by Healing Hearts Oct 13, 2023

Kristy Graham traveled to the Cayman Islands to meet families who were forever changed through Children’s Heart Project’s life-saving surgeries. Kristy talked with Cindy Bonsall, the director of Children’s Heart Project, about how God has made a way for Samaritan’s Purse to work in the Cayman Islands. You will also hear from two Mongolian mothers about how their children’s hearts were healed physically and, in the process, they themselves were renewed spiritually.

Resources:

Learn more about Children’s Heart Project

Have you heard the Good News of Salvation?

Listen to another episode about Children’s Heart Project, to hear how this ministry impacted three generations of women.

Out of Hiding and into Hope Oct 06, 2023

An obstetric fistula, resulting from prolonged labor, is not a condition women often face in the United States or other western countries. Yet, in many parts of the world this serious and debilitating childbirth injury leaves women with pain, shame, and isolation. Samaritan’s Purse specialty teams perform transformative surgeries, restoring these suffering women to health while opening doors to share the hope of the Gospel. Kristy Graham sat down with Madison Strausbaugh, the specialty team's program manager, who shared what it was like to see these women go from living in isolation to finding hope and community.
Resources:

The Hole Only God Can Fill Sep 29, 2023

Ray and Rebecca arrived in Alaska seeking a dream vacation, and they left completely transformed. Ray was in the Army for over 20 years, and the anger he carried after decades of deployments took a toll on his marriage. A week at Operation Heal Our Patriots changed everything for this military couple. Hear how Ray and Rebecca learned that only God was able to fill the hole in their hearts.
Resources:

Learn more about Operation Heal Our Patriots.
Read about two other couples whose lives changed after a week at Operation Heal Our Patriots this summer.
Have you heard the Good News?

Listen to our latest episodes:

Stories from the Frontlines in Ukraine: Part 2 Sep 22, 2023

In part two of this episode, Kristy Graham continues her conversation with Vera, a Ukrainian woman who has served on the frontlines with Samaritan’s Purse. Officially, Vera worked as a translator, but she did so much more than this. Her heart was to boldly share the Gospel. Vera tells stories of what it was like risking her own life in conflict areas to distribute relief supplies and share hope with those who desperately needed to hear it.
Resources:

· Listen to Stories from the Frontlines in Ukraine: Part 1

· Read excerpts from Vera’s journal entries to hear more about her bold faith and what it was like serving in Ukraine.

· Hear what it was like during our first 72 hours on the ground in Ukraine.

Stories from the Frontlines in Ukraine: Part 1 Sep 15, 2023

Kristy Graham talks with Vera, a Ukrainian woman who has served on the frontlines with Samaritan’s Purse. Officially, Vera worked as a translator, but she did so much more than this. Her heart was to boldly share the Gospel. Vera tells stories of what it was like risking her own life in conflict areas to distribute relief supplies and share hope with those who desperately needed to hear it.
Resources:

Read some of Vera’s journal entries to hear more about her bold faith and what it was like serving in Ukraine.
Hear what it was like during our first 72 Hours on the ground in Ukraine.
Read more about Samaritan’s Purse partners helping in Jesus’ Name in Ukraine.
Steps to find peace with God.

Equipping the Next Generation Sep 08, 2023

Each year, young men and women get to learn firsthand what Samaritan's Purse is about as they serve during an internship. Interns are stretched and introduced to new passions as they take on projects across the ministry. Hear directly from interns who served all around the world this summer, and also from Charity Moree, the assistant director of campus relations, who is involved in selecting and prayerfully placing interns.
Resources:

Learn more about the Samaritan’s Purse Global Internship Program.
Listen to our latest two-part episode to hear from Kendell Kauffeldt about how he depended on God while serving as country director of Liberia for 14 years and served in the midst of an Ebola outbreak.
- Listen to Part 1
- Listen to Part 2
Read about what it means to follow Jesus.

Depending on Christ: Part 2 Sep 01, 2023

In this two-part episode, Kristy Graham sits down with Kendell Kauffeldt, director of field leadership and development at Samaritan’s Purse International Headquarters. Kendell served as our country director for Liberia for 14 years and navigated leading during the Ebola outbreak in 2014. Through all the pressure, he has learned to lean on God for wisdom and guidance.
Resources:

Don’t miss part one of Depending on Christ.
Listen to “Building Resilience in Christ” to hear Bev Kauffeldt, Kendell’s wife, share how experiences like Ebola pushed her to trust God more.
Apply to serve with World Medical Mission.
Listen to our latest episode to learn how God has opened the door for Samaritan’s Purse to serve in Yemen through rehabilitating medical clinics, providing clean water, and offering livelihood trainings.
Learn how to find peace with God.

Depending on Christ: Part 1 Sep 01, 2023

In this two-part episode, Kristy Graham sits down with Kendell Kauffeldt, director of field leadership and development at Samaritan’s Purse International Headquarters. Kendell served as our country director for Liberia for 14 years and navigated leading during the Ebola outbreak in 2014. Through all the pressure, he has learned to lean on God for wisdom and guidance.
Resources:

Don’t miss part two of Depending on Christ.
Listen to “Building Resilience in Christ” to hear Bev Kauffeldt, Kendell’s wife, share how experiences like Ebola pushed her to trust God more.
Apply to serve with World Medical Mission.
Listen to our latest episode to learn how God has opened the door for Samaritan’s Purse to serve in Yemen through rehabilitating medical clinics, providing clean water, and offering livelihood trainings.
Learn how to find peace with God.

Hear How God is Working Around the World Aug 23, 2023

Each week, On the Ground with Samaritan’s Purse brings you new stories of how God is working through the ministry— whether its hours after the deadly earthquake rocked Turkey, providing eye sight to the blind, or the life-changing impact of an Operation Christmas Child shoebox gift.

The Call to Serve Aug 18, 2023

When flooding devastated Highland Falls, New York, in early July, many families did not know where to turn. Samaritan’s Purse Team Patriot volunteers, North American Ministries volunteers, and Billy Graham Evangelistic Association Rapid Response Team chaplains all came alongside homeowners to help them recover and to share the love of Christ.
Resources:

Volunteer with North American Ministries.
Read a story about how a family placed their hope in the Lord during the Highland Falls flood response.
Learn more about Operation Heal Our Patriots.
Listen to our last episode to hear from Dave Philips, deputy director of the international projects department, about following wherever the Lord leads.

Building Schools, Changing Lives Aug 04, 2023

Across remote villages in Cambodia, Samaritan's Purse has built 43 schools and provided resources so young students can get a quality education. More importantly, this has given Samaritan’s Purse a chance to share the Gospel in some of the most unreached places. Kristy Graham takes listeners to Southeast Asia to show how God is using Samaritan’s Purse to change lives through education and influence generations to come.
Resources:

Listen to our episode about livelihood projects in Cambodia.
Read more about our work in Cambodia.
Listen to our last episode to hear from Steve Nickel, vice president of Donor Ministries at Samaritan’s Purse, about how to abide in Christ.

Abiding in Christ Jul 28, 2023

Steve Nickel, vice president of Donor Ministries at Samaritan’s Purse, sits down with Kristy Graham to share his heart for the Lord and how he has been blessed through interacting with faithful supporters of the ministry. Steve talks about how he followed God’s call to come to Samaritan’s Purse and what it looks like to abide in Christ daily.
Resources:

Listen Again: From Darkness to Light, Cataract Surgeries in South Sudan Jul 21, 2023

After years of living in darkness, hundreds of patients received their eyesight when Samaritan’s Purse conducted a week-long cataract mission last year in South Sudan. Join Kristy Graham as she introduces you to patients whose lives were changed by this routine surgery.
Resources:

Learn more about how you can volunteer on a Samaritan’s Purse Cataract team
Listen to our last episode to hear how the mobile home replacement program has changed lives in Mississippi
Read more about God’s love and how you can accept Jesus Christ as your personal Savior

Families Who Lost Everything Find New Hope: Mississippi Home Dedications Jul 14, 2023

When a tornado tore through Mississippi in March, it devastated entire communities and destroyed homes. Many families lost everything and did not know where to turn. Samaritan’s Purse came alongside these hurting families to bless them with brand-new mobile homes. Hear how this physical picture of the Gospel has changed lives in Mississippi.

Resources:

Volunteer with Samaritan’s Purse U.S. Disaster Relief and Rebuild Programs.
Read more about Josh and others impacted by the mobile home replacement program.
Listen to our last episode to hear hope-filled stories from last year’s Operation Heal Our Patriots season in Alaska.
Learn more about what it means to follow Jesus.

Listen Again: Hope Restored in Alaska Jul 07, 2023

Service members are impacted by the effects of war years after they return home. Whether they’re suffering from mental or physical trauma, the wounds of the past affect not just them but also their spouses and family members. Hear stories from staff members, veterans, and military spouses about their experiences during the 2022 Operation Heal Our Patriots season.
Resources:

Learn more about Operation Heal Our Patriots
Listen to a special episode about Operation Heal Our Patriots’ 10-year anniversary
Applications for the Operation Heal Our Patriots 2024 season open Feb. 1
Visit the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association website

Ukrainian Refugee Shares About God’s Provision Amid Trials Jun 30, 2023

Inna, a Ukrainian refugee, shares her full-circle connection with Samaritan’s Purse. Hear her inspiring story of receiving an Operation Christmas Child shoebox as a child, fleeing Ukraine, and then resettling in England with the help of Samaritan’s Purse in February 2022. Inna shares a testimony of God’s faithfulness and how her experience culminated in running the London Marathon to raise money to support Samaritan’s Purse.
Resources:

Listen to The London Marathon: How God Used 26.2 Miles
Learn more about Operation Christmas Child
Listen to our last episode to hear about our first 72 Hours on the ground in Ukraine and how local churches are still acting as the body of Christ

Listen Again: Our First 72 Hours in Ukraine Jun 23, 2023

Samaritan’s Purse is still responding in Ukraine to help meet the needs of victims of the ongoing crisis. Hear the sounds and stories of what it was like during the first 72 hours on the ground in Ukraine and the ways local churches are acting as the body of Christ even over a year after the conflict began.

Apply now to serve on the Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART)
Learn more about our work in Ukraine

Serving in Uncertainty: The War in Sudan Jun 16, 2023

When the war in Sudan left families cut off from the rest of the world and in dire need of food and relief, Samaritan’s Purse responded. Ryan Boyette joined this team in 2003. He shares with Kristy Graham how this changed his life—recounting true life-and-death moments, meeting his wife in Sudan, and ultimately dedicating his life to serve the people there.
Listen to Building Resiliency in Christ to hear another staff member’s perspective on serving in difficult circumstances
Learn more about To Move Mountains

A Harvest in Cambodia: 20 Years of Ministry Jun 09, 2023

In Cambodia, fathers and mothers often struggle to provide for their family’s needs. Many see illegal migration as their only option, but this compounds the problems that they face. Samaritan’s Purse is working to change this trajectory through livelihood training, cash grants, and education. Kristy Graham takes listeners to Southeast Asia to learn more about how Samaritan’s Purse is working there.
Hear more about our Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene projects

Help families around the world through our Livelihood projects

Read more about our work in Cambodia

Memorial Day: Recognizing the Cost of Freedom May 26, 2023

This Memorial Day, Kristy Graham invites listeners into a conversation with Operation Heal Our Patriots’ chaplain Luis Anda. He served in both the Navy and the Army so this day is very personal to him. He shares about the cost of freedom, and how we can only find true, lasting freedom through a relationship with Jesus Christ.
Listen to last year’s Memorial Day episode with Lt. Gen. (Ret.) William G. Boykin
Learn more about Operation Heal Our Patriots
Click this link for a free downloadable PDF of hope-filled Scripture

The London Marathon: How God Used 26.2 Miles May 19, 2023

Training for and running a marathon taught one staff member spiritual lessons as she pushed herself to new limits. Kristy Graham, host of On the Ground with Samaritan’s Purse, talks to Melissa about how challenging herself physically deepened her faith, engaged her community, and inspired her work.
Creative Ways to Support Samaritan’s Purse
Learn more about how Samaritan’s Purse is helping Yazidi women in Iraq

Three Generations of Women: A Miracle Story for Mother’s Day May 12, 2023

Kristy Graham traveled to the Cayman Islands to meet three generations of women whose lives were changed through Children’s Heart Project. A mother and her daughter were both diagnosed with the exact same heart defect, and they received surgery on the same day. In more than 25 years of this program, there has never been a story quite like this.
Hear how Children’s Heart Project saved the life of a little girl from Mongolia
Learn more about Children’s Heart Project

A Conversation w/ Michael W. Smith May 05, 2023

Michael W. Smith, a multi-platinum artist and a household name in Christian music, joins Kristy Graham to share more about how he has partnered with Samaritan’s Purse over nearly two decades of ministry. Before leading worship at the organization’s Global Connect Conference, he shares his anticipation for the celebratory event and how God has worked over the years.
Volunteer with North American Ministries
Volunteer with Operation Christmas Child
Hear the excitement of Operation Christmas Child volunteers as they prepared to celebrate the 200 millionth shoebox with Michael W. Smith
Listen to Mission of Hope: Delivering the 200 Millionth Shoebox to Ukraine
Learn more about Michael W. Smith and listen to his song, Way Maker

Operation Christmas Child: Global Connect Conference Apr 28, 2023

Last month, thousands of Operation Christmas Child volunteers and staff gathered together to celebrate 200 million shoebox gifts. Hear from Michael W. Smith as he prepares to lead worship and from faithful volunteers who serve by packing shoeboxes, covering the ministry in prayer, and inspiring more people to get involved.
Celebrating 30 Years of God’s Faithfulness
Serve as a volunteer with Operation Christmas Child
Listen to Mission of Hope: Delivering the 200 Millionth Shoebox to Ukraine
Meet the little girl who received the specially-packed 200 millionth shoebox gift

Celebrating the Servant’s Heart: National Volunteer Month Apr 07, 2023

Samaritan’s Purse volunteers are the heartbeat of U.S. Disaster Relief. In honor of National Volunteer Month, Kristy Graham introduces listeners to a few of our selfless volunteers—some who have served with Samaritan’s Purse for more than a decade and others who are volunteering for the first time. Luther Harrison, vice president of North American Ministries, shares how volunteers play an integral role, and how he has seen this aspect of the ministry continue to grow.
Meet a homeowner whose life was transformed when volunteers helped him recover from an EF3 tornado
Volunteer with Samaritan’s Purse
Learn the latest on how Samaritan’s Purse is responding to the spring storms

Inside a Refugee Camp Mar 31, 2023

Listen again to Inside a Refugee Camp, which first aired in 2019 as millions of Syrian refugees fled to Iraq. Hear about life inside the camp, the logistics of helping families resettle, and how their lives have changed.
Read more about what God is doing through our team members as they continue to provide relief in Iraq, and support partners in Syria.
Do you feel that God is calling you to be a part of crucial disaster relief efforts with Samaritan’s Purse? Apply to become a member of the Samaritan's Purse Disaster Assistance Response Team.
Join our community on Instagram to see more behind-the-scenes content.

Building Resiliency in Christ Mar 10, 2023

Bev Kauffeldt has served with Samaritan’s Purse around the world for more than two decades. Her life experience internationally coupled with her own testimony and cancer diagnosis has taught her to rely on God for strength daily. Bev candidly shares about failure and how it has taught her to rely on Christ.
Learn more about the Samaritan’s Purse Apprenticeship Program that Bev Kauffeldt leads
Join our community on Instagram
Learn more about God’s love and how you can accept Jesus Christ as your personal Savior

Mission of Hope: Delivering the 200 Millionth Shoebox to Ukraine Feb 24, 2023

Samaritan’s Purse collected its 200 millionth Operation Christmas Child shoebox this year. This milestone gift was hand-delivered to an orphan in Ukraine by Elizabeth Groff, who also received a shoebox gift as a little girl living in a Ukrainian orphanage. Join them on this journey of bringing joy and the hope of the Gospel to children in conflict-weary Ukraine.
Hear how a shoebox changed Elizabeth Groff’s life
Meet Natalya, an orphan who received the 200 millionth shoebox
Learn more about how Samaritan’s Purse is meeting physical and spiritual needs in Ukraine

Franklin Graham on Aviation: Reaching the Remote Feb 10, 2023

Aviation opens doors for the Gospel by allowing us to respond when every second counts and enables us to reach the most remote regions of the world. Join Kristy Graham as she chats with pilot and Samaritan’s Purse president Franklin Graham as well as other crew members about how aviation has shaped the ministry of Samaritan’s Purse.
Read about our DC-8 aircraft
Join our community on Instagram
Visit the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association website

Inside Ukraine Pt. 2: Voices of the Responders Feb 03, 2023

In part 1 of this mini-series, we brought you inside our Emergency Field Hospital near the frontlines of war in eastern Ukraine. Today, we’re bringing you behind the scenes to hear what it was like for medical responders and staff serving.
Listen to “Inside Ukraine Pt. 1: Voices of the Survivors”
Listen to “Tangible Love: Serving Patients in Ukraine”
Read about the ongoing response in Ukraine
Learn more about God’s love and how you can accept Jesus Christ as your personal Savior

Inside Ukraine Pt. 1: Voices of the Survivors Jan 27, 2023

For months, Samaritan’s Purse worked in an undisclosed location in Ukraine—a liberated city just miles from the frontlines. Now, it’s finally safe to share that story with the world. In this episode we take you to an Emergency Field Hospital hidden in a bunker. Patients share what it was like to live in the aftermath of war and the hope they’re experiencing now.
Listen to an episode about our Emergency Field Hospital in Lviv
Listen to an episode about how Samaritan’s Purse and our brave church partners are getting food into areas of Ukraine still in the midst of conflict
Read the stories of survivors in Ukraine
Do you want to know Jesus Christ as your personal Savior? Visit the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association website to learn more.

Looking to 2023: Reflections With Edward Graham Jan 20, 2023

Kristy Graham and Edward Graham, vice president of operations at Samaritan’s Purse, reflect on 2022 and share hopes for the coming year.
Listen to last year’s ministry update with Edward Graham
Visit the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association website
Join our community on Instagram

Healing Hearts: Children's Heart Project Jan 13, 2023

In the United States, children born with heart defects have access to the healthcare they need, but so many children around the world don’t have this luxury. Kristy Graham introduces you to Hishga, a young girl from Mongolia, whose life was forever changed through Children’s Heart Project.
Read about Children’s Heart Project
Join our community on Instagram
Listen to Erdene’s heart surgery story
Learn more about the Emerson Rose Heart Foundation
Learn about the Gospel and salvation

Miraculous: Answered Prayers of 2022 Dec 30, 2022

Prayer is so important to every part of the ministry at Samaritan’s Purse. In this episode, Kristy Graham reflects on the importance of prayer and hears stories from staff members about how the Lord has worked in 2022. You’ll hear from a variety of different voices across the ministry as they share in their own words the miraculous ways God has answered prayers.
Read Kristy’s YouVersion devotional on living a life of gratitude
Visit our website for more stories of answered prayers
Learn about salvation, the Gospel, and Jesus

“It Changed My Life”: Celebrating 200 Million Gospel Opportunities Dec 23, 2022

Operation Christmas Child has been sending gift-filled shoeboxes to children around the world since 1993. Join us as we celebrate a milestone: collecting our 200 millionth shoebox! Elizabeth Groff shares her testimony of how a simple gift changed her life as an orphan in Ukraine, and why she is now excited to be packing the 200 millionth shoebox gift for a child in need.
See the 200 Millionth tour
Build an Operation Christmas Child shoebox online
Visit the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association website

Operation Christmas Child: The Fun of Preparing Shoeboxes for Little Hands and Hearts Dec 16, 2022

Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes are bringing the Gospel to the farthest corners of the earth. In this episode, we’re giving you a glimpse into what it takes to get these gifts into the hands of children.
Build a box online
Get involved with serving at a processing center
Watch Alex’s story
Visit the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association website

Life After COVID-19: Returning to Italy Dec 09, 2022

In the spring of 2020, Italy was the epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic with death tolls reaching the thousands. We’re taking you back to the scene as our Disaster Assistance Response Team returns to Cremona—this time to celebrate God’s faithfulness.
Read about the Noi Festival
See behind-the-scenes of the 2020 Cremona response
Visit the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association website

Staff Devotions: The God Who Sees Nov 25, 2022

Irina Creek, a former orphan living in the Soviet Union, shares her story of finding hope in a closed country through an Operation Christmas Child shoebox. Host Kristy Graham then dives deeper into Genesis 16 and how God sees every detail of our lives.
Build an Operation Christmas Child shoebox online
Learn about how we’re responding to the crisis in Ukraine
Join our community on Instagram
Visit the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association website

Franklin Graham and 41 Gifts of Hope Nov 18, 2022

Kristy Graham talks with Samaritan’s Purse president Franklin Graham about the life-changing impact of the Christmas Catalog. Learn more about some of Franklin Graham’s favorite items in the catalog and hear from country directors living in the field about how these gifts open doors for the Gospel in some of the farthest corners of the world.

World Orphans Day: Called to Care Nov 11, 2022

Millions of children around the world grow up in unstable homes due to war, death, and poverty. On World Orphans Day, we’re exploring both the complexities of the orphan crisis and the initiatives empowering parents around the globe.
Listen to “Honoring Mothers Around the World”
Support maternal and child health programs
Learn about nutrition programs supporting mothers
Visit the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association website

From Darkness to Light: Cataract Surgeries in South Sudan Nov 04, 2022

After years of living in darkness, hundreds of patients received their eyesight when Samaritan’s Purse conducted a week-long cataract mission in South Sudan. Join Kristy Graham as she introduces you to patients whose lives were changed by this routine surgery.
Read more stories of lives changed through cataract surgery
Follow us on Instagram to see photos and video of the patients you met in this episode
Watch the transformation take place

Hope Restored in Alaska: Operation Heal Our Patriots Oct 28, 2022

Service members are impacted by the effects of war years after they return home. Whether they’re suffering from mental or physical trauma, the wounds of the past affect not just them, but also their spouses and family members. Kristy talks with Operation Heal Our Patriots staff members and military spouses to hear about their experiences rebuilding their marriages.
Learn more about Operation Heal Our Patriots
Listen to a special episode about Operation Heal Our Patriots’ 10-year anniversary
Applications for the Operation Heal Our Patriots 2023 season open Feb. 1
Visit the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association website

Listen Again: Answering the Call Oct 21, 2022

The Samaritan’s Purse’s Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) has responded to over 150 disasters around the world since 2008, meeting the physical and spiritual needs of those affected. These specialists have a unique firsthand view of both tragedy and hope.
Apply to be a member of the DART
Read more stories of how God is working through Samaritan’s Purse
Listen to two DART medical professionals share about serving on the frontlines of the COVID-19 response
Visit the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association website

Operation Christmas Child: Packing a Gift That Lasts Oct 13, 2022

Each Christmas, thousands of shoeboxes are sent out to children in some of the most remote regions of the world. In this episode, Kristy Graham hears from Operation Christmas Child staff as they share about how shoebox gifts are sparking a discipleship movement in these hard-to-reach places.
Build an Operation Christmas Child shoebox online
Find a shoebox drop-off location near you
Read about The Greatest Journey discipleship program
Listen to three shoebox recipients share their stories
Visit the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association website

Hurricane Ian: Bringing Hope to Florida Oct 06, 2022

We’re taking you through the first few days of the response to Hurricane Ian. The death toll continues to rise as more needs are uncovered and news outlets report on the storm. What often isn’t shared are the stories of hope amid tragedy. Join us as we hear from homeowners in Florida, Samaritan’s Purse staff members, and U.S. Disaster Relief volunteers.
Read more about our response to Hurricane Ian
Listen to our response to Hurricane Fiona in Puerto Rico
Join our community on Instagram
Visit the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association website

Rushing Aid to Puerto Rico Sep 30, 2022

Hurricane Fiona recently hit Puerto Rico, leaving nearly 3 million people without water or electricity. Host Kristy Graham speaks with Samaritan’s Purse staff members and correspondents on the ground to learn what it looks like to respond to this natural disaster.
Read about our response in Puerto Rico
Watch our teams bringing tarps and water filtration systems to families in need
Join our community on Instagram
Visit the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association website

Legacy of Faithfulness: North American Ministries Sep 23, 2022

Kristy Graham sits with Luther Harrison, vice president of North American Ministries, to talk about how he got started at Samaritan’s Purse, our U.S. Disaster Relief efforts, and ways to pray for the ministry.
Hear from disaster survivors in Mayfield, Kentucky
Volunteer with Samaritan’s Purse U.S. Disaster Relief
Join our Community on Instagram for more behind-the-scenes content
Visit the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association website

Called and Commissioned: Sending Missionary Doctors Sep 16, 2022

In the most remote areas of the world, communities are suffering without access to basic healthcare services. Missionary doctors have a unique global opportunity to bring physical and spiritual aid. Hear from doctors in World Medical Mission’s Post-Residency Program to understand what motivates them to work in underserved areas!
Learn more about World Medical Mission
Explore the Post-Residency Program
Visit the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association website

Rebuilding After the Storm: Mayfield, Kentucky Aug 19, 2022

Samaritan’s Purse is rebuilding homes and helping families recover in Mayfield, Kentucky after the deadly tornado outbreak that hit in December 2021. Meet homeowners who lost everything and be encouraged by their hope and resilience.
LINKS:
Volunteer with Samaritan’s Purse
Listen to “The Headlines: Devastating Tornado Outbreak” to hear what Mayfield, Kentucky, was like immediately after the storm
Follow us on Instagram to see behind the scenes
Are you interested in finding the Good News of Salvation? Visit the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association website.

Finding God in the Floorboards Aug 12, 2022

As a little girl living in communist Romania, Izabella McMillon received an Operation Christmas Child shoebox gift. Host Kristy Graham sits down with Izabella to hear about the life-changing impact of a simple gift.

Unsung Heroes: Food Distributions in the Red Zone of Ukraine Aug 05, 2022

The world is witnessing the aftermath of months-long conflict in Ukraine, but getting aid to those most affected by the violence continues to be complex and unpredictable. Kristy Graham takes you closer to the conflict than ever before as church partners deliver food and life-saving supplies into the red zone.

Ministry Update: A Conversation w/ Edward Graham Jul 22, 2022

Kristy Graham sits down with her husband, Edward Graham, to hear a ministry update about the work of Samaritan’s Purse around the world. Edward shares the latest on four major projects, which have seen growth and change in the first six months of the year— Ukraine, U.S Disaster Relief, Operation Christmas Child, and Children’s Heart Project.

Listen Again: Operation Heal Our Patriots (2019) Jul 01, 2022

This episode originally aired in 2019 after Kristy Graham returned from Operation Heal Our Patriots in Alaska. This week-long marriage retreat brings spiritual refreshment, physical renewal, and marriage enrichment to military veterans and their spouses. As we celebrate our freedom as Americans, we want to introduce you to military veterans and their spouses who have selflessly served our country.
LINKS

Learn more about Operation Heal Our Patriots
https://www.samaritanspurse.org/education-2/operation-heal-our-patriots/

Meet Sean and Brandy Karpf, a couple whose marriage was saved this summer
https://www.samaritanspurse.org/article/god-answers-prayers-to-save-a-military-couples-marriage/

Follow us on Instagram for behind-the-scenes content.
https://www.instagram.com/onthegroundsp/?hl=en

SHOW NOTES

Operation Heal Our Patriots is a ministry of Samaritan’s Purse that is especially close to Kristy Graham’s heart. Her husband, Edward, served 16 years in the U.S. Army so she knows military life firsthand. In this episode, Kristy takes listeners back to one of her favorite episodes, which was recorded while she was at Samaritan Lodge Alaska in 2019.

At Operation Heal Our Patriots, couples have the opportunity to get away from the normal pressures of life, reconnect, explore the Alaskan wilderness, and participate in Biblically-based marriage enrichment classes. This ministry of Samaritan’s Purse was developed to strengthen marriages.

Samaritan’s Purse gives thanks to God that through this program we have welcomed more than 1,400 military couples to Alaska since 2012, and hundreds of participants have accepted Christ as their Savior while in Alaska. In the first four weeks of the 2022 season, 25 individuals made decisions to follow Jesus, 21 were baptized in Lake Clark, and 23 couples chose to rededicate their marriages to God and each other.

Kristy Graham shares the life-changing story of Tony and Amy Payne, one of the many couples impacted by Operation Heal Our Patriots. The Paynes met in a tattoo shop. Shortly after they got married, Tony felt led to join the military. Tony was critically injured by an improvised explosive device (IED) during one of his deployments. When he returned home, his marriage hit an all-time low. Out of desperation, Tony turned to God’s Word and accepted Jesus as his personal Savior. Tony followed faithfully after Jesus and prayed regularly for Amy to experience God’s love in the same way. It wasn’t until they came to Alaska that Amy understood what it meant to follow Jesus. Tony’s prayers were answered when Amy committed her life to God. At the end of the week at Samaritan Lodge Alaska, she was baptized in the icy waters of Lake Clark.

Another couple whose marriage was restored was JP and Crystal Lane. JP joined the army when he was 22 and was deployed to Afghanistan. In 2011, he was wounded by an IED. He sustained 26 injuries and went through 28 surgeries. JP and Crystal knew that it was a miracle from God that he survived. They spent their time and energy sharing JP’s testimony with others, but at the end of the day they had little left for one another.

“I enjoy one hundred percent inspiring people with the testimony that God has given us and what I’ve been through,” JP said. “But we would be so drained so much that when we were home we didn’t care about inspiring each other and it was breaking us apart.”

It wasn’t until JP and Crystal came to Alaska that they truly refocused their marriage on one another and centered their lives around Christ. Operation Heal Our Patriots gave them space fo

Meet the Staff: Luther Harrison Jun 09, 2022

Luther Harrison, vice president of North American Ministries, remembers the first year of disaster relief with Samaritan’s Purse when just 50 volunteers deployed. Now, thousands serve across the country each year. Kristy and Luther reflect on God’s faithfulness over the years. Resources – Volunteer with Samaritan’s Purse – Follow us on Instagram for behind-the-scenes content. …

Continue reading "Meet the Staff: Luther Harrison"

Memorial Day: Reflection and Pride May 27, 2022

Kristy Graham interviews Lt. Gen. (Ret.) William G. Boykin to reflect on the importance of the sacrifice and honor of the men and women who paid the ultimate price in service to our country. Resources – Listen to the 2021 Memorial Day episode to reflect and remember the names of service members who died defending …

Continue reading "Memorial Day: Reflection and Pride"

Tangible Love: Serving Patients in Ukraine May 13, 2022

Kristy Graham introduces you to patients who Samaritan’s Purse is serving at medical clinics across Ukraine. Hear first-hand from refugees who are fleeing for their lives and the disaster response specialists who are serving them in Jesus’ Name. Resources – Apply Now to serve on the Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) in response to the …

Continue reading "Tangible Love: Serving Patients in Ukraine"

Hope in Heartache: Easter Apr 14, 2022

As we prepare to celebrate Easter, we know that Jesus is our ultimate hope. Hear stories of God’s faithfulness in the midst of heartache from a local pastor serving in tornado-weary Kentucky, a Ukrainian chaplain whose friends were killed in the conflict, and a pharmacist that God is using in Ukraine to share the Gospel. …

Continue reading "Hope in Heartache: Easter"

For Such a Time as This: Ukraine Mar 28, 2022

Samaritan’s Purse teams—prepared and mobilized by God—are continuing to bring physical and spiritual help in Ukraine. Hear updates and stories directly from staff, patients, and leadership that are on the ground in the midst of the conflict. Resources – Apply now to serve on the Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) in response to the crisis …

Continue reading "For Such a Time as This: Ukraine"

Our First 72 Hours in Ukraine Mar 11, 2022

Samaritan’s Purse is in Ukraine to help meet the needs of fleeing victims of the ongoing crisis. Hear the sounds and stories of what it’s like on the ground in Ukraine, how our team is responding, and ways local churches are acting as the body of Christ. Resources – Apply now to serve on the …

Continue reading "Our First 72 Hours in Ukraine"

The Headlines: Samaritan’s Purse Sends Emergency Field Hospital to Ukraine Mar 07, 2022

On March 4, Samaritan’s Purse airlifted an Emergency Field Hospital and a Disaster Assistance Response Team on our DC-8 cargo plane to bring relief in the midst of the Ukraine crisis. Resources – Apply now to serve on the Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) in response to the crisis in Ukraine. – Give now to …

Continue reading "The Headlines: Samaritan’s Purse Sends Emergency Field Hospital to Ukraine"

Ukraine Crisis: Behind-the-Scenes as the Response Develops Mar 02, 2022

Samaritan’s Purse is responding to the recent Ukraine crisis. Come behind the scenes with Kristy Graham and the podcast team to hear how the ministry is mobilizing to bring physical and spiritual help in the midst of the disaster. Resources – Apply now to serve on the Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) in response to …

Continue reading "Ukraine Crisis: Behind-the-Scenes as the Response Develops"

The Headlines: Our Prayer for Ukraine Feb 25, 2022

Samaritan’s Purse is preparing to meet the needs of fleeing Ukrainians in the midst of the recent conflict. Hear from Kristy Graham as she offers Scriptures of encouragement and specific prayer requests for the needs on the ground. Resources – Pray for the Crisis in Ukraine – Samaritan’s Purse website – Follow us on Instagram …

Continue reading "The Headlines: Our Prayer for Ukraine"

Interview with Steven Curtis Chapman: Kentucky Tornado Relief Benefit Concert Feb 07, 2022

– There is still time to buy tickets for the Kentucky Tornado Relief Benefit Concert on February 20th. – Visit Steven Curtis Chapman’s website to check out tour dates, new music, book releases, and social media updates. – Learn more about Show Hope, a nationally recognized voice in orphan care and adoption advocacy founded by …

Continue reading "Interview with Steven Curtis Chapman: Kentucky Tornado Relief Benefit Concert"

Staff Devotions with Franklin Graham Jan 29, 2022

Have you ever wondered what it’s like to work at Samaritan’s Purse? Every morning, the staff gathers for a devotion in God’s Word and corporate prayer. Come with us behind the scenes to hear a message from Franklin Graham as he shares from Psalm 23. – Around the world, Samaritan’s Purse staff prays for God …

Continue reading "Staff Devotions with Franklin Graham"

Miracles on Miracles: 2021 Wrapped Jan 14, 2022

Happy New Year, On the Ground listeners! God moved in amazing ways through Samaritan’s Purse in 2021. Join us as Kristy shares unheard miracle stories from our work in some of the most remote corners of the world. – See photo highlights from the year. – Read how “Faith Still Stands Amid Mayfield’s Grieving” as …

Continue reading "Miracles on Miracles: 2021 Wrapped"

Special Episode! Behind the Scenes of Christmas Eve Lunch in Kentucky Dec 21, 2021

Kristy Graham shares the ministry’s God-sized goal—feeding thousands of people in Mayfield, Kentucky on Christmas Eve. On December 15th, the idea was first discussed. Now, our food services team is hard at work, preparing to serve families devastated by the Kentucky tornadoes. • Follow along on Instagram as the podcast team shows you behind …

Continue reading "Special Episode! Behind the Scenes of Christmas Eve Lunch in Kentucky"

The Headlines: Devastating Tornado Outbreak Dec 13, 2021

“I’ve never seen anything like this,” shares a Samaritan’s Purse photographer on the ground this weekend in Mayfield, Kentucky. Samaritan’s Purse is actively responding to the deadly tornadoes that ripped through multiple states. Kristy Graham shares how the ministry is mobilizing thousands of volunteers to help hurting homeowners in Jesus’ Name. – If you’d like …

Continue reading "The Headlines: Devastating Tornado Outbreak"

Come and See: Saving Lives through Surgery Dec 03, 2021

It takes three hours in the operating room to set a broken leg and even less than that to mend a cleft lip. In today’s episode, join Kristy Graham as she speaks with Samaritan’s Purse medical specialists and shares stories of patients in Malawi and South Sudan. Both the orthopedic and cleft lip surgeries are …

Continue reading "Come and See: Saving Lives through Surgery"

Adoption Awareness Month: Orphan Care and Family Support Nov 12, 2021

In honor of National Adoption Month this November, Kristy shares specific ways that Samaritan’s Purse provides orphan care and her family’s personal adoptive story. She speaks with the directors from orphanages that Samaritan’s Purse supports to hear testimonies of children’s lives forever changed. Kristy also sheds light on the need for adoptive family support and …

Continue reading "Adoption Awareness Month: Orphan Care and Family Support"

Honoring Veterans Day: A Lifetime of Service Nov 09, 2021

We have nearly 100 veterans serving at Samaritan’s Purse, but God allows us to help hundreds more through Operation Heal Our Patriots—a ministry that brings wounded veterans and their spouses to a week-long retreat in Alaska. This Veterans Day, Kristy highlights opportunities that the ministry provides for veterans who have a heart to serve. – …

Continue reading "Honoring Veterans Day: A Lifetime of Service"

A Lasting Impact: The Global Internship Program Oct 15, 2021

– Apply for the Samaritan’s Purse 2022 summer internship season to be a part of bringing relief and the hope of the Gospel to hurting people. Applications must be submitted no later than Jan. 1, 2022. – Check out our website to learn more about how both domestic and international interns are making an eternal …

Continue reading "A Lasting Impact: The Global Internship Program"

Finding God in the Floorboards: Operation Christmas Child Oct 04, 2021

– Watch Izabella McMillon’s Full Circle Story with Operation Child as she explains where her story with the ministry first began. – Find out more information on how to pack a shoebox, drop-off locations, free materials, and building a shoebox online on our Samaritan’s Purse website. Show Notes To kick off the Operation Christmas Child …

Continue reading "Finding God in the Floorboards: Operation Christmas Child"

The Headlines: Hurricane Ida Causes Mass Devastation Sep 14, 2021

– Samaritan’s Purse is looking for volunteers to be the hands and feet of Christ in Louisiana! Check out SPvolunteer.org to see how you can serve. – Visit our website to read more stories about how our team is encouraging families in the wake of Hurricane Ida. – Leave us a review on Apple podcasts …

Continue reading "The Headlines: Hurricane Ida Causes Mass Devastation"

Commemorating the 20th Anniversary of 9/11 Sep 10, 2021

– Watch Billy Graham’s 9/11 Message at the National Cathedral only days following the attacks. – Call the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA) 24-hour Prayer Line at 888-388-2683, if you’d like prayer and support during this somber 9/11 anniversary. Show Notes September 11, 2001, marks the solemn day when the United States experienced the worst …

Continue reading "Commemorating the 20th Anniversary of 9/11"

After the Shock: Haiti Earthquake Aug 31, 2021

– Read “Samaritan’s Purse On the Ground in Haiti After Powerful Earthquake Rocks Southern Cities,” to learn more about how the ministry is bringing hope to Haiti during a time of crisis, and how you can get involved. – Follow us on Instagram to see the Samaritan’s Purse response team bring help to hurting people …

Continue reading "After the Shock: Haiti Earthquake"

In the News – Earthquake in Haiti Aug 17, 2021

– Read “Samaritan’s Purse On the Ground in Haiti After Powerful Earthquake Rocks Southern Cities” to learn more about our disaster relief efforts, specific prayer requests, and ways to get involved. – If you’d like to hear more about our work in Haiti to bring hope and healing, listen to the podcast episode, “Let Us …

Continue reading "In the News – Earthquake in Haiti"

World Medical Mission: To the Ends of the Earth Jul 21, 2021

– Learn more about opportunities for medical professionals to serve overseas with World Medical Mission. – Are you a Christian medical or healthcare professional looking to be refreshed by a time of fellowship and spiritual enrichment? Come learn about medical ministry through Samaritan’s Purse by attending the Prescription for Renewal conference in Orlando, Florida, featuring …

Continue reading "World Medical Mission: To the Ends of the Earth"

Celebrating 10 Years of Operation Heal Our Patriots Jul 07, 2021

– Are you or your spouse a service member from a U.S. military branch who has been injured or wounded in active duty after September 11, 2001? Apply to participate in Operation Heal Our Patriots. – Discover more about how Operation Heal Our Patriots is working to strengthen the marriages and faith of our wounded …

Continue reading "Celebrating 10 Years of Operation Heal Our Patriots"

Disaster Assistance Response Teams: Answering the Call Jun 16, 2021

– Do you feel that God is calling you to be a part of crucial disaster relief with Samaritan’s Purse? Apply to be a member of the DART, Disaster Assistance Response Team. – Read more stories of how God is working through Samaritan’s Purse by visiting our website, www.samaritanspurse.org. – Listen to “Through the Eyes …

Continue reading "Disaster Assistance Response Teams: Answering the Call"

Conversation with Franklin Graham Jun 02, 2021

– Visit our website to see how God is continuing to use Samaritan’s Purse to provide hope and healing to families around the world. – Listen to the following On the Ground podcast episodes to hear how Samaritan’s Purse treated patients with COVID-19 in Italy, New York City, the Bahamas, North Carolina, and LA County. …

Continue reading "Conversation with Franklin Graham"

Stop, Reflect, Remember: Memorial Day May 29, 2021

– If you are a Gold Star wife, please consider applying to the “Gold Star Wives Retreat—Let Light Shine Out of Darkness,” hosted by Mark Winton at The Billy Graham Training Center. – Want more resources and information about Memorial Day? Check out “Operation We Are Here,” for access to facts, videos, articles and observances. …

Continue reading "Stop, Reflect, Remember: Memorial Day"

Motherhood Unites Us All May 05, 2021

– Follow us on Instagram to take a look behind the scenes of the On the Ground with Samaritan’s Purse podcast! This week, you’ll find photos of Grace, Anna and Bethany’s families, as well as the mothers they encounter in their communities. – Learn more about how Samaritan’s Purse comes alongside mothers around the world …

Continue reading "Motherhood Unites Us All"

Ordinary People Serving an Extraordinary God: Marg Baker Apr 22, 2021

– Follow us on Instagram to see behind-the-scenes photos of Kristy Graham serving with Marg Baker in Thailand at the Christian Happy Homes. – Visit our website to see how God is continuing to use Samaritan’s Purse to provide hope and healing to families around the world. – Samaritan’s Purse is honored to partner with …

Continue reading "Ordinary People Serving an Extraordinary God: Marg Baker"

Through the Eyes of DART Nurses: COVID-19 Apr 14, 2021

– Listen to “Marking One Year: Fighting COVID-19 in Central Park” to hear Kristy’s conversation with Shelly Kelly while she was caring for COVID-19 patients in New York City. – Find encouragement in Kristy’s initial conversation with Ann Galgano in, “Hope in Cremona, Italy.” – Visit our website to see how God is continuing to …

Continue reading "Through the Eyes of DART Nurses: COVID-19"

A Beacon of Hope: Easter Around the World Apr 01, 2021

– As we celebrate Easter, be encouraged with this free downloadable PDF with Kristy’s compiled scriptures that focus on Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection. – Follow us on Instagram to find behind-the-scenes photos and stories about our work around the world. – Visit our website to learn more about how Samaritan’s Purse is providing hope …

Continue reading "A Beacon of Hope: Easter Around the World"

Clean Water Transforms Lives: World Water Day Mar 17, 2021

– Visit our website to learn more about the Samaritan’s Purse projects that provide clean water and promote safe hygiene practices. – Listen back to our episode, “The Ripple Effect: Operation Christmas Child Shoebox Recipient Gives Back,” to hear Yves’ redemption story: once a boy living in Africa without easy access to water, his life …

Continue reading "Clean Water Transforms Lives: World Water Day"

Marking One Year: Fighting COVID-19 in Central Park Mar 08, 2021

– To find more episodes of On the Ground with Samaritan’s Purse that cover the ministry’s first responses to COVID-19, dive deeper into March and April 2020 of the podcast. – Follow us on Instagram to see behind-the-scenes photos of our Disaster Assistance Response Teams in action in Cremona, Italy and New York City. Show …

Continue reading "Marking One Year: Fighting COVID-19 in Central Park"

Let Us Not Grow Weary: 2021 Feb 24, 2021

Samaritan’s Purse began multiple initiatives in 2021 around the world—including two Emergency Field Hospitals in the U.S. in response to rising COVID-19 outbreaks. Please continue to pray for our teams on the ground helping in Jesus’ Name.
Check out our website for up-to-date stories and information of how God is working through the ministry.
Go back and listen to our episode, “Building an Emergency Field Hospital: Combating COVID-19 in North Carolina,” to hear how the Samaritan’s Purse Disaster Assistance Response Team constructs a field hospital in a matter of days.
To learn how your prayers made an impact in 2020, go back and listen to, “Praising God in 2020: Ministry Prayers and Testimony.”

Feeding Families in Crisis: Colombia Feb 10, 2021

In Colombia, Samaritan’s Purse is providing food, shelter, and hygiene items to weary Venezuelan families migrating on foot to find a better life.
Read more testimonies of how God is working through Samaritan’s Purse to provide relief for families on the Colombia-Venezuela border.
Follow us on Instagram to meet individual families impacted by the Samaritan’s Purse Colombia projects.

Building an Emergency Field Hospital: Combating COVID-19 in North Carolina Jan 18, 2021

Kristy Graham interviews members of the disaster assistance response team to learn more about the logistics and teamwork required to build an Emergency Field Hospital in western North Carolina.
Visit our website for more updates and stories of how God is working in our North Carolina Emergency Field Hospital.
Pray for the Samaritan’s Purse DART as they assemble an Emergency Field Hospital in Los Angeles County in response to COVID-19.
Go back and listen to our episode “Inside the Hot Zone: Fighting COVID-19 in the Bahamas,” to hear patient and medical personnel share stories from our field hospital in the Bahamas.

Praising God in 2020: Ministry Prayers and Testimony Dec 31, 2020

In July of this year, Kristy met nine children from Mongolia who received life-saving heart surgery in the U.S. through Children’s Heart Project. COVID-19 prolonged their stay, but God used the time for both physical and spiritual healing. Tune in to “Healed Hearts: Nine Children Return Home to Mongolia,” to hear how God touched each child, mother, and translator.
See God at work in 2020 through our year-end photo highlights.
For more behind the scenes content, follow us on Instagram.
Do you want to know more about having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ? Learn more about having peace with God.

Making an Eternal Impact: Gifts for Families Around the World Dec 16, 2020

Samaritan’s Purse gives between three and five goats to each beneficiary—allowing the family to get milk, cheese, and a source of income. Giving a dairy goat affects generations to come.
Discover 37 gifts of hope in the Samaritan’s Purse Christmas Catalog to give this holiday season.
Follow us on Instagram to see more behind-the-scenes photos of the people and projects impacted by Christmas Catalog gifts.
Check out our website to see the ways God is currently working through Samaritan’s Purse across the globe.
Kristy’s family’s favorite gift items this year!

A Message from Kristy: Leaning on Christ During Advent Dec 02, 2020

Tune in to “A Message from Kristy” to hear her heart for Advent season.
To hear more episodes about finding hope this Christmas, go back and listen to Kristy’s conversations with Yuliya, Yves, and Dania: three people who received Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes as kids and are now giving back.
Read more about how Samaritan’s Purse is continuing to spread God’s love with families around the world.

Sounds of Hope: Operation Christmas Child Shoebox Recipient Gives Back Nov 18, 2020

Dania, a shoebox recipient herself, tells Kristy about her recent trip to the Philippines to deliver Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes.
Find out how you can make an eternal impact this year by packing a shoebox gift.
To send a gift-filled shoebox from your home, you can custom build a shoebox online.
Dive deeper into Dania’s shoebox story with bonus photos and videos about how her life was changed by Operation Christmas Child.

The Ripple Effect: Operation Christmas Child Shoebox Recipient Gives Back Nov 16, 2020

“I’m here to encourage those who are packing boxes that their work isn’t in vain; it’s touching real people’s lives,” Yves explained. “The ripple effects are causing the Gospel to seep into communities that have never heard it before.”
Find out how you can make an eternal impact this year by packing a shoebox gift.
To send a gift-filled shoebox from your home, you can custom build a shoebox online.
Dive deeper into Yves’ shoebox story with bonus photos and videos about how his life was changed by Operation Christmas Child.

A Letter Changed Her Life: Operation Christmas Child Shoebox Recipient Gives Back Nov 13, 2020

In today’s episode, hear how Yuliya Shubina received an Operation Christmas Child shoebox as a little girl, and is now giving back and serving in Jesus’ Name.
Find out how you can make an eternal impact this year by packing a shoebox gift.
To send a gift-filled shoebox from your home, you can custom build a shoebox online.
Dive deeper into Yuliya’s shoebox story with bonus photos and videos about how her life was changed by Operation Christmas Child.

BONUS: Meet Our Staff, Appreciating Veterans Day in the Ministry Nov 11, 2020

Tune in to “BONUS: Meet Our Staff, Appreciating Veterans Day in the Ministry” for a behind the scenes look at the men and women who have perviously served with the U.S. military, who now serve the ministry in Jesus’ Name.
Are you or your spouse a service member from a U.S. military branch who has been injured or wounded in active duty since September 11, 2001? Apply to participate in Operation Heal Our Patriots for the upcoming season.
Discover more about how Operation Heal Our Patriots is working to strengthen the relationships and faith of our wounded veterans here.
To hear more episodes highlighting Operation Heal Our Patriots and veterans who have selflessly served, listen to “Operation Heal Our Patriots,” “The Lifelong Impact of Operation Heal Our Patriots,” and “Memorial Day: Honoring Those Who Died for our Freedom.”

Inside the Hot Zone: Fighting COVID-19 in the Bahamas Nov 04, 2020

Please pray for the Samaritan’s Purse Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) as they provide patient care in Jesus’ Name.
If you enjoyed hearing first-hand from our COVID-19 treatment center, go back and listen to “Hope in Cremona, Italy,” and “Central Park Emergency Field Hospital,” to learn about our earlier responses in 2020.
For more behind the scenes content, check out our Instagram.
Stay updated on how God is moving through the ministry by visiting our website to read stories like, ‘Emergency Field Hospital Opens in the Bahamas to Care for COVID-19 Patients.’

Power of Prayer: Leaning on God’s Guidance Oct 21, 2020

“I prayed that the Lord would give me compassion and strength but when I went in,” said Dr. Julie McKay, a doctor serving at the Emergency Field Hospital in Cremona. “I went over to him and he hadn’t been communicating with us because he was so sick and so out of breath. But he took my hands and looked up at me and said, ‘I feel better today, I have peace.’ It was 100% God.”
Do you want to be encouraged by the power of prayer? Check out the replay of the Prayer March 2020.
Are you interested in Paul David Tripp’s full devotion mentioned at the beginning of the episode? Take a look at the devotion from his book New Morning Mercies.
Operation Christmas Child shoebox season is here! Click here to find COVID-19 updates, gift suggestions, and ways to get involved.
Read more about how ‘Dr. Kent Brantly Continues to Share Good News’ after his battle with Ebola.
Samaritan’s Purse is still fighting COVID-19 by setting up another Emergency Field Hospital in the Bahamas. Find more information here.

Hearts to Serve: Volunteers Deploy Across the Country Oct 07, 2020

Tune in to “Hearts to Serve: Volunteers Deploy Across the Country,” to hear how Marie witnesses the local church stepping outside their walls to help families in hurting communities.
Is God calling you to be a part of disaster relief with Samaritan’s Purse? Take a look at our volunteer opportunities.
Read more stories from each of our U.S. Disaster Relief sites here.
Do you want to know more about having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ? Learn more about having peace with God.

BONUS: Conversation with Kristy Graham, Celebrating One Year Oct 04, 2020

Thank you for joining us as we celebrate one year of the On the Ground with Samaritan’s Purse podcast.
Check out our website to see photos and insider details for every episode.
Read more about the work of Samaritan’s Purse.
Follow us on Instagram to learn more about the podcast team and the making of each episode.

Meeting Physical and Spiritual Needs in Bolivia Sep 23, 2020

Samaritan’s Purse partnered with over 100 churches in Bolivia to provide food packages to families in need.
Read more about how Samaritan’s Purse is Supporting Bolivian Families During the Pandemic. Check out our website for more information.
One of our podcast guests, Grace Wright, gives a video tour– showing a new church that Samaritan’s Purse helped build in the country.
Take a look at our Instagram to get a behind-the-scenes look of the making of On the Ground with Samaritan’s Purse.

From Nepal to Togo: Doctors Prepare for Remote Mission Hospitals Sep 09, 2020

Samaritan’s Purse provides logistical and spiritual support to doctors in the Post-Residency Program as they serve alongside career medical missionaries.
Learn more about opportunities for medical professionals to serve overseas with World Medical Mission.
Is God calling you to a career in medical missions? Find out more about the Post-Residency Program.
Read how Samaritan’s Purse is ‘Sending New Doctors to the Mission Field.‘
What’s it like to experience day in the life of a Post-Residency doctor? Watch ‘Answering God’s Call to Medical Missions.‘

COVID-19 Updates: Equipping Churches to Respond Around the World Aug 11, 2020

“Our donor ministry team started reaching out to our donors and asking them how we can pray from them. It was good to be able to say to our supporters, ‘Our whole team is praying every morning for your situation and what you’re going through.'” —Sylke Busenbender, “COVID-19 Updates: Equipping Churches to Respond Around the World”
Stay updated on information related to our international response to the coronavirus outbreak.
Listen and learn more about our response to the COVID-19 outbreak from previous podcast episodes: Hope in Cremona, Italy, Central Park Emergency Field Hospital, and Fighting Fear; Devotions with Edward Graham.
Follow us on Instagram for more behind the scenes content.

Operation Christmas Child: COVID-19 Updates Jul 29, 2020

Kristy Graham remembers the joy of processing and distributing gift-filled shoeboxes in seasons past in “Operation Christmas Child; COVID-19 Updates."
Stay updated on current information from our Samaritan’s Purse Operation Christmas Child Landing Page, including specific COVID-19 updates.
Another great option to share God’s love is to build a shoebox online. It’s a convenient and personal way to give shoebox gifts directly from home.
Listen and learn more about Operation Christmas Child from previous On the Ground with Samaritan’s Purse podcast episodes “Operation Christmas Child in Ecuador” and “Processing Centers for Operation Christmas Child”.
Want to know more about our work in Sudan? Read how Samaritan’s Purse Joins Fight Against COVID-19 in Sudan.

Healed Hearts: Nine Children Return Home to Mongolia Jul 15, 2020

Through the work of Children’s Heart Project, five-year-old Erdene came to the United States with a heart defect, and is now returning to Mongolia healthy and full of energy.
Visit our Children’s Heart Project landing page to learn more information.
Read about how these Children Take Special Flight Home to Mongolia After Life-Changing Heart Surgeries.

The Lifelong Impact of Operation Heal Our Patriots Jul 01, 2020

Tune in to “The Lifelong Impact of Operation Heal Our Patriots,” to hear how Samaritan’s Purse is providing encouragement to alumni long after they leave Alaska.
Are you or your spouse a service member from a U.S. military branch who has been injured or wounded in active duty after September 11, 2001? Apply to participate in Operation Heal Our Patriots.
Discover more about how Operation Heal Our Patriots is working to strengthen the relationships and faith of our wounded veterans here.
Be encouraged by the latest updates from Alaska.

In the News – Prayers for Racial Reconciliation Jun 15, 2020

On May 25, 2020, George Floyd, an innocent black man, was murdered by a white police officer in Minneapolis. In response, protests have broken out across the nation. In this time of grief and uncertainty, Kristy Graham brings God’s Word to the forefront of the conversation.
Are you interested in getting involved with the Billy Graham Evangelistic Rapid Response Team? Learn more here.
Want to learn more about how God is working on the ground through the Rapid Response Team? Read about how a Minnesota National Guard Solider Becomes a Follower of Christ.

Memorial Day: Honoring Those Who Died for Our Freedom May 20, 2020

Thank you for joining us as On the Ground with Samaritan’s Purse honors the men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice, as well as the Gold Star families for carrying the burden of their loss. In this episode, Kristy Graham dives deeper into what it means to learn their stories, speak their names, and honor their legacy.
Want to learn more about Wear Blue: Run to Remember? Check out the website with more information about Memorial Day here.
If you are a Gold Star wife, please consider applying to the “Gold Star Wives Retreat—Past, Present, and Future” hosted by Michael and Cindy Easley at The Billy Graham Training Center.
Kristy’s friend, Kiley Frederick Bult, wrote a devotional about how she grew closer to God even after her husband was killed in the service. Click this link to read her devotion, “Treasures in the Darkness.”
Click this link for a free downloadable PDF of hope-filled scriptures for Memorial Day.
Are you wanting more resources and information about Memorial Day? Check out “Operation We Are Here,” for access to facts, videos, articles and observances.

Honoring Mothers Around the World May 08, 2020

We invite you to celebrate Mother’s Day with On the Ground with Samaritan’s Purse as Kristy Graham offers ways to honor, remember, and pray for mothers across the globe. In this eye-opening episode, you’ll hear Kristy’s phone call with her sister-in-law, Cissie Graham Lynch, as they discuss Samaritan’s Purse maternal and child health around the world.
Visit our website as Cissie Graham Lynch shares more about her experiences raising children and meeting mothers around the world.
To hear more about having a fearless faith in the midst of a compromising culture, listen to Cissie Graham Lynch’s podcast, Fearless.
Join our community on Instagram to take a look behind the scenes of the podcast.

Tornadoes in Laurel, MS May 02, 2020

Thank you for listening to the final episode of our U.S. Disaster Relief mini-series. In this four-part special, Kristy Graham has taken you to Chattanooga, TN; Seneca, SC; Monroe, LA; and now, Laurel, MS.
To learn more about U.S. Disaster Relief’s response to those affected by the tornadoes, listen to our last 3 episodes in this mini-series; Chattanooga, TN, Seneca, SC, and Monroe, LA.
Stay up to date with stories of Samaritan’s Purse working to help families devastated by the storm-system.
Join our community on Instagram to take a look behind the scenes of the podcast.

Tornadoes in Monroe, LA May 01, 2020

Tune in to the third episode of our four-part series featuring work Samaritan’s Purse U.S. Disaster Relief is doing in Monroe, Louisiana. Over Easter weekend, three tornadoes damaged more than 400 homes, leaving the community in physical and emotional distress. Today, hear as Kristy Graham talks with Shannon Daley, a regional program manager for U.S.
To learn more about U.S. Disaster Relief’s response to those affected by the tornadoes, listen to the first two episodes of the mini-series that focus on Chattanooga, TN, and Seneca, SC.
Stay up to date with stories of Samaritan’s Purse working to help families devastated by the storm-system.
Join our community on Instagram for a look behind the scenes here on the podcast.

Tornadoes in Seneca, SC Apr 30, 2020

Thank you for joining us in episode two of our four-part series highlighting the U.S. disaster response teams after a major storm-system swept through Tennessee, South Carolina, Louisiana, and Mississippi.
Listen to part one of this mini-series, "Tornadoes in Chattanooga, TN” to learn more about U.S. Disaster Relief response to those affected by these tornadoes.
Find up to date stories of Samaritan’s Purse working to help families devastated by the storm-system.
Take a look behind the scenes of the podcast by joining our community on Instagram.

Tornadoes in Chattanooga, TN Apr 29, 2020

Welcome to the first episode of a four-part mini-series featuring the work Samaritan’s Purse U.S. Disaster Relief is providing in the Southeast.
Listen to "In the News – Tornadoes in the South" for more information about the U.S. Disaster Relief response to those affected by this storm-system.
Stay up to date with stories of Samaritan’s Purse working to help families devastated by the tornadoes.
Join our community on Instagram for more behind the scenes content.

Hope in Cremona, Italy Apr 24, 2020

Welcome to another episode of On the Ground with Samaritan’s Purse. In this informative feature, you’ll hear many voices of doctors, patients, nurses, and staff serving on the ground in Cremona, Italy. Throughout the episode, you’ll hear the theme of hope as our teams continue to give critical care to patients suffering from COVID-19.
Hear more about Francesco's story, and find more videos of the patients at the Emergency Field Hospital.
Hear more about our airlift to Cremona, Italy.
Learn more about our response to COVID-19 in New York City.
Listen back to how we are operating an Emergency Field Hospital in Central Park, New York.
Read more about our work through Emergency Field Hospitals in Cremona, Italy and New York City.

In the News – Tornadoes in the South Apr 22, 2020

This Easter weekend, a devastating storm system ripped through the Southeast. In this episode, we hear how the ministry is taking immediate action to help hurting families.
Learn more about volunteering with the U.S. Disaster Relief teams.
Read more stories of how U.S. Disaster Relief is responding to storms.
Follow us on Instagram for more behind-the-scenes content.

Central Park Emergency Field Hospital Apr 19, 2020

Since April 1, Samaritan’s Purse doctors, nurses, and disaster response specialists have sacrificed to help treat patients with COVID-19 at the Emergency Field Hospital in New York City. In this week’s episode of On the Ground with Samaritan’s Purse, Kristy speaks with the vice president of programs and government relations, and an ICU nurse on our Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART).
Are you a licensed medical professional seeking to serve in Jesus’ Name? Apply to be a part of our Disaster Assistance Response Team.
Listen to "In the News – Combating COVID-19 in New York City" for more information about our Emergency Field Hospital in New York.
Visit our website to stay up-to-date with how God is working through our Emergency Field Hospitals in Cremona, Italy and New York City.

In the News – Combating COVID-19 in New York City Apr 08, 2020

Thank you for listening to another episode of On the Ground with Samaritan’s Purse. This “In the News” episode features Kristy Graham’s interview with the deputy director for Samaritan’s Purse international projects. Together they take a closer look at how Samaritan's Purse continues to respond to COVID-19 in New York City.
Do you have medical expertise and want to care for those with COVID-19 in Jesus’ Name? Apply to serve with Samaritan’s Purse Disaster Assistance Response Team.
Read more about our two deployed Emergency Field Hospitals in Cremona, Italy and New York City.
Listen to "COVID-19 Airlift to Italy" to learn about our response to combat the coronavirus in Cremona, Italy.

COVID-19 Airlift to Italy Mar 25, 2020

“As you’re fighting your own battles in your own communities with this virus, I hope hearing the prayers in this episode encourages you.” – Kristy Graham
Find more stories on how Samaritan’s Purse is battling COVID-19 on the ground in Italy.
Listen to "Fighting Fear: Devotions with Edward Graham" for hope and encouragement in the midst of this pandemic.
Learn more about peace with God, and having a personal relationship with Christ.

Fighting Fear: Devotions with Edward Graham Mar 19, 2020

As headlines about COVID-19 change every hour, Samaritan’s Purse is looking to help the hurting and broken. This week, Edward Graham delivered a powerful message about COVID-19 and fear to our staff members. We want to share this encouraging word with you.
Read more about the setup of our Emergency Field Hospital in Cremona, Italy.
Join our community on Instagram for more behind-the-scenes content.

In the News – Coronavirus and Fear Mar 16, 2020

News about the Coronavirus continues to change moment by moment – invoking fear in the hearts of many. In this episode, Kristy uses God’s word to strengthen and embolden those who are anxious.
Stay up to date on how Samaritan's Purse is responding to COVID-19.
Do you want to know more about having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ? Learn more about peace with God here.

In the News – Tennessee Tornadoes Mar 11, 2020

Kristy sheds light on the headlines of the devastating Tennessee tornados that ripped through Nashville and the surrounding areas last week. Jump behind the scenes with Kristy as she hears from Shannon Daley, a staff member on the ground. Shannon serves as regional program manager on our U.S. disaster relief team.
Do you feel that God is calling you to help those affected by the Tennessee tornadoes? Sign up to volunteer with the U.S. Disaster Relief team.
Learn more about how Samaritan’s Purse is working to bring hope throughout Tennessee in East Nashville, Mount Juliet, and Cookeville.

Meet Kelly Sites, A DART Nurse Feb 26, 2020

Thank you for tuning in to another episode of On the Ground with Samaritan’s Purse. Our goal is to take you both to the front lines and behind-the-scenes of our work to hear the hearts of those who are serving.
Is God calling you to be a part of disaster relief with Samaritan’s Purse? Apply to be a member of the Disaster Assistance Response Team.
Are you interested in learning more about what a DART looks like in action? Listen back to our first episode, "A Day in the Life of a DART," to learn more about what a DART team looks like in action.

Celebrating 50 Years of Samaritan’s Purse Feb 12, 2020

Thank you for tuning in to a momentous episode of On the Ground with Samaritan’s Purse. This month, Samaritan’s Purse is celebrating 50 Years of helping in Jesus’ Name. In this episode, you have the chance to meet strategic leaders of the ministry, and hear about the history, memories, and growth of the organization.
Learn more about what God has done through Samaritan’s Purse over 50 years.
Join our instagram community for more photos of the past 50 years of Samaritan’s Purse.

Rebuilding After A Storm Jan 29, 2020

As we welcome in the New Year, Samaritan’s Purse is hard at work rebuilding homes for families devastated by hurricanes in Pearland, Texas, and Panama City, Florida. Join us as our host, Kristy Graham, dives deeper into the lives of volunteers, staff, and families that are experiencing God’s love through the work of Samaritan’s Purse.
Find volunteer opportunities with Samaritan’s Purse U.S. Disaster Relief.
Read the story of how a woman received a new home just in time for Christmas after a tornado ripped through Lee County, Alabama.
Find more behind-the-scenes photos by joining our Instagram community.

Processing Centers for Operation Christmas Child Dec 19, 2019

In this Christmas cheer-filled episode, Kristy Graham takes you to one of the eight Operation Christmas Child processing centers across the U.S. Each year, Samaritan’s Purse collects millions of gift-filled shoeboxes—packed with school supplies, hygiene items, and fun toys— to give to children across the world. The processing center plays a crucial part in getting the shoebox from your home to the hands of a child in need.
Find information on how to pack an Operation Christmas Child shoebox gift
Learn more about serving at a processing center, or becoming a year-round volunteer

Hope in Liberia After Ebola Nov 20, 2019

Liberians on the coast of West Africa have faced unimaginable hardship over the past thirty years. From a civil war to the world’s deadliest Ebola outbreak, the country of Liberia has suffered tremendous loss. Witness how God is working through Samaritan’s Purse to bring His hope and restoration to the country as you join Kristy Graham on the ground in Liberia.
Read more about how the Samaritan’s Purse Rebuilding Ebola-Affected Communities Through Agriculture and Livelihood (RECAL) program teaches beekeeping as a livelihood skill.
Learn more about how Samaritan’s Purse responded to the Ebola outbreak in Liberia.

Operation Heal Our Patriots Nov 06, 2019

This week in honor of Veteran’s Day, we are introducing you to military veterans and their spouses—families who have selflessly served our country and fought for our freedom. We are taking you to Alaska, where the Samaritan’s Purse ministry, Operation Heal Our Patriots, takes place. This week-long marriage retreat is designed to provide spiritual refreshment, physical renewal, and marriage enrichment to military veterans and their spouses.
Are you a service member from a U.S. military branch who has been injured or wounded in active duty after September 11, 2001? Apply to participate in Operation Heal Our Patriots.
Discover more photos, videos, and stories about the work of Operation Heal Our Patriots

Operation Christmas Child in Ecuador Oct 23, 2019

Please continue to join us in prayer for pastors, volunteers, children, and communities that are impacted by Operation Christmas Child.
Visit our Operation Christmas Child website to learn more about getting involved in this ministry
Do you have questions or comments for Kristy Graham? Please email us at ontheground@samaritan.org.
Join our community on Instagram

A Day in the Life of a DART Oct 04, 2019

Kristy Graham, host of On the Ground with Samaritan’s Purse, visited the Bahamas on September 10, 2019, to experience a day in the life of a disaster response specialist and hear the stories of those affected by Hurricane Dorian.
Apply to be a member of DART, Disaster Assistance Response Team
Join our community on Instagram
Read more stories from the Bahamas
Do you want to know more about having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ? Learn more about peace with God here.

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

On the Ground with Samaritan’s Purse

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected