Franklin Graham Update | June

Dear Friend,

Ebola has once again made world headlines, and, once again, Samaritan's Purse is on the frontlines of the fight against this deadly and terrifying disease.

As I write this, we have just airlifted an Ebola Treatment Center to Africa along with tons of personal protective gear, including gloves, face shields, masks, boots, and more. The center is a version of our Emergency Field Hospital, specially adapted to care for Ebola patients and to protect those treating them.

We are headed to the epicenter of this latest outbreak—the war-torn, northeast corner of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Ituri Province is a volatile, sometimes lawless, region plagued by warlords and well-armed militias. Hospitals there are truly desperate for the equipment and help we are bringing.

We have a Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) of doctors, nurses, medical personnel, and other relief specialists on the ground to treat gravely ill patients and work alongside the Congolese to implement infection prevention and control measures. Our experts in clean water, sanitation, and hygiene will also work to help stop the spread of the virus.

We are going to do everything we can to help save lives. We want people to know that God loves them and they are not alone.

The current epidemic is caused by the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus and has a mortality rate of 25-50 percent. It has already killed more than 100 people. Pray for God's hand to prevent more suffering from this disease.

Local churches are our best partners. We are working with pastors to educate people about Ebola, to support infection prevention, and to provide a welcoming place for Ebola survivors and their families. Both our in-country staff members—we have hundreds on the team—and our DART are ready to share the Gospel with those who feel hopeless and helpless.

As this deadly Ebola virus spreads, so do people's fear and uncertainty. Like in previous outbreaks, local communities can be very resistant to outside help. Many do not believe Ebola is real. Some say the West has made it up. Treatment centers have been attacked and burned.

Missionary medicine has always been a dangerous calling. Dr. Peter Stafford, a former World Medical Mission post-resident who now works at Nyankunde Hospital, one of our partner facilities in the DRC, was struck with Ebola in mid-May. Before being evacuated to Berlin, Germany, he was so weak he could no longer walk. He did not think he would live, but with great care and many people praying around the world, he is now expected to recover. Praise God!

I spoke with his wife, Dr. Rebekah Stafford, who also formerly served with Samaritan's Purse, and prayed with her over the phone shortly after Peter's evacuation. The couple has four children, and I am always impressed by families who are willing to serve for the cause of the Lord Jesus Christ. Let's keep praying for the Staffords, other missionary doctors, and all those impacted by this deadly virus. Also pray for our Samaritan's Purse teams who are there to help in Jesus' Name. "And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart" (Galatians 6:9).

Rushing Relief to the Islands

Earlier this spring, Samaritan's Purse returned to the Northern Mariana Islands after Typhoon Sinlaku devastated Saipan and Tinian. We had previously brought relief to this remote U.S. territory in the Pacific after another large storm in 2018.

My family has a lot of history with Saipan. My father-in-law was wounded in action there as a Marine during World War II. In 2020, right before the COVID-19 pandemic was declared, I went to Saipan to hold an evangelistic festival and also hand out Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes. One of my granddaughters recently went to serve there as a nurse with Samaritan's Purse during our latest deployment. She worked at our emergency outpatient clinic, where hundreds of people were treated. We set up the medical station right next to the island's damaged hospital.

Gavina, one storm-weary resident of Saipan, prayed Psalm 91 as she rode out the typhoon. She is battling cancer and came to our clinic with intense back pain and extreme dehydration. Her home had been without power or running water for nearly two weeks. Not only did Gavina receive pain medicine and a hydrating IV from us but our team comforted her and prayed with her.

In a series of three airlifts, we brought the islands more than 250,000 pounds of relief supplies, including water purification systems, tarps, blankets, solar lights, and generators, as well as all the equipment for our medical response. People were desperate for clean water, especially on Saipan (pictured above), because the power was out and many wells had also been damaged or fouled by flooding.

We partnered with local churches to hand out the materials, and chaplains shared the Gospel at multiple distributions. The people were hungry to hear the Good News, and more than 70 salvations were reported. Praise God!

Please continue praying for Samaritan's Purse as we work alongside churches around the world. Thank you and may God bless you.

Sincerely,
Franklin Graham