KAPSOWAR, KENYA — In a remote part of eastern Africa, American missionary doctors and African medical professionals bring compassionate care to some of the area’s neediest people. It’s led one American family to dedicate the rest of their lives to serving on the continent. George Thomas of CBN News reports from Kenya. George: I traveled…
LVIV, UKRAINE — Samaritan’s Purse is providing compassionate medical care in a clinic at the Lviv train station in Ukraine for sick and injured refugees who are fleeing the carnage across their country. Natasha – Lviv Resident: Many refugees are coming from completely different corners of our Ukraine. People are demoralized. They don’t see what…
CENTRAL UKRAINE — Samaritan’s Purse is in Ukraine providing medical and trauma care for internally displaced people and for those living in conflict-affected areas. Anastasia and Vadym Ermishyn – Ukrainian Internally Displaced Persons: When the war started, we were awakened at 4:30 a.m. by the sound of explosions and air raid sirens. Tavel Litvin –…
WILLS POINT, TX – GFA World (Gospel for Asia) founded by K.P. Yohannan, has been the model for numerous charities like GFA World Canada, reveals in a new report: National missionaries — those working in their own countries — are the “new pioneers” of the 21st century, and they’re proving to be an “unstoppable compassion…
WILLS POINT, TX – Compassion is more than just a word. In fact, dictionaries identify compassion as a noun, i.e., a thing. But the complete meaning of compassion goes far beyond being a noun. By its very nature and derivation, compassion describes physical action. Compassion is the juxtaposition of two Latin words that means “to…
KERALA, INDIA – January 26 is celebrated annually as Republic Day in India. The holiday observes the anniversary of the date in 1950 when the Constitution of India became law. Although the actual document was adopted by the Constituent Assembly on the 26th of November, 1949, the effective date was purposely set as January 26…
WILLS POINT, Texas —Gospel for Asia (GFA)-supported Sisters of Compassion recently delivered gifts to improve the lives of children and poor widows in a remote village in northeastern India. The Sisters of Compassion are specialized women workers trained to minister to the poor. The items they supplied included school supplies for the children and tin…
WASHINGTON — A new Baylor University study provides evidence of the virtuous effects of religion on mental health among prisoners, affirming the mission of Prison Fellowship International (PFI) in-prison program, The Prisoner’s Journey® (TPJ). “This study confirms what we have believed for a long time,” said David Van Patten, Chief Operating Officer of PFI. “That…
MICHIGAN – Joni and Friends Family Retreat specifically focus on families navigating the challenges of disability. They strive to create a rich, Christ-centered environment at each Family Retreat that is safe and accepting for each member of the family. Find out how life-transforming this was recently for the Rojas family. Gerardo Rojas: Our idea of…
WESTLAKE VILLAGE, CA — Joni and Friends works to equip and mobilize churches to welcome and embrace people with disabilities by removing barriers and creating a church culture that sees all people as indispensable parts of the body of Christ, created in God’s image, and worthy of dignity and respect. Parent 1: Our experience with…
ROMANIA — Didina was paralyzed at age 22 due to an unknown condition. Then for 30 years she lay in a small dark bedroom wanting to die to get free from the bed that felt like a prison.Joni and Friends Wheels for the World volunteers heard Didina’s story and came to provide her with physical…
EL SALVADOR — Through its flagship Wheels for the World™ program, Joni and Friends collects and restores used wheelchairs, then delivers the like-new chairs to people around the world in need of mobility equipment.Joni and Friends recently opened its first international wheelchair restoration center, located in El Salvador—the first of multiple centers slated to open…
WILLS POINT, TX — Mission agency GFA World (Gospel for Asia) is helping to provide vital aid to traumatized survivors of the massive earthquake and aftershocks in Turkey, as the number of deaths now stands at more than 47,000. “Right now, Gospel for Asia (GFA World) is working with our partners to bring relief to the…
GUADALAJARA, MEXICO — After many years of not being able to have children of their own, the Price family felt God was calling them to adopt children with disabilities. One of their many adopted children, Vicki Price, was a joy to all who met her, always smiling even though she lived with a debilitating disability.Her…
RIDGELAND, MS — Did you know that there is an unreached people group in your neighborhood? Only 5-10% of the world’s disabled population are effectively reached with the Gospel. That makes people with disabilities one of the largest unreached people groups in the world! For Joshua and his mother, a welcoming church in Ridgeland, Mississippi…
EL SALVADOR — Four-year-old Ian from El Salvador was born prematurely. Lack of oxygen at birth caused a brain injury, leaving Ian with cerebral palsy. Living under the double weight of poverty and disability, Ian’s parents couldn’t afford a wheelchair for their son. Then, at a Joni and Friends Wheels for the World™ outreach in…
ENGLEWOOD, FL — You could barely see the petite woman standing on her porch behind the mangled trees and debris from Hurricane Ian. Despite the massive destruction, the 74-year-old woman who goes by “Christmas” greeted Randy Martin and Will Murphy, two chaplains from the Billy Graham Rapid Response Team (BG-RRT), welcoming them into her Englewood,…
ATLANTA — Prison Fellowship International (PFI), an international nonprofit ministry working to transform the lives of prisoners through Jesus’s love, was in the spotlight Thursday as a diverse group gathered at the American Society of Criminology 77th Annual Meeting to examine the future of criminology. During an examination of the robust role of religion in…
IRAQ — Mimi (12) was very young when she fled her home in Bartella with her grandparents after so-called Islamic State invaded the Nineveh Plains. Until recently, Mimi’s parents were considering leaving Iraq – until they received a microloan to set up a farm through Open Doors partners. Mimi: “I love Iraq, because it is…
FORT MYERS, FL — Cissie Graham Lynch, daughter of Franklin Graham, lives with her family in Fort Myers, Florida, one of the areas slammed by Hurricane Ian. The state’s deadliest storm in 87 years claimed well over 100 lives, destroyed businesses, washed away homes, and tossed boats against houses, into trees, and along the roads….
FORT MYERS, FL — As Billy Graham Rapid Response Team chaplains walked down streets strewn with debris, they stopped to talk to one shocked survivor named Elaine whose home and yard were covered with fallen trees affected by the hurricane. The conversation turned to spiritual matters, and Elaine decided it was time to surrender her…
HEDINGHAM, RALEIGH — Jennifer Metallo is among several crisis-trained chaplains from the Billy Graham Rapid Response Team who call Raleigh, North Carolina, home.On October 13th a teenage suspect opened fire in a residential area in Raleigh, shooting and killing five people and leaving this community overcome with grief. Metallo, who has traveled as a chaplain…
FORT MYERS, FL — While in Lee County, Florida, Franklin Graham noticed the streets lined with furniture after people’s homes were flooded in Hurricane Ian. “It just breaks your heart,” he said. “But the chaplains are encouraging them, loving them, praying with them.” As homeowners endure the aftermath of the Category 4 storm, crisis-trained chaplains…
PLANO, TX — Prestonwood Baptist Church, Christian Thinkers Society and Prestonwood Christian Academy will host “Anchored,” a 2-day conference hosted by the school’s Biblical Worldview Institute (BWi), Nov. 1 and 2. Hosted at the church’s Plano Campus, BWi Anchored features world-class speakers including Dr. Sean McDowell, Alisa Childers, Dr. Scott Stripling, Dr. Craig Evans, Dr. Randy…
IRAQ — As a young boy living in Baghdad, Fadi experienced a lot of trauma when the Iraq war broke out in 2003. But Fadi has stayed to serve as a lay leader in his church. Fadi: “During the period of 2006 and 2007 there would be 15 or 16 explosions in just one day…
AL-HWASH, SYRIA — When Alaa was displaced because of the Syrian war, he found a brighter future through a Centre of Hope, which helped him to establish a sawmill business. Alaa: “It’s an indescribable feeling for someone to be displaced, to lose his house, to lose everything he has.” It was 2011 when Alaa fled…
JACKSON, MS — Reyna is a mother to four children in Jackson, Mississippi. Her oldest kids, Belen (19) and Leonardo (16), have disabilities that require the use of wheelchairs and around-the-clock care. Even with the help of her 10-year-old son, Yahir, to feed and change his siblings, Reyna lives in a state of mental and…
UKRAINE — The World Evangelical Alliance (WEA) continues to resource churches as they serve the needs of people across Ukraine impacted by the ongoing conflict. As soon as the war began the WEA set up a fund to help support the churches to provide vital supplies and transportation. They say local Christians have the best…
EL SALVADOR — The World Health Organization estimates that over 75 million people in the world today need a wheelchair, and more than 85% of them can’t access one*. The brunt of these unmet needs hits people in developing nations, like Marcela in El Salvador. Marcela suffered cardio-respiratory arrest at birth, which caused cerebral palsy….
UKRAINE — A team of Billy Graham Rapid Response Team chaplains is seeing a growing openness to the Gospel as they minister to thousands of people throughout Ukraine impacted by the war. Over the past five months they’ve trained 200 Ukrainian chaplains, prayed with over 3,000 people and have led over 350 people to Christ….
USA — Prison Outreach Helps Provide Wheelchairs — The Joni and Friends Wheels for the World program provides life-changing mobility and the hope of the Gospel to people living with disability worldwide. They collect used, manual wheelchairs across the United States that would otherwise end up in landfills. The wheelchair restoration process begins in federal,…
UVALDA, TX — At a growing memorial site, the community of Uvalde, Texas, is processing many emotions after a deadly school shooting. Residents and Billy Graham RRT chaplains share how God is providing much-needed hope. Valerie Joseph – San Antonio Texas Resident: It’s been very emotional. I have two kids of my own. A four…
UVALDA, TX — Billy Graham Rapid Response Team Chaplains are on the ground and praying with the community of Uvalde in Texas as they process through grief and trauma from the recent school shooting. As the community is devastated by this tragedy that claimed the lives of 19 children and two teachers, Billy Graham RRT…
CHIANG MAI, THAILAND — Namthan has cerebral palsy and hydrocephalus. She cannot walk or even sit on her own and has a permanent shunt surgically implanted in her brain. Raised Buddhist, Namthan’s parents believed that bad karma caused Namthan’s disability. But when Joni and Friends brought Namthan a wheelchair through our Wheels for the World…
CHIANG MAI, THAILAND — 12-year-old Pleng was born with cerebral palsy. Unable to afford a wheelchair for Pleng, her family resorted to carrying her, or just staying home. In addition to struggles with immobility, Pleng’s family suffered from shame, believing Pleng’s disability came from bad karma—a deserved punishment, or curse. When Pleng arrived at the…
ORLANDO, USA — Meeting in Orlando for this year’s Operation Heal Our Patriots Reunion, more than 400 military couples were inspired, challenged, and encouraged by powerful speakers and workshop leaders who pointed to Christ for healing and restoration. The annual event reunites alumni who have been to Samaritan Lodge Alaska for a week of Biblically…
USA — Sergeant Josh Whiting joined the Army because he wanted to serve his country and defend freedom. But after two deployments, Josh began suffering from PTSD, withdrawing from his family and suffering bouts of rage. As a Veteran struggling to re-enter civilian life and re-connect with his family, Josh agreed to attend a Joni…
PORT ALSWORTH, AK — They came to Samaritan Lodge Alaska from across America sharing a common calling—law enforcement—and many similar stories of on-duty trauma: shootings, physical assaults, violent car accidents in pursuit of suspects. All were showered with love and encouragement. Most important, the eternal hope found only in Christ and the trustworthiness of His…
STONEY CREEK, ON — Gospel for Asia Canada (GFA World) founded by K.P. Yohannan shares how the COVID-19 pandemic is bringing death and destruction to millions around the globe. For many in Asia, the affect of the virus is felt in more ways than one as they struggle to make ends meet during the lockdown….
LOVES PARK, Ill – Churches in the first-ever country to adopt Christianity as its national religion are confronting “the rawest imaginable trauma” in the wake of a “forgotten” war. With the news dominated by Afghanistan — and the recent focus on the 20th anniversary of 9/11 in the U.S. — the victims of the lesser-known…
USA — In appreciation of their devotion to protect and serve others, the Billy Graham Rapid Response Team supports America’s law enforcement community through annual retreats. These events acknowledge the unique challenges officers and their families face. BGEA President and CEO Franklin Graham brings this update from their most recent Law Enforcement Appreciation Retreat. Franklin…
WAVERLY / HUMPHREYS COUNTY, TN — Billy Graham chaplains are ministering to flood victims in Middle Tennessee where 20 people lost their lives in recent floodwaters. Resident Shane Gannon shares what it was like in the midst of such a disaster and how the Billy Graham team has impacted his community. Shane Gannon – Homeowner:…
JERUSALEM, ISRAEL – The premature death of a spouse threatens the stability of a family and leaves a gaping emotional hole for the surviving wife or husband. An Israeli organization is reaching out to families, widows, and orphans using the Bible as their guide. Chris Mitchell, CBN News: Once a week this home is filled…
SAMARITAN LODGE, ALASKA – Through Operation Heal Our Patriots, Marine Gunnery Sergeant David Mercado learned that God could heal their marriage and give them real hope. David Mercado, Gunnery Sergeant, USMC, Ret.: I did one deployment in Afghanistan. We used to do a lot of security details. You name it, they stuck us on it….
ALASKA — Retired Army Sgt. Edgar Aguilar’s PTSD was destroying his marriage to Edith who was emotionally spent. But when they attended Operation Heal Our Patriots at Samaritan Lodge Alaska, God brought restoration and healing to their lives and to their marriage. When you get married to a soldier, especially when you’re young, you really…
WHITE BEAR LAKE, MINNESOTA — Hugh and Pat from White Bear Lake, in Minnesota have two daughters with Down syndrome, but they are exhausted. Having not slept through the night for a decade because of the demands of disability, this family was in desperate need of respite. Through the Joni and Friends Respite at Home…
SURFSIDE, FLORIDA — Billy Graham Rapid Response Team chaplains are ministering at the Family Reunification Center near the collapsed condo tower in Surfside, Florida. Relatives of the residents are arriving from all over the world as they await news about their loved ones. Many are sharing photos and even their own DNA in the hopes…
WILLS POINT, TX – The Lord has used GFA World to share Good News, to send indigenous workers to provide help to needy communities, and to grow Bible-believing churches over the past 42 years. It enjoys global recognition as a major faith-based humanitarian organization. However, its primary mission remains to represent Jesus Christ and His…
BRENTWOOD, TN — John and Beth Murphy founded Rock House Center more than 15 years ago to help Christians draw on their faith for solutions to difficult life issues. Rock House Center’s unique approach to biblical counseling addresses the root causes of emotional suffering, self-defeating behaviors and troubled relationships. “John and Beth have recognized that…
CHAMPLIN, MN – Settled is a faith-based organization that “equips faith communities to pursue homes with the homeless through sustainable housing, purposeful work, and supportive community.” On any given night, there are nearly 600,000 people in the United States who are sleeping in cars, under bridges, in makeshift tents, and in abandoned buildings. That’s right….
