BAKERSFIELD, CA — On Thursday, CityServe International announced the launch of a major disaster-relief effort to aid victims of the deadly wildfires now sweeping across western Maui in Hawaii. Fanned by high winds from Hurricane Dora, the fires have already claimed nearly 100 lives. Officials have declared a state of emergency and thousands have been…
UNITED KINGDOM — Following the successful God Loves You Tour events in Liverpool, South Wales, Sheffield, and London last year, when thousands of people heard a message of hope and God’s love from the Bible, Rev Franklin Graham and the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA) have remained committed to sharing the Good News of Jesus…
NEPAL — In rural Nepal, thousands of Nepalese Christian converts like Shanti* suffer discrimination and even violence. When Shanti’s husband reacted angrily to her decision to start following Jesus, she found support from another believer. Shanti*: My life was sorrowful before I came to Christ, but it became more difficult after I came to Christ….
MATAMOROS, MEXICO — Thousands of migrants continue to arrive at the United States border seeking asylum. In an improvised migrant camp in Matamoros, Mexico, a gifted Bible changes the life of a Venezuelan child. Joseph Rendón: I learned that if one has confidence in God, everything is possible. The faith in Christ Jesus reaches the…
CHINA— China has pledged to change the face of world Christianity at a conference for pastors of state-controlled churches. China’s Communism Strategy aims to export a Communist-Christian hybrid around the world. This report is from Andrew Boyd. China’s been trying to compel churches to adopt the atheist ideology of the Communist Party which denies the…
TURKEY — As Christians in Turkey and Syria continue to suffer the long-term impact of the devastating earthquakes that struck last month, many nonprofit organizations and ministries are stepping in to provide needed aid. Galcom International, a radio and audio Bible ministry and MegaVoice partner, received an urgent request for solar-powered flashlights and chargers from…
EL SALVADOR — Yolo didn’t know Family Retreat could bless her family. She first got involved with Joni and Friends by encouraging another family to attend Family Retreat. After hearing the story of Alex’s family and the challenges they face navigating life with his autism, she decided to help raise funds to give them the…
SANTA ANA, CA — Russia has been waging a brutal campaign against Christians in Ukraine since the beginning of the invasion, cautions Global Christian Relief, America’s leading watchdog of Christian persecution. Russian soldiers have destroyed, damaged or looted nearly 500 religious buildings and houses of worship in Ukraine, and killed, imprisoned or tortured at least…
IRAQ — Bishop Daniel has known persecution all his life, and despite many opportunities to flee, he chose to stay and support his church and those in his community who could not leave the country. Bishop Daniel: On my 16th birthday, my family got a gun threat from the radical groups in Baghdad. The threat…
BOULDER, CO — Gloo, the leading technology platform dedicated to connecting the faith ecosystem and releasing its collective might, announced its new partnership with The A.M.E. Zion Church, one of the largest African American denominations in the United States and abroad. The A.M.E. Zion Church will now leverage the Gloo platform to find new and…
LOS ANGELES — “Jesus Revolution,” the breakout Hollywood film about the true story of a national spiritual awakening in the early 1970s and its origins within a community of teenage hippies in Southern California, is now available on Netflix in the US. The story of the movie’s success was featured in the cover story in…
BURKINA FASO — Almost two million people in Burkina Faso have been displaced by extremist violence. Many are Christian widows and orphans. Traore* (17) is one of them. He moved to a safer area after a jihadist attack brought tragic loss to his family. Traore*: Sometimes, my heart is broken when I think about my…
IRAQ — Farah was just one of around 70,000 Christians who fled to Erbil to escape the advancement of so-called Islamic State in 2014. When she returned, Open Doors partners helped her to restore her home and business in Nineveh Plains. Farah can well recall the day in 2014 when her family fled their home…
ORLANDO, FL — Wycliffe Associates, an international organization that empowers mother-tongue Bible translators and partners with local churches in the advancement of Bible translation, has developed a new language for the Deaf and Deaf-Blind community, which is now being used in both public and private schools in Africa. The language, called Symbolic Universal Language, or…
LOVES PARK, IL — Ten-year-old Maryna kneels beside her bed and prays for the war in Ukraine to end. For Maryna, the horrors of war have already left lifelong scars. Surgeons had to amputate her crushed leg after a shell exploded next to her home. Now she wears a prosthetic. Any loud noise brings her…
ALASKA — Chef Pasquale Presa came to Samaritan Lodge Alaska to cook for Operation Heal Our Patriots veterans and their spouses. He also shared some secrets with their cooks about preparing great Italian dishes for our heroes. Pasquale Presa – Pasquale’s neighborhood Pizzeria: I have a special bond to the United States. We came to…
GREENSBORO, NORTH CAROLINA — It’s been 100 days since violence erupted in Sudan, displacing hundreds of thousands of displaced families and forcing a staggering 230.000 refugees to seek safety in Chad. We take you to Greensboro Airport, where a Samaritan’s Purse DC-8 cargo plane is being sent on a life-saving mission. Loaded with vital humanitarian…
SOUTHERN LAOS — In a remote part of southern Laos, 40-year-old Peto* has been following Jesus for over ten years as a Christian. But his Christian faith was opposed by the village authorities who considered it a foreign religion. In a remote part of southern Laos, 40-year-old Peto has been following Jesus for over 10…
EASTON, MD — Lebanon “needs a miracle” as the nation faces a deepening economic crisis, says a Christian media ministry based in the region. The Middle East nation between Israel and Syria has experienced surging unemployment, triple-digit inflation, a collapsing currency, rolling blackouts, and fuel shortages. “The Lebanese people are really hurting,” said Rita El-Mounayer,…
ATAKPAMÉ, TOGO — The Ifè people of Togo have had the New Testament in their language since 2009, and it has had a huge impact. But having the full Bible in Ifè is vital to ensure that people have the complete message of God’s word in their language, and so translating work continues. Akoété –…
CHARLOTTE, NC — The Billy Graham Rapid Response Team (BG-RRT) has deployed to Hampton, Georgia, after a gunman killed four people and wounded two police officers. Chaplains will be attending a community vigil in Hampton tonight and will provide emotional and spiritual support to those who are grieving. “Our hearts break for those who have…
CÚCUTA, COLOMBIA — Samaritan’s Purse is in Colombia helping Venezuelan migrants living in areas where there are limited resources. In these neighborhoods, they are teaching children how to read and write, and sowing seeds of the Gospel into their hearts. Tom Ovington – Samaritan’s Purse: Venezuela started to have extreme economic issues. And a lot…
CHARLOTTE, NC — The Billy Graham Rapid Response Team (BG-RRT) is deploying to Highland Falls, New York, an area that experienced catastrophic flooding this past weekend. Roadways were washed out and dozens of water rescues took place after more than a half-foot of rain fell in only a few hours. Highland Falls is just outside…
COLOMBIA — As a young woman in Colombia, Reina joined the guerrilla movement and was taught that religion was the opium of the people. She fully committed to serving as a guerrilla fighter, but after being hospitalized during a patrol, she cried out to God for help and underwent a transformation and became a Christian….
GREENSBORO, NC — Out of the Garden Project (OOTGP), a leading nonprofit organization dedicated to eradicating hunger in North Carolina, is proud to announce that it has been honored with an esteemed award, received two local substantial donations, and welcomed new members to its dedicated board of directors. These remarkable achievements further underscore Out of…
NEW YORK — Concern Worldwide provides critical humanitarian support as the world’s displacement crisis reaches an all-time high, with 1 in every 78 people on earth forced to flee their homes and 32.5 million refugees – that is, people who have fled the country – globally. In Chad, Concern is responding to the immediate needs…
ORLANDO, FL — The Missionary Church USA elected its seventh president this week, marking a new era for the evangelical denomination based in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Rev. Rodney Arnold of Knoxville, Tennessee was elected by delegates representing churches from across the country at the biannual SHIFT National Conference held in Orlando, Florida. At 40 years…
PROVO, UT — Angel Studios, a platform and studio empowering filmmakers to crowdfund, create, and distribute films and TV series globally, backed by thousands of Angel investors, is announcing its July cumulative-to-date and second weekend results for its Jim Caviezel-driven film SOUND OF FREEDOM. Angel Studios is projecting over $85 million total cumulative box office…
ASHEVILLE, NC — On July 28-30, The Billy Graham Training Center at The Cove in Asheville, North Carolina, will welcome Hispanic Christians for a Spanish-language seminar led by Guatemalan preacher and director of the ministry Legendarios, Chepe Putzu. “For decades, The Cove has welcomed people from around the world to be equipped with God’s Word…
ANGOLA, SOUTHERN AFRICA — Cavango is located over 100km from the nearest village in Angola in Southern Africa, but can now be seen on Google Earth thanks to a 16-year runway project funded by Canadian supporters of Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF) – the world’s largest humanitarian air service. On Monday 12 June, the village of…
HIGHLAND FALLS, NY — Homeowners in Highland Falls, New York, give thanks for the Samaritan’s Purse volunteers who are helping to clean up their homes after massive flash floods swept through the area. Jason Santiago – Homeowner: There was water running on this main road, like swimming pools and rocks were coming down. Water that…
CALIFORNIA — Inspired by the movie “Jesus Revolution”, thousands of people came from all across America and the world over the weekend to take part in a “Jesus Revolution Baptism” at the now-famous Pirates Cove in Newport Beach, California. Harvest Christian Fellowship Sr. Pastor Greg Laurie held the massive baptism event following his latest SoCal…
COON RAPIDS, MN — Feed My Starving Children (FMSC), a nonprofit organization committed to eradicating extreme hunger, celebrates the production of its 4 billionth meal. The milestone meal was packed on June 28 at a mobile packing event at the Minnesota Correctional Facility in Shakopee, Minnesota. Since its founding in 1987, FMSC has been driven…
EGYPT — In Baher’s* community in Egypt, Egyptian Christians are only offered dangerous jobs in the quarry. After two terrible accidents, Baher felt hopeless and alone. An Open Doors partner is helping him see lasting hope. *Name changed for security reasons. Baher’s*: I started working as a quarryman when I was 13. That was a…
AFGHANISTAN —A special needs school in Kabul in Afghanistan is using play, sports and arts to help heal traumatized kids who have lost their childhoods. The project is supported by Christian charity CRY. A school project supported by Christian charity Cry is restoring the lost childhoods of special needs kids in Kabul in Afghanistan. Cry’s…
BOLIVIA — A young Bolivian mother and her daughter suffered from the same fatal heart condition. With only years to live, they received lifesaving surgery through the Children’s Heart Project run by Samaritan’s Purse. Fatima Ramos Cardozo – Children’s Heart Project Recipient: It is very difficult to learn your child is very sick. Especially…
SOMALIA —According to the tradition of the Church, June 29th marked the martyrdom of the apostle Paul. This year, several Christians around the world took time on June 29th and throughout that weekend to honor the legacy of those who sacrificed their lives for the advancement of the Gospel.Abdiwelli Ahmed descended from a long line…
SWAHILI — Using advanced computer technology, the new animated series “The Legacy of Adam” aims to impact families from all faith backgrounds with the Good News of Jesus Christ. Recorded in Swahili and translated in English for a potential impact of 50 million Muslim families the Legacy of Adam will showcase the gospel message from…
BARTLESVILLE, OK — “I love you and I forgive you,” Anita Smith said to husband Ronnie’s murderers during a national TV interview. Her Christlike words riveted reporters and inspired believers worldwide as they saw her faith in action after her husband was killed while living and working in Libya on mission to show Christ. Anita’s…
SOUTHERN UKRAINE — A recent dam collapse has added to the hardships facing the resilient Ukrainian people. On June 6, the Kakhovka Dam caved in after a significant explosion, unleashing the waters of the nation’s largest reservoir on tens of thousands of people in southern Ukraine. Samaritan’s Purse quickly responded with critically needed relief for…
BALTIMORE — LifeStraw, a public health B Corp on a mission to provide equitable access to safe drinking water, announces the launch of the lightest and most compact water filter in its portfolio. The LifeStraw Peak Series Solo Water Filter is ultra-lightweight at only 1.7 ounces, compact at just 5.1 inches and portable. It removes…
BENTON, AR — The 11th annual Amplify Music Festival takes place August 18-19 in Benton, AR. The event will include a message of hope by Evangelist Nick Hall and feature Christian artists Chris Tomlin, Casting Crowns, and many others. With expenses paid by local businesses, churches, and community members, tickets are free, so anyone can…
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND — UK charity Human Appeal called on the World community to support an urgent integrated humanitarian intervention in Somalia. This comes as part of Human Appeal’s ongoing humanitarian work in Somalia where millions are on the verge of famine due to repeated rainy season failures and conflict. The worst hunger levels in three…
AMSTERDAM — The Empowered21 Amsterdam2023 EveryONE conference concluded Saturday with a global worship, prayer and commissioning service for the thousands who gathered in The Netherlands this week before returning to their home countries. More than 5,000 individuals from over 125 nations attended the conference in person at the historic RAI conference center, with thousands more…
RALEIGH, NC — America’s nonprofit organizations need to “reimagine” the way they raise funds if they’re to ride out coming storms and thrive in the future, national fundraising firm DickersonBakker says. “We believe there is a ‘perfect storm’ coming that is going to have a massive impact on nonprofits in the future,” said Derric Bakker,…
OKLAHOMA CITY — In July 2008, Apple CEO Steve Jobs and YouVersion CEO Bobby Gruenewald had something in common: they were both surprised by their organization’s success on launch weekend of the App Store. After just three days, Jobs reported a staggering 10 million app installs, an average of 12,500 installs for each of the…
BARTLESVILLE, OK — Christians around the world will observe Day of the Christian Martyr on June 29, 2023. In advance of Day of the Christian Martyr, The Voice of the Martyrs has released strategic prayer resources and a short video highlighting the life and legacy of Abdiwelli Ahmed, an ethnic Somali Christian killed for his…
NIGERIA, AFRICA — Mary* from Nigeria was kidnapped by Fulani militants and experienced awful violence and sexual assault at their hands. After she was freed, Open Doors partners cared for her at a trauma care centre where she found peace. Sadly, shortly after Mary shared her story with us, she died from an unrelated illness…
PERRYTON, TEXAS — Samaritan’s Purse volunteers are working tirelessly to help residents restore their damaged homes and to bring comfort to aching souls after a deadly tornado laid waste the Texas Panhandle town of Perryton. Derek Drum: We took a direct hit in the city of Barrytown. The tornado itself went six miles in 11…
CHARLOTTE, NC — Today, Fearless with Cissie Graham Lynch releases a milestone 100th podcast episode. The special installation was recorded at the North Carolina mountain home of host Cissie Graham Lynch’s grandparents, Billy and Ruth Graham. Their home, which was also where her father, Franklin Graham, was raised, holds special memories for Lynch that she…
