ARMENIA — For decades Armenia and Azerbaijan have battled over a portion of land known as Nagorno-Karabakh. In September, the conflict erupted again, and the two nations broke into a violent war.

The pocket of land, which is located within the borders of Azerbaijan, was home to ethnic Armenians. The war prompted people to flee—causing them to abandon their homes in the midst of shelling, gunfire, and bombs. Most took nothing with them. Approximately 100,000 of these ethnic Armenians have fled Azerbaijan for the neighboring country of Armenia.

The war started in the summer months, and many left wearing sandals and lightweight clothing. With their lives on the line, there was no time to prepare. Now, it’s winter, and these vulnerable families—the majority of whom are women and children—do not have adequate supplies. Temperatures are below freezing with forecasts of snow expected during these already-harsh winter weeks.

Samaritan’s Purse is responding to the desperate situation in four critical ways: providing food, medical care, spiritual and psychological first aid, and emergency supplies, clothing—including coats, socks, gloves, blankets, and hygiene kits. Although a Russian-brokered ceasefire was signed on November 9, it hasn’t changed the need. Tens of thousands of families left almost everything behind.

John Freyler, Samaritan’s Purse:

In September 2020, conflict broke out between Azerbaijan and Armenia. Since then, a peace agreement has been signed, but many people have been affected, many have been displaced. However, Samaritan’s Purse is working on both sides of the border, assisting and bringing hope.

Paul Carr, Samaritan’s Purse:

We’re heading to Vardenis, and right now we’re preparing the distribution of winter items–children’s coats, winter boots, gloves, socks, jackets, and all of the essential items for the people that have fled, to get them through this critical time.

Aram Kevorkian, Samaritan’s Purse:

Samaritan’s Purse is here to meet the physical needs of the beneficiaries by providing winter kits, as well as a two-week provision of food every month. And we have a mobile medical team which is going to shelters, which are hosting hundreds of displaced people from Nagorno-Karabakh and providing free medical care. I’m really excited for Samaritan’s Purse to be here, not just to provide physical aid, but also to reach out to people emotionally and spiritually and come alongside them and encourage and love them.

John Freyler:

Pray for those who are displaced and affected, but more importantly pray for the people of Armenia, for the people of Azerbaijan, that God would touch their hearts, that God would bring healing. But most importantly, pray for the Gospel, that God would work in the hearts of the people.

Samaritan’s Purse is a nondenominational evangelical Christian organization providing spiritual and physical aid to hurting people around the world. Since 1970, Samaritan’s Purse has helped meet the needs of people who are victims of war, poverty, natural disasters, disease, and famine with the purpose of sharing God’s love through His Son, Jesus Christ. The organization serves the Church worldwide to promote the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Samaritan’s Purse International Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) program is committed to meeting the critical needs of victims of war, poverty, famine, disease, and natural disaster. We stand ready to respond at a moment’s notice whenever and wherever disaster strikes. The DART specializes in providing water, food, shelter, and medical care while sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ.

CONTACT: Kaitlyn Lahm, news@samaritan.org

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