AFRICA — In 2023, Christian medical ministry Mercy Ships made history by serving three African nations for the first time providing vital surgeries from two ports through the #GlobalMercy. In 2024, the need remains great — but with an active two-ship fleet, the impact will be even greater. In 2023, for the first time in…
ALEXANDRIA, VA — With California facing unprecedented rainfall, flash flooding, and landslides, The Salvation Army has activated Emergency Disaster Services (EDS) teams to offer vital aid to affected communities statewide. The ongoing natural disaster has prompted a state of emergency in eight counties across Southern California, leading to evacuations, widespread displacement, destruction, and tragic fatalities….
CHARLOTTE, NC — Crisis-trained chaplains with the Billy Graham Rapid Response Team (BG-RRT) are deploying to Hutchinson County in the Texas Panhandle, where the second-largest fire in the state’s history is forcing evacuations. Texas Governor Greg Abbott issued a disaster declaration for 60 counties, as over 1 million acres have burned in Texas and Oklahoma….
CHARLOTTE, NC — Jean Graham Ford, wife of evangelist Dr. Leighton Ford and younger sister of the late Rev. Billy Graham, died at Carolinas Medical Center Thursday morning, Feb. 29, at the age of 91. Jean spent her childhood in Charlotte on the Graham dairy farm, located a few miles from the current location of…
SAN DIEGO — Last week, Dr. David Jeremiah, the founder and host of Turning Point with Dr. Jeremiah, was awarded a Milestone award and a digital media award at the National Religious Broadcasters Association Annual Convention. The awards were presented at two different gatherings during the 2024 Convention held in Nashville, TN, where broadcasters and…
SYRIA — One year on from the devastating earthquake in Syria/Turkey in February, 2023, large numbers of people are still mourning, recovering or rebuilding their lives. Open Doors highlights some of the Christians who were directly impacted. Kamal – Latakia, Syria: It’s terrifying and sad to remember the night of the 6th of February. I…
CHARLOTTE, NC — Franklin Graham is going to the U.S.-Mexico border to share a message of God’s love. The upcoming tour will be stopping in Tucson, Arizona, on Tuesday, March 5. This will be the eighth stop of the God Loves You Frontera Tour, which will visit 10 cities, starting at the Gulf of Mexico…
CHARLOTTE, NC — As the situation intensifies on America’s southern border, the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association is releasing a new TV program, “Border Crisis: Is There Hope?” The special explores stories of those who have lost hope and are hurting in the midst of a humanitarian crisis. Hear from those on both sides who’ve been…
BAKERSFIELD, CA — The CityServe International church empowerment network hosted a dinner and benefit concert on Wednesday in Nashville to honor heroes on the frontlines in war-torn Israel and Ukraine. The evening featured captivating stories of bravery and faith in the face of horror. Award-winning artists Michael W. Smith and Danny Gokey headlined the benefit…
AUSTRALIA — More than 120 people and over 85 different churches from across the region gathered on Thursday morning, 1 February, to officially launch the upcoming Gold Coast Look Up Celebration with Will Graham. The evangelistic outreach, which is scheduled for 29 June at the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre, will feature music from…
ISRAEL — A pastor in Israel gives thanks for the love and food that Samaritan’s Purse is providing for families displaced by the recent terrorist attacks. Samaritan’s Purse Partner: The morning, October 7, we are awake from the siren. Then my wife starts looking over, and she said, There are some people outside with a…
LONDON — Hundreds of churches throughout London are preparing to work with Revd Franklin Graham and the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association to bring the God Loves You Tour back to London next summer. The family-friendly event, featuring live music and a message of hope, will be free and everyone is welcome. ‘London is an extremely…
UGANDA— Today an estimated 1.3 billion people in the world live with a disability. Many of these people are in developing countries where they have limited access to medical care and mobility equipment. And too often, poverty and discrimination intensify the difficulties of living with a disability.That’s why the Joni and Friends program—Joni’s House—is committed…
LOVES PARK, IL — A Ukrainian couple facing their own life-and-death battle with advanced cancer are helping others suffering from anxiety and despair on the frontline of the Israel-Hamas war. Ukrainian-born Jew Yura, 51, and his wife Luda, 53, who has undergone major surgeries and multiple rounds of chemotherapy to treat Stage 4 cancer, left…
CHARLOTTE, NC — Franklin Graham is going to the U.S.-Mexico border to share a message of God’s love. The upcoming tour will be stopping in Presidio, Texas, on March 2. This will be the sixth stop of the God Loves You Frontera Tour, which will visit 10 cities, starting at the Gulf of Mexico and…
WASHINGTON — Organizers are pleased to announce the launch of The Renewal Initiative (TRI), a dynamic nonprofit organization committed to restoring dignity and hope where it has been stolen or lost. TRI aims to rejuvenate lives and communities grappling with adversity via compassion, advocacy, relief efforts and education. “There’s no shortage of awful things happening in…
CHARLOTTE, NC — Franklin Graham is going to the U.S.-Mexico border to share a message of God’s love. The God Loves You Frontera Tour will visit 10 cities, starting at the Gulf of Mexico and going all the way to the Pacific, with back-to-back stops in Eagle Pass, Texas, on Feb. 28 and Del Rio,…
EGYPT — Throughout the Middle East and North Africa when Christians come to faith they face extreme persecution including losing their jobs. Christian charity Help The Persecuted is empowering many of these persecuted believers in Egypt by providing them with opportunities to start their own businesses. GNA reporter Peter Wooding got to see the impact…
NIGERIA, AFRICA — On Christmas Eve, Islamic militants attacked several Christian villages in Plateau State, Nigeria. The attacks went into the early hours of Christmas Day, and at least 113 people were killed. Many more were injured or have lost their homes. In this video, recorded by Open Doors local partners in the region, Nigeria…
CHARLOTTE, NC — Franklin Graham is going to the U.S.-Mexico border to share a message of God’s love. The upcoming tour is kicking off with an opening weekend in Brownsville, Texas, on Feb. 24 and McAllen, Texas, on Feb. 25. The Frontera Tour will visit 10 cities, starting at the Gulf of Mexico and going…
SELMA, ALABAMA — Samaritan’s Purse celebrated the completion of eight new or repaired homes in Selma, Alabama, after a tornado ripped through the area over a year ago. Families were grateful to God for this new start. Shawn Vollmering – Samaritan’s Purse: On January 12th in 2023, a tornado came through Selma, Alabama, and…
JERUSALEM, ISRAEL — Samaritan’s Purse President Franklin Graham joined hundreds of Israeli citizens on Jan. 23 to dedicate 14 new ambulances for Magen David Adom, Israel’s emergency medical services provider. Graham honored the sacrifices of 19 Israeli Medics of Magen David Adom who have been killed since Oct. 7, the start of the current Israel-Hamas…
KERN COUNTY, CA — Meet Ofelia Flores. She’s a living miracle. See her today and you’d never know she is anything but blessed, and living out the American dream. A bookkeeper by trade, she’s a successful mother of five in Kern County, Calif. She volunteers at church, cares lovingly for her grandkids, and even helps…
ISRAEL — Samaritan’s Purse airlifted and distributed 24,000 boxes of gifts over Christmas for Israeli boys and girls. Ken Isaacs – Vice President of Programs & Government Relations Samaritan’s Purse: And today I’m in Moshavim, Israel. We brought 24,000 gifts into the country and we’re distributing them primarily in two of these regional council areas….
JERUSALEM — To mark the 100th day of the Israel-Hamas War, the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews (The Fellowship) today released details of its 2023 impact, which includes emergency aid support for those affected by the ongoing conflict. From October 7 through December 31, 2023, The Fellowship provided $19 million in emergency aid and…
MEXICO CITY — Franklin Graham is returning to Mexico one year after the historic, two-night outreach at Arena CDMX filled the venue. An additional 10,000 people watched the event outside the arena on screens set up in the overflow area. Franklin Graham is coming back to Mexico on February 17 and 18. This year, he…
CHARLOTTE, NC — The Billy Graham Rapid Response Team (BG-RRT) will deploy to Claremont, North Carolina, after severe storms swept through the area on Tuesday. The National Weather Service reported that an EF-1 tornado tore through the area, where one person was killed, several others were injured and dozens of homes were damaged or destroyed….
MIAMI — The Elevate Prize Foundation announced Matt Damon as the latest recipient of its Elevate Prize Catalyst Award in recognition of his long-standing advocacy and work with Water.org, a global nonprofit working to bring safe water and sanitation to the world. The award was presented to Damon by the Elevate Prize Foundation’s founder, Joseph…
BOONE, NC — Tomorrow, Samaritan’s Purse will airlift 1,000 Advanced Trauma Life Support kits to Israel on its 757 cargo plane. Each kit is specially packed with more than 70 life-saving medical supplies—including a tourniquet, chest tube kit, suture kit, and intubation kit—to help the country’s emergency responders in their work to save lives. Samaritan’s…
BOLIVIA — Children’s Heart Project arranges critical cardiac surgeries for boys and girls in countries where the operations are not readily available. Children and parents in Bolivia tell how their lives have been transformed through the ministry. Congenital Heart Disease are defects in the heart. Therefore, these children do not have a long life expectancy….
ISRAEL — Samaritan’s Purse teams and ministry partners are offering various forms of relief to the Israeli people following the Oct. 7 Hamas terrorist attacks that claimed more than 1,200 lives. They are providing 21 new ambulances, including seven that are armor-plated to guard against sniper rounds and other attacks. Ken Isaacs – Vice President…
YEMEN — In Yemen, Christian believers like Saleh* risk arrest, beatings and death threats when they choose to follow Jesus. But despite these dangers Saleh is encouraging and discipling believers across the country. Saleh*: My name is found on the radicals’ wanted list. They have my picture. Sometimes they watch me going from place to…
MOROCCO — Just after the Morocco earthquake killed thousands of people and left hundreds of thousands more homeless Christian charity Help The Persecuted sent their team to some of the most hardest to reach communities to provide practical and spiritual support.
ACAPULCO, MEXICO — Samaritan’s Purse is providing relief, clean water, tons of food, and thousands of tarps to hurting homeowners in Acapulco following the devastation caused by Hurricane Otis. It was surreal, the amount of devastation, destruction. It was, dear God, how did these people survive? Samaritan’s Purse has been involved in Acapulco. We’ve distributed…
VIETNAM — When Xuan* converted away from tribal, animistic beliefs, her Hmong community told her she could be a Christian, as long as she didn’t evangelise. But Xuan visits houses in Vietnam in the dead of night as a Brave Witness to tell people about Jesus… Xuan*: There are no churches in my area. We…
NIGERIA, AFRICA — Mary*, 20 years old, was in church when Fulani militants attacked. In her village in northwestern Nigeria, there is always the threat of attacks from Islamic extremists. However, this does not prepare the community for the reality of experiencing an attack. Mary*: They attack Christians because we worship Jesus and they want…
ACAPULCO, MEXICO — Samaritan’s Purse teams are continuing to assist hurting homeowners in communities devastated by the deadly Category 5 storm, Hurricane Otis. They are working alongside Los Legendarios, a Hispanic disaster relief group that has also served with them in recent Florida responses. Andrew Metcalfe – Samaritan’s Purse: People are traumatized. They’re wondering, is…
WASHINGTON — Prison Fellowship International’s flagship in-prison program, The Prisoner’s Journey® (TPJ) has reached its 10-year anniversary. This program, launched in South Africa and Nigeria in 2014, now runs in 35 countries across six continents. TPJ takes those in prison on a journey of self-discovery through the Gospel of Mark where they encounter Jesus the…
ISRAEL — Samaritan’s Purse is working with ministry partners in Israel to distribute grocery boxes to Israeli families who have been displaced by violence. Kayla Sprague – Samaritan’s Purse Partner: During this war, there’s been rockets shot all up the coast. There’s sirens going off every day, every few days here. They’re having to run…
LOVES PARK, IL — A unique Christmas program is bringing the gift of hope to thousands of children caught in the devastating wars in Israel and Ukraine. American Christians are supporting the annual Christmas campaign called Immanuel’s Child that will deliver gifts and a “star of hope” to as many as 75,000 needy children this…
GREENSBORO, NC — Packing shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child is one of the many activities Lela Mae Cummings enjoys in her still-active lifestyle at “98 and a half years old.” Leila Mae Cummings: I’m Leila Mae Cummings , and I’ve lived in the Guilford College area all my life. And I’m at Friends Home Guilford,…
ASHKELON, ISRAEL – Every time the air-raid sirens sound, I have to interrupt my work of sharing the Gospel with my Israeli neighbors and dash to the nearest bomb shelter. For me, there is no more vital task in Israel right now than sharing the hope of the Good News of Jesus Christ as our…
SENEGAL —“I have never had hope that one day I would be healed.” Samba carried this outlook about his cleft lip until the medical vessel the Global Mercy Ships came to Senegal. He admitted, “I wasn’t happy I was born like that,” but without access to affordable surgical care, he couldn’t imagine a different future….
CHARLOTTE, NC — Each year, thousands of people from across the Carolinas and the Southeast visit the Billy Graham Library to experience Christmas at the Library. The Christ-centered festivities have become an annual Christmas tradition for many, with more than 500,000 visitors experiencing this seasonal celebration since 2008. The 16th annual Christmas at the Library…
BOONE, NC — Today, Samaritan’s Purse has deployed disaster response specialists to Tennessee and pre-positioned two Disaster Relief Units—tractor-trailers stocked with tools and equipment—in the wake of deadly tornadoes that struck multiple communities on Saturday. The catastrophic storms have killed at least six people with search and rescue efforts underway. Many homes have been damaged…
CHARLOTTE, NC — The Billy Graham Rapid Response Team (BG-RRT) is deploying to two locations in central Tennessee after tornadoes tore through the area, killing six people and injuring dozens more. Two children are among those killed in the storm that ravaged parts of Tennessee and Kentucky – a storm that spawned at least 22…
BAKERSFIELD, CA — CityServe’s disaster-relief operations is mobilizing its national church-based network to render aid and support for those hit by the devastating tornadoes that struck Tennessee on Saturday. The first semi-truck filled with emergency supplies such as water, clothes, toiletries, and medical supplies will be leaving for Clarksville Tuesday morning from CityServe Oklahoma’s distribution…
SOUTH UKRAINE — In November 2022 Kherson in South Ukraine hit the news when it was liberated after the Russian occupation. A year later families living in a nearby village are rebuilding their lives in South Ukraine thanks to support from Christian charities like Mercy Projects More than a year after this village near Rson…
UGANDA — After Waswa’s* mother was poisoned by relatives because of her decision to follow Jesus, Waswa and his siblings became orphans. But after receiving care and support from local Open Doors partners, Waswa now runs an orphanage in Uganda, caring for many isolated children in his community and sharing his faith with them. When…
RIO DE JANEIRO — The humanitarian organization, Joni and Friends, aims to provide wheelchairs in Rio de Janeiro to respond to Jesus’ mandate in Luke 14: “…bring the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame…so that my house will be full.” Katie Oliver – Wheels for the World: Over 40 million people live in…
