ETHIOPIA — After Lalise’s husband was killed in 2012, Open Doors shared her story and asked believers to pray. When Melanie from Germany heard about Lalise, she began to pray for her every day – and didn’t stop shedding tears for ten years. Open Doors Prayer News 298 (September-October 2023) Lalise and Dabela had been…
COLORADO SPRINGS— Loren Cunningham, Founder of Youth With A Mission (YWAM), died at 88 on Saturday October 7 in his sleep at home in Kona, Hawaii. He is survived by his wife, Darlene, daughter Karen, son David and Judy Cunningham, and three grandchildren, Madi, Kenna, and Liam. This video looks back on his remarkable life….
BEVERLY HILLS, CA — A remarkable evening unfolded on September 21 as The Salvation Army Southern California proudly hosted the prestigious 2023 Finding A Way Gala. Sponsored by Payden & Rygel, the event drew an array of renowned celebrities, including the likes of retired NBA star Olden Polynice, Annalynne McCord, Erica Ash, and Tisha Campbell,…
WILLS POINT, TX — Mission agency GFA World (www.gfa.org) has launched an appeal to help thousands of “ostracized widows” around the globe at risk of starvation and abuse after being abandoned by their family and neighbors. “Millions of widows live in societies where they are blamed for their husband’s death, regardless of the illness, accident…
POLAND — “The war started suddenly,” Elena, a fine arts teacher in Ukraine, said. “I prayed every day, ‘Lord, I trust in You. Give me strength, patience, and humility for this day.’” Soon, she and her daughter fled to Poland to escape the increasing violence. They arrived close to Easter and moved into a hotel…
ROME — Franklin Graham is returning to Italy one year after his historic festival in Milan broke attendance records at the city’s largest indoor venue, the Mediolanum Forum, where 13,000 people packed into the arena. This November, Franklin Graham and the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA) are returning to Italy and working with Christians from…
CHARLOTTE, NC — The Billy Graham Library will host a family-friendly, Biblically-focused Hispanic Heritage Celebration Day on Saturday, Sept. 23, from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. as part of National Hispanic Heritage Month. The day will include indoor and outdoor activities, guided Journey of Faith tours in Spanish, kids’ craft, and discounts in Ruth’s Attic bookstore –…
BOONE, NC — Samaritan’s Purse President and CEO Franklin Graham will dedicate the organization’s new Greensboro Airlift Response Center on Tuesday, Sept. 26. This facility was built to support the organization’s two largest cargo aircraft—a Douglas DC-8 and a newly acquired Boeing 757. The more than 62,000-square-foot response center includes a 55,000-square-foot hangar, office space,…
BAKERSFIELD, CA — Hope is on the way for firestorm-battered residents in Maui who’ve lost everything. It will soon touch down in the form of a Boeing 747sp airliner packed with 30 tons of desperately needed relief supplies, on Monday, September 18 at Kahului Airport in Maui. The relief mission is a joint collaboration between…
SIERRA LEONE — In response to an invitation from H.E. President Julius Maada Bio, Freetown has welcomed a Mercy Ships’ hospital ship, marking the sixth instance of the collaboration between Mercy Ships and the government of Sierra Leone. This time it is the Global Mercy® the world’s largest non-governmental hospital ship, which has docked at…
MAUI, HAWAII — Residents of Lahaina on the island of Maui, Hawaii, are processing their heartache and loss after their city and surrounding neighborhoods were recently devastated by wildfires, seeking solace and strength through prayer. Through tears, Carolyn shared her story with Billy Graham Rapid Response Team chaplains. “The house I was raised in, that…
TOGO — Christian charity CRY has launched a campaign to highlight how education is helping to break the cycle of poverty in some of the neediest parts of the world. This report shares the story of how an orphanage that they support in Togo is providing life-changing opportunities for many young lives through the power…
KYIV, UKRAINE — For more than a year now, the team from the charitable mobile dentistry ministry with Kyiv Messianic Jewish Congregation has been traveling around the Kyiv region in Ukraine, providing people affected by the war with qualified medical care. On average, the team sees more than 20 people a day, and in total,…
SIERRA LEONE — A woman whose life was saved by a surgical charity as a child has been reunited with volunteers who helped her 18 years ago as Mercy Ships returned to her home country of Sierra Leone in a brand-new hospital ship. At five years old, Hawa’s life was being threatened by a tumour…
TACOMA, WA — Relief Bed International was able to respond quickly to the needs of aid workers in Maui with 100 Relief Beds already arriving to help with displaced families. “We are so honored to have partners like World Vision who are able to respond quickly via their warehousing of disaster relief supplies and then…
KULA, HAWAII — Kula, Hawaii, homeowner Donna Waters gives thanks for the Samaritan’s Purse volunteers who did chain saw work and helped sift through the ashes of houses in her neighborhood that were destroyed by wildfires to find personal items. Donna Waters – Homeowner: We had this huge wildfire in the Gulch. You’re standing in…
EAST AFRICA — For years, Worke*, a Christian convert in East Africa, outwardly acted like a Muslim while secretly holding onto Jesus in her heart. But after her husband died of an illness, she openly embraced her faith in Christ – and his family strongly opposed it. *Name changed for security reasons Worke from East…
BEVERLY HILLS, CA — The Salvation Army Southern California is set to host its highly anticipated Finding A Way Home Gala at the Beverly Wilshire, A Four Seasons Hotel on Sept. 21. Sponsored by Payden & Rygel, the extraordinary event will honor Sarah Michelle Gellar with the Judge Harry Pregerson award while showcasing an ensemble…
LONDON — The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association has released a documentary called Unsilenced. The 30 minute TV special tells the story of how when confronted with opposition to Franklin Graham’s God Loves You UK tour they went on a mission to defend freedom of speech to ensure the Gospel cannot be silenced. As more than…
LOVES PARK, IL — The war in Ukraine has caused a dramatic surge in the number of “social orphans,” according to a U.S.-based organization responding to an escalating crisis of child abandonment. Ukrainian church leaders estimate there are as many as 50,000 “hidden” social orphans, children barely surviving under the radar who’ve been abandoned or…
LAHAINA, HAWAII — Samaritan’s Purse COO Edward Graham encourages people to be volunteers to help Lahaina homeowners on Maui sift through the ashes of their property to recover personal items, a service that offers survivors both comfort and closure. Edward Graham – Samaritan’s Purse Chief Operating Officer: Samaritan’s Purse continues to serve on the island…
CHARLOTTE, NC — The Billy Graham Rapid Response Team (BG-RRT) has deployed to Valdosta, Georgia, after Hurricane Idalia caused massive flooding that has impacted close to 500 homes in the Valdosta area. “We know that Hurricane Idalia not only impacted Florida, but parts of Georgia – including Valdosta, which was one of the hardest hit…
TURKEY — Since an earthquake rocked the people of Syria and Turkey in February 2023 Christian charity Help The Persecuted has provided practical and spiritual support to more than 12,000 people impacted by the disaster. As a colossal earthquake rocked the Syria-Turkey border in February 2023, Christian Charity Help the Persecuted has provided practical and…
CHINA — It’s illegal to buy a Bible online in China, and some ethnic minorities find it really hard to get a Bible at all. The Chinese authorities watch every movement – not just on the street, but online too. With support from Christian charity Open Doors, Ming (name changed) takes huge risks to serve…
SAMARITAN LODGE ALASKA — Samaritan’s Purse pilots Bill Sims and John Erickson share what makes flying in Alaska for military couples in search of God’s healing so special. Bill Sims – Samaritan’s Purse: I gave my life to the Lord in an airplane, so aviation’s always been special to me. I love to fly. I…
MINYA, EGYPT — Jessica gave her life to Christ after receiving an Operation Christmas Child shoebox gift and attending The Greatest Journey course in her Egyptian village. When COVID shut down the churches, Jessica started her own discipleship group and led her friends to the Lord. Jessica – Shoebox Recipient: My name is Jessica and…
BAKERSFIELD, CA — The charitable relief organization CityServe International has fully activated its church-based network, teaming up with No Child Hungry, to launch its distribution of over 250,000 meals and other emergency supplies throughout the fire-stricken Hawaiian island of Maui. Pastors and church members whose entire neighborhoods were wiped out by the flames are healing…
LAHAINA, HAWAII — Edward Graham asks people for prayer for the wildfire survivors in Maui, Hawaii and to get involved by volunteering with Samaritan’s Purse to let those who are hurting know that God loves them and hasn’t forgotten them. Edward Graham – Chief Operating Officer, Samaritan’s Purse: Samaritan’s Purse has deployed to Lahaina, Hawaii….
DARFUR, SUDAN — Samaritan’s Purse is providing emergency supplies: shelter materials and medical supplies to refugees in Chad who are fleeing violent conflict in Sudan. Aaron Ashoff – Samaritan’s Purse: On April 15, Civil War broke out in Khartoum, Sudan. This is one of the most devastated parts of the world that sees violence all…
WILLS POINT, TX — A shocking number of adults around the world can’t read or write even a simple sentence, says mission agency GFA World (www.gfa.org) as it marks International Literacy Day, September 8. According to the United Nations’ education agency UNESCO, approximately 773 million adults worldwide — equal to more than twice the population…
BOONE, NC — Samaritan’s Purse has deployed disaster response specialists and two tractor-trailers—packed with tools and relief supplies— along with shower trailers, kitchen trailers, and other support equipment to Florida in the wake of Hurricane Idalia. The Category-3 storm caused severe wind damage and flooding. The N.C.-based organization will respond in Pasco County and Taylor…
CHARLOTTE, NC — The Billy Graham Rapid Response Team (BG-RRT) is deploying to Pasco and Taylor Counties in Florida, after Hurricane Idalia battered the Gulf Coast Wednesday, sustaining up to 125 mph winds before crossing into southern Georgia. “We want to let people know that when the storms of life come, Jesus is our anchor…
IDAHO FALLS, ID — One month from today, the Idaho Falls Look Up Tour with Will Graham will officially take place in the Hero Arena at the Mountain America Center in Idaho Falls. Participants from 110 churches representing 27 denominations across the region are working together to host the weekend-long outreach, Sept. 23 and 24….
SENEGAL — While on board the Christian medical ship The Africa Mercy in Senegal, Hamady repeatedly called his friends back home to tell them that his son Daouda had been healed. No one could believe it until he sent a picture. After all, Hamady had already tried unsuccessfully to have Daouda treated at several hospitals…
PAKISTAN — Christians in several communities in Pakistan have come under attack from angry mobs this week after two teenagers were accused of allegedly desecrating a Quran. Christian leaders and others said it was a false accusation. Nearly 30 churches were attacked, some being completely destroyed as hundreds of Bibles and Christian literature was burned….
MAUI — The deadliest U.S. wildfire in more than a century has stunned Hawaii and the nation. The wind-propelled blaze leveled the historic town of Lahaina on the island of Maui, with a death toll of over a hundred and many more still missing, and the wildfire relief work is moving into a new phase….
LONDON, ENGLAND — They came by the busload from all over England and Wales to hear a Gospel message. Approximately 130 coaches carried 5,000 people to the outreach from as far away as Liverpool.People streamed out of buses and trains into ExCeL London, eager to hear powerful music from Christian artists—Ce Ce Winans, Newsboys, and…
IRAQ — Young believers in Iraq are discovering how to apply the Bible in their everyday lives – through a fun, interactive Bible competition run by Open Doors local partners. Wiam: We have an activity today in the Holy Bible. the Gospel of John. We read it and prepare for upcoming questions. The contest will…
MAUI, HAWAII — Emergency relief equipment and supplies have arrived in Hawaii on the Samaritan’s Purse DC-8 cargo jet to provide immediate assistance to those suffering from the wildfires that devastated Maui. The charity airlifted a volunteer team and 17 tons of relief supplies from Greensboro, North Carolina, to Maui, Hawaii, on Tuesday, Aug. 15….
UNITED KINGDOM — It is a sad fact that, globally, the number of children and adolescents who do not have access to school education is 260 million, nearly four times the entire population of the UK. In response Christian children’s charity CRY is launching their Back To School Education is Power campaign to highlight how…
MAUI — When Maui residents heard about 65-mph hurricane winds from the south, they never expected the deadly flames that the wind would bring.The wildfires—now the deadliest in the nation’s modern history—engulfed parts of Maui and decimated the beach town of Lahaina, leaving more than 100 people dead, thousands more missing, and miles of homes…
BAKERSFIELD, CA — “Help and hope are on the way,” declared Dave Donaldson, co-founder and CEO of the CityServe disaster relief network of churches that is assembling and delivering over a quarter-million meals to Maui. They are doing this in collaboration with No Child Hungry. Donaldson’s reassurance on behalf of the nation’s leading faith-based church…
DAKAR, SENEGAL — In 2023, Mercy Ships sailed into a new season together: Serving patients from two countries at once — Senegal and The Gambia — from the decks of their brand new vessel Global Mercy. In total 794 surgeries were performed on board this medical ship in Dakar in Senegal. In 2023, we sailed…
EL SALVADOR — Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. They bring this vision to reality through programs like International Family Retreat. Andre’s family in El Salvador experienced finding inclusion in Christ, transforming acceptance and love through family retreat…
CHARLOTTE, NC — The Billy Graham Rapid Response Team (BG-RRT) is deploying to Barre, Vermont, an area that experienced catastrophic flooding this past week. Dozens of roads remain closed and thousands of homes and businesses have been badly damaged. This is the same storm system that impacted Highland Falls, New York, where BG-RRT chaplains are…
BAKERSFIELD, CA — This month, CityServe International will have a grand opening for their new CityServe Family Center in Kyiv, Ukraine. In partnership with churches in Ukraine, this family center will serve to heal the multi-generational trauma of a war that has already claimed over 20,000 Ukrainian lives, including many civilians. The grand opening ceremony…
ANTAKYA, TURKEY — Samaritan’s Purse is providing 21,000 units of refrigerators, fans, and shade kits to earthquake survivors in Turkey who are living in tents. The relief supplies are part of a project to help families combat extreme heat in the region. Bryan Dodson – Samaritan’s Purse: We are in the Antakya, Turkey, which is…
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….
