When I first heard of the 8.8-magnitude earthquake that struck Chile in February, I immediately thought of the Scripture where the disciples asked Jesus, “What will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” (Matthew 24:3b, NIV).

Jesus answered that His return would be signaled by increasing conflict among nations, as well as wars, famines, and “earthquakes in various places” (Matthew 24:7).

Although no one except the Father knows the exact hour of Christ’s second coming, there is no doubt in my heart that the stage is being set for His return—this time as Conquering King and Righteous Judge. The increasing intensity of natural disasters in Chile, Haiti, and around the world should warn unbelievers to repent of their sin and receive the Savior, and at the same time encourage believers to keep their focus on Christ and His Kingdom.

The Chile quake was one of the most powerful ever recorded—hundreds of times more intense than the one that killed 230,000 in Haiti. Thousands of homes collapsed, and a tsunami threatened the entire Pacific. Thankfully, the death toll was relatively small, but millions of people were affected.

Within hours, Samaritan’s Purse dispatched a team to Chile, where we worked with 40 church partners to deliver truckloads of food, blankets, and other items. Many of these churches have participated with us in Operation Christmas Child gift box distributions and a Crusade in Temuco, where I preached in 2004.

In Chile as in Haiti, local evangelical churches are the backbone of relief efforts. They provide volunteers and serve as locations for our water filters, clinics, and food distributions. Long after our relief work is complete, these churches will continue to minister to their neighbors in the Name of Jesus. As we look forward to the return of our Lord, it is our prayer that these churches will help lead many people to saving faith in Jesus Christ.

Pastor Victor Oliva is among those who helped Samaritan’s Purse hand out relief supplies in Chile. His church building may be damaged beyond repair, but he still sees reasons to praise God.

“In a sense, the collapse of the physical walls of the church has pushed the congregation outside the four walls to serve the community,” he said. “We thank Samaritan’s Purse for being a catalyst.”

In Dichato, a coastal village washed away by the tsunami, Pastor Victor had the opportunity to share the Gospel with a police sergeant at a location where Samaritan’s Purse distributed food and water. The officer said that his wife was a Christian but that he never attended church because he thought all Christians were hypocrites. When he saw Christians reaching out to help his neighbors, he broke down in tears.

“This is pure love,” he said.

In the face of these disasters, the faith of the Christians is inspiring. Praise God, dozens of congregations in Haiti are worshiping under the shade of blue plastic handed out by Samaritan’s Purse. After all they have suffered, at Easter they still celebrated the message of Resurrection—the victory of Jesus Christ over sin and death.

The Haitian Christians have a saying: Nou pap lage. That’s Creole for “We won’t give up.”

Chile will be able to recover much more quickly than Haiti, which will need our help for years to come. Yet the spiritual needs of the people are no different. Whether they are affluent or impoverished, they need to hear and respond to the Gospel.

Every disaster is a reminder that life is uncertain and the Gospel is urgent. Only Jesus could say, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in Me will never die” (John 11:25). That’s why we respond in Jesus’ Name to every call for help. Thank you for giving generously and praying faithfully for the work of Samaritan’s Purse and the millions we serve around the world. May God bless you.

Sincerely,

Franklin Graham
President
Samaritan's Purse

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