By giving nutritious food to people affected by war, disease, or disaster, and providing clean, safe drinking water through filters or well projects, our Food & Water programs are saving lives around the world.

The following story describes our ministry to provide food and water in Jesus' Name.

As China struggles to recover from the devastating May 12 earthquake, water has become a major concern. Landslides have turned rivers into lakes. Wells have become poisonous and polluted. Water towers have collapsed. And people are suffering as they face tremendous uncertainty.

Before Samaritan’s Purse arrived, thousands in China’s hard-hit Sichuan province did not have access to clean drinking water or adequate shelter. Rain leaked through makeshift tents. People slept in the streets. Sometimes it seemed that the only thing in abundant supply was tears.

But people like construction worker Zhu Yuan Xing are getting a glimpse of hope. As he helped tear down a teetering 100-foot-high water tower that threatened to smash the surviving houses below, Zhu found comfort knowing Samaritan’s Purse was installing a new water system for the people of his hometown.

“We’ll all have a better tomorrow because of your help,” he said.

Zhu is among tens of thousands of Chinese who now have cleaner drinking water than they did before the quake. Samaritan’s Purse has installed community water filters in six of the hardest-hit communities, providing safe drinking water for people who previously depended on boiled or bottled water.

The filters, provided by Water Missions International, have been placed in villages outside the city of Shifang. Each filter can supply enough clean water to meet the daily needs of 3,000 people. Xinhau, the official Chinese news agency, said these were the first filters installed after the quake.

Recognizing that many communities are still in desperate need of clean water, Samaritan’s Purse will install six additional water filtration systems in the coming days. The 12 filtration systems will produce more than 3 million gallons a month, enough water to meet the daily needs of 35,000.

As our teams continue to work throughout the Sichuan province, they demonstrate God’s love in communities that have no visible church.

“Your help is greatly appreciated,” said a woman standing in line to collect water. “You came a long way to take care of us.”

Since the earthquake, Samaritan's Purse has delivered 90 tons of desperately needed emergecy supplies. A 747 cargo jet chartered by Samaritan’s Purse and the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association arrived in Chengdu, the capital of the hard-hit Sichuan province, on May 24. U.S. and Chinese officials said it was the first privately chartered flight to arrive with earthquake relief.

In addition to the water filters, the airlift included 1,140 rolls of heavy-duty plastic, 15,000 blankets, hygiene packets, medical kits, and other emergency supplies.

We have constructed model shelters in two towns and trained military personnel to duplicate the design with our heavy-duty plastic and building materials. Once the project is complete, 3,400 families will have transitional housing that can last up to two years.

According to the latest government report, the quake has left 69,130 people dead, 17,824 missing, and 374,031 injured. Millions of homes were severely damaged or destroyed.

Samaritan’s Purse President Franklin Graham was in China meeting with Christians and speaking in churches when the earthquake hit. He encourages prayer for the millions who have lost loved ones, homes, livelihoods, and possessions.

“I would ask all Christians in the United States to pray for the people of China and the church as they reach out to their fellow citizens with God’s love and compassion,” he said.

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