Franklin Graham flew into a remote area of South Sudan Friday to visit a makeshift refugee camp where Samaritan’s Purse is providing life-saving aid to more than 22,000 people. The camp is a safe haven for desperate refugees fleeing the ongoing violence in the Nuba Mountains of Sudan.

“The Nuban people are once again facing the horror of brutal persecution,” Graham said. “They are in urgent need of our prayers and support. For more than a decade, Samaritan’s Purse has supported the Christians in Nuba, and we will continue to stand with them in this time of great need.”

READ MORE: The refugee camp operated by Samaritan's Purse is bombed.

Since early August, a Samaritan's Purse DC-3 cargo plane has been airlifting tons of food and other supplies to the refugees, who are stranded in a swampy area in Unity State near the border between South Sudan and Sudan. The camp has been accessible only by plane because the rainy season washed out the roads. Our team had to airdrop food into the area for the first few weeks until we could clear a landing strip for our plane.



The Samaritan's Purse team at the camp has distributed hundreds of tons of food staples, with material support from the UN’s World Food Program. We have also provided temporary shelter, medical care, and other assistance to the growing number of refugees.

With only one well for so many thousands of people, preparations are being made to drill additional wells to supply much-needed clean water. The relief work is continuing, but resources are stretched thin.

"We are at the point now where we’re not going to be able to sustain this relief effort without others stepping up and helping," Graham said. "This work is going on 24/7. Our team can’t take a day off."




Hundreds of refugees pour into the camp daily, mostly women, children, and the elderly who crossed the border to escape the military campaign taking place in their homeland. People are walking as many as 10 days to reach safety, and many have died during the arduous journey across the mountains. The survivors arrive hungry, weary, and destitute.

“Most of the refugees come from villages where we constructed churches over the years,” Graham said. “When they recognize that Samaritan’s Purse is helping them once again, they praise God.”

Among the thousands of children in the camp are about 1,600 who are orphaned or separated from their parents. Graham promised to bring in educational materials, so the children could continue with their schooling.

The camp includes a clinic that provides therapeutic treatment for some 400 malnourished children under 5 years old. Graham spent much of his time Friday with these little ones, comforting and praying for them.

To address spiritual needs at the camp, our programs include trauma counseling and pastoral care. During his visit, Graham met with a group of Nuban pastors who are ministering to the refugees. He promised to send in Bibles and prayed for the pastors to have the courage to proclaim the Gospel in a place of great suffering.




Every refugee has a heartbreaking tale to tell. One man named Matthias shared the story of the attack on his village and his escape over the mountains.

“There were soldiers between me and my family,” he said. “They were shooting, and the town was on fire. I tried to reach my wife, but I couldn’t locate her. To this day, I still haven’t found my family.”

“Many innocent people were killed on that day,” he added, his voice cracking.

For the next two weeks, Matthias and his neighbors trekked across the mountains, unsure of where to go to find safety. They had no time to return to their homes to gather food or belongings, and there was no clean water to be found. Airplanes bombed the roads, killing dozens of people right before his eyes.

“Please tell everyone to pray for us,” he said. “We need the world to remember us. The only thing we want is to survive and to live in peace.”

Through this ministry of compassion, we are sharing God’s love with these suffering people and lifting up Jesus Christ as a tower of refuge and strength for those who trust in Him. "The LORD is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble" (Psalm 9:9, NKJV).

Samaritan's Purse , South Sudan , Emergency Relief , Franklin Graham Pledges Support to Nuban Refugees