Years of conflict have created “the world’s worst humanitarian crisis” in the Darfur region of Sudan, in the words of Kofi Annan, the former general secretary of the United Nations.

The Darfur crisis erupted in 2003, when several African tribes rebelled against the predominantly Arab government. The government retaliated behind the Janjaweed militias, known by the people of Darfur as “devils on horseback.”

As fighting has raged from village to village, it is estimated that at least 300,000 people have been killed and 2.7 million have had to flee for their lives.

Seeking safety, refugees have gathered into sprawling camps, where tens of thousands of people lack water, food, sanitation, schools, and medical care. Many of the mothers are widows, and survivors are traumatized by what they have witnessed.

Samaritan’s Purse is a lifeline to hundreds of thousands of refugees in Darfur. We distribute food to up to 200,000 people each month, and supply cooking pots, clothes, sleeping mats, and heavy-duty plastic sheeting for newly displaced families who have left everything behind.

We also have provided clean water for over 112,000 people by rehabilitating wells, constructing latrines, and teaching proper hygiene; given livestock, seeds, tools, and other assistance to thousands of farm families to help them regain self-sufficiency; and are building and expanding schools to serve 27,000 children in crowded camps and towns

In addition to our work in Darfur, we currently are providing food, shelter, clean water, and medical care to thousands of people in Pakistan who had fled their homes during clashes between the country’s military and Taliban insurgents.

Saturday, June 20, has been designated as World Refugee Day by the United Nations. But throughout the year, Samaritan's Purse staff and partners around the world reach out in the Name of Jesus Christ to people impacted by conflict, famine, or natural disaster.

In Myanmar, we are helping people struggling to rebuild their lives since Cyclone Nargis ripped through the country last May. We continue to help feed thousands of people as they rehabilitate their land and plant new crops. Boats and nets have been distributed to 9,700 fishermen to restore their livelihoods. We are building new schools and providing them with furniture and other supplies. Our clean water projects include pumping salt water out of ponds, building cisterns to store fresh water, and laying pipes to allow greater access to clean water sources. In addition, we continue to support our Christian partners as they provide healthcare and other relief.

We are partnering with Christian organizations to bring relief to people displaced by fighting in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and are supporting a ministry that is reaching out to Iraqi refugees living in Lebanon.

Wherever we work, we are letting people know of God’s steadfast love even in times of uncertainty.

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Samaritan's Purse , Emergency Relief , Helping People in Crisis