Samaritan’s Purse is distributing food to families in Colombia who’ve fled chaos in Venezuela, offering not only food, but also the Bread of Life—Jesus Christ.
People arrive weary, hungry, and anxious at Samaritan’s Purse food distribution points in Colombia. Just across the river to the east lies the life they were forced to flee in Venezuela. Back home they faced rampant violence and deepening instability.
In Colombia they’ve found safety but work is hard to come by. As they struggle to build a new life, they also struggle to feed their families amid food scarcity.
“There were days when I didn’t have work, and I ate once a day,” said a 24-year-old mother named Scarlett.
Expressions of relief wash over families as they look through their supply of food provided by Samaritan’s Purse. For the first time in months, maybe even years, these families don’t have to worry about where their next meal will come from.
Six months pregnant with her second child, Scarlett is among the many desperate people we’re helping with food in the border town. She’s been living with her aunt since fleeing Venezuela. Even while pregnant, she’s endured long spells with little to eat.
In the same room, Katiusca, a mother of four boys, says she’s “had to take food from the trash to eat.” She arrived in Colombia when her youngest was 2 years old and has struggled ever since to provide her children with proper food and care.
Each large white bag contains rice, pasta, flour, oats, canned tuna, beans, lentils, and basic cooking supplies like oil and salt to sustain a family for a month. Families receive a bag for three consecutive months, alleviating the daily stress of finding food for themselves.
Jorge, who arrived with his two young girls, said he traversed the international border several years ago. His youngest daughter was only 5 months old when they entered Colombia to find healthcare for his ailing wife. She passed shortly after they arrived, leaving Jorge to care for their children alone, away from family and community. He earns an income by collecting recyclable cans and bottles on the streets.
“I said, ‘God, no—take my life instead of my wife’s,’” Jorge recounted. “How could I manage with a 5-month-old?”
Food and Care Uplift Downtrodden Families
Scarlett, Katiusca, and Jorge are just three of many families Samaritan’s Purse is helping in Jesus’ Name through our food distribution program. These families, and hundreds of other weary Venezuelan migrants, have received food packages to sustain them for up to three months. The foodstuffs include pasta, beans, rice, and other non-perishable food items.
Daily food is essential for Scarlett who is six months pregnant and eating for two.
“Families are referred through different Samaritan’s Purse programs—health, ministry, and protection programs,” said Cris Ortega, the manager leading the Samaritan’s Purse food program in Colombia. “We identify households experiencing food insecurity, survivors of gender-based violence, and families with children, pregnant women, or older adults affected by malnutrition.”
In Cúcuta and Puerto Santander, two cities that serve as migrant hubs just a stone’s throw from the Venezuelan border, we have provided ongoing food support and nutritional care to almost 800 people since September. This builds upon our ongoing food distribution efforts serving Venezuelan families in Colombia. In 2025 alone, we provided food to more than 60,000 people through this program.
“This support didn’t just help with food—it gave me peace,” Scarlett said. “We feel supported, and that changes everything.”
As a single father of two, Jorge has struggled since his wife’s passing to put food on the table. Now, with food from Samaritan’s Purse, Jorge can dedicate more time to finding a sustainable job without worrying each day about what his daughters will eat.
Jorge was also overwhelmed with gratitude for the help he received from Samaritan’s Purse. In addition to the food bundle, the grieving father was given vitamin supplements and ready-to-use therapeutic food for his children to combat malnutrition.
“I am grateful because I truly needed this help,” he said. “I honestly have no words to thank Samaritan’s Purse. I pray to God all the time, and He always uses someone to help. God put Samaritan’s Purse in my path.”
Katiusca and her four growing boys are especially thankful for the Samaritan’s Purse food bags.
Katiusca felt long-endured stress lifted off her shoulders. “God knows we need it,” she said. “We walk back home with the blessing Samaritan’s Purse gave us. The food lasts, and it helps so much.”
Offering the Bread of Life
Ortega says that as she talks with each family that receives food, she hears in them a yearning for more and a hunger for hope.
“The impact extends far beyond the material support,” she said. “Families have shared their burdens and requested prayer, finding comfort and encouragement. They view the assistance as a reflection of God’s love.”
Families return home with more than just food for their bodies. They also hear about the Bread of Life, Jesus Christ. Our teams share the Gospel and connect families with local church partners in the area for continued support.
As families leave carrying fresh bundles of food, Ortega says that they seem to have “greater hope, peace, and strength to face their challenges.”
Please pray that the Venezuelan families served through Samaritan’s Purse along the border would experience God’s comfort and love. Pray also for the region as chaos continues and uncertainty looms. Pray that the Gospel of Jesus Christ would bring peace and joy to Venezuela and neighboring nations.
“For He satisfies the longing soul, and fills the hungry soul with goodness” (Psalm 107:9).
Pray for the thousands of Venezuelan families in Colombia as they build new lives away from their homeland.
