Friday: Samaritan’s Purse Dedicates New Boeing 767 and Retires Historic DC-8

BOONE, N.C., Nov. 11, 2025—This Friday, November 14, international Christian relief organization Samaritan’s Purse will ceremonially retire its Douglas DC-8 cargo aircraft and dedicate its new Boeing 767 at its Airlift Response Center in Greensboro, North Carolina. This event marks a new era for the ministry’s global aviation operations and advances its ability to help suffering families around the world in Jesus’ Name.

For more than a decade, the Samaritan’s Purse DC-8 served as the organization’s primary heavy-lift aircraft—airlifting more than 9.2 million pounds of life-saving cargo on 217 missions worldwide. First acquired in 2015, the aircraft became an indispensable tool for delivering emergency supplies to people suffering after natural disasters, conflicts, and humanitarian crises. It is now the last U.S. registered DC-8 still flying.

Now, that legacy continues with the newly commissioned Boeing 767—a modern cargo aircraft that expands the ministry’s capacity to respond rapidly and efficiently wherever disaster strikes.

“Aviation is an incredible tool for Samaritan’s Purse. Every one of our cargo planes says ‘Helping in Jesus’ Name’ right across the nose of the aircraft. After a disaster strikes, we want people to know why we are bringing life-saving supplies. We want them to know that God loves them and they’re not forgotten,” dijo Franklin Graham, el presidente de Samaritan's Purse. “God has used this DC-8 cargo plane to impact hundreds of thousands of lives—and He is using it right up to the very end of its service life. As we retire the DC-8, we are grateful to God for the 767 taking its place. It will allow us to transport far more supplies—faster and more effectively—and will continue the work of bringing the hope of the Gospel to people around the world.”

The 767 completed its inaugural mission on Oct. 24, carrying more than 290,000 packets of supplementary food for suffering women and children in Gaza, along with blankets, solar lights, and other critical relief items.

Just weeks later, the aircraft was deployed again—this time to Jamaica, following Hurricane Melissa, the strongest storm ever to strike the island. To date, Samaritan’s Purse has completed seven airlifts to Jamaica, utilizing its DC-8, 767 and 757. One of the 767 airlifts carried the organization’s Hospital Móvil de Emergencias equipped with an operating room, intensive care unit, emergency room, obstetric ward, laboratory, pharmacy, and blood bank. This flight to Jamaica marked the first time, Samaritan’s Purse transported a large Emergency Field Hospital on a single flight. Previously, such a deployment required multiple airlifts, but the 767’s size and range made it possible.

Con sede en Boone, Carolina del Norte, Samaritan’s Purse responde a las necesidades físicas y espirituales de personas en situaciones de crisis; especialmente, en lugares donde pocos están trabajando. Bajo la dirección de su presidente y director ejecutivo, Franklin Graham, Samaritan’s Purse trabaja en más de 100 países para brindar ayuda a las víctimas de guerras, enfermedades, desastres, pobreza, hambre y persecución. Para más información, visita SamaritansPurse.org/espanol.