Supporting the Church Worldwide

Caring for the Caribbean

When Hurricane Beryl roared across the Caribbean in 2024, it decimated several outlying islands near Grenada, including Carriacou. Nearly every home and building—including the local hospital—on the small island lost its roof, and many collapsed completely under the powerful winds. The storm left entire communities without access to water, shelter, and medical care. Samaritan's Purse quickly utilized our Operation Christmas Child church partners on the island and in Grenada to help address the needs.

One of those partners was pastor Happy Akasie. Even though his own house was demolished and the windows of his church were blown out, he opened the church for Samaritan's Purse to use as its home base of operations and store emergency relief supplies. He also helped us distribute solar lights, water filters, tarps, and more to those in need. We soon airlifted an Emergency Field Hospital to provide urgent care.

We praise God for our Operation Christmas Child partners across the Caribbean who played a vital role in our Hurricane Beryl response, helping us rapidly meet critical needs in Jesus' Name.

And our ministry to families in Carriacou and Grenada continues. Earlier this year, Happy and our Operation Christmas Child church partners there hosted several outreach events where shoebox gifts were handed out to hundreds of children across the islands. Dozens of boys and girls then took part in The Greatest Journey, our 12-lesson discipleship course, where many received Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. Praise God!

Bringing Help and Hope to Acapulco

After Hurricane Otis devastated Acapulco in late 2023, we brought in tons of relief materials to help thousands affected by the disaster with assistance from congregations throughout the region who have been partners with us through Operation Christmas Child for many years. They were essential in our initial response, helping our North American Ministries and Disaster Assistance Response Teams (DART) to connect with areas to assess and meet critical needs.

We also brought hope to struggling families by trucking in thousands of shoebox gifts in the days following the storm. Local leaders trained more than 300 churches in how to conduct outreach events and teach The Greatest Journey, the 12-lesson discipleship course designed for shoebox recipients.

A girl named Litsea, 11, attended one event and described details of the storm. “I hid under the bed with my mom, my dad, my brothers, and our dog,” she said. “We all hid there until the storm passed.” When they emerged, their house was in shambles. But hope arrived when she opened her shoebox and discovered a notebook, a toothbrush, a pink and blue penguin, and other gifts. Those simple items opened her heart to receive The Greatest Gift—the Lord Jesus Himself.

Delivering Good News and Great Joy in Ukraine

Thousands of Operation Christmas Child partners across Ukraine also aided Samaritan's Purse when conflict broke out, helping us deliver essential relief supplies—food, blankets, clothing—to displaced families fleeing the violence. And these churches have continued to be a vital link for us to continue bringing in aid as the war has escalated. They also handed out hundreds of thousands of shoeboxes, bringing the Good News of the Gospel and great joy to children who have suffered and lost so much.

Serving Our Neighbors in Western North Carolina

When remnants of Hurricane Helene swept through western North Carolina and caused widespread destruction, we responded on an unprecedented scale throughout the affected mountainous communities—some of which became completely isolated after roads and bridges were washed away. To reach them with critical supplies, we conducted over 350 helicopter flights, using Army National Guard Chinooks, three ex-Army Blackhawks, and several privately owned choppers. We also partnered with churches that support Operation Christmas Child to help us distribute tons of emergency relief items on the ground. This vital connection allowed us to also bring in an army of volunteers—30,000 in just the first month—to love on hurting homeowners and be the hands of feet of Jesus in a time of great need.