DART Newsletter

I'm constantly reminded and encouraged how the Lord is always in control, even when circumstances change and the needs are great. He has a plan, and His steadfast love never ceases.

As we begin the new year, I want to express my deepest gratitude to each one of you for your unwavering dedication and remarkable service in some of the world's most challenging environments. Your commitment to providing both physical and spiritual aid in Jesus' Name brings true hope to so many around the world. Your service does not go unnoticed, and we as a senior management team want to convey our heartfelt appreciation for the impact you've made on the lives of those you've served.

In the coming year, we encourage you to continue seeking God in every endeavor. In the face of the uncertainties of what the new year may hold, may you find His guidance and help, knowing that your work is a witness to God's love and mercy. I have been reflecting in recent weeks on both the ministry of Samaritan's Purse and the nature of our part in that ministry. It is incredible to me that after 50 years as an organization, our mission remains the same, and I am deeply thankful that our commitment to the Gospel has not wavered. Even as we hold high our common objective to serve with excellence, we cannot neglect the verbal proclamation of the Good News of Jesus Christ. I wonder how that applies to your life—perhaps a family member, a colleague, a community member you serve needs to hear the Gospel. Please take that bold step to share the hope you have. I have been praying the same personally and am with you as we seek to fulfill the Great Commission.

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes” Romans 1:16

Thank you again for all you have done. We appreciate each of you and look forward to how the Lord will have us serve in 2024.

In Christ,

Aaron Ashoff Deputy Director, International Projects

Israel

On Jan. 23, Franklin Graham joined hundreds of Israeli citizens to dedicate 14 new ambulances to Magen David Adom, the nation's emergency medical services provider. Graham honored the sacrifices of 19 members of Magen David Adom who have been killed since Oct. 7, the start of the current Israel-Hamas war. In addition, we have provided 18,500 food boxes, nearly 4,000 hot meals, and more than 18,000 food vouchers to families in need. We have also airlifted 1,000 emergency trauma kits, as well as gift boxes for children affected by the attacks.

---

Mexico

As the Mexico Response begins to wind down, we reflect on the amazing work God orchestrated throughout Acapulco with more than 370 decisions for Christ, 18 church roof repairs, 12,000 NFI kits distributed, and over 822,000 liters of safe drinking water provided to communities in need.

DART member Marsha Borda shares, “I was so excited for my first deployment with Samaritan's Purse, and it was so incredible to see how God brought hope through the storm for many people in need. Hearing stories and sharing hope not only with words, but also with compassionate action, was a beautiful dream come true and a wonderful birthday present for me. The Lord has every single detail measured and nothing escapes from His hand. He decided to bring hope and blessing through a natural disaster and a wonderful team who loves Jesus.”

---

Ethiopia

A massive scale-up in food assistance began in Ethiopia during the 2021 DART in response to civil war in Tigray. Samaritan's Purse Ethiopia has distributed over 66,000 metric tons of food to over 1.2 million people. In 2023, we expanded our presence in Ethiopia to Amhara, Afar, and Somali—allowing us to serve more than 550,000 people affected by conflict and drought.

During the course of this scale-up, we deployed seven DART surge staff, from the Philippines to the United Kingdom, to support the implementation of a project in Somali funded by the World Food Programme. Without previously having a presence in Somali, the DART surge members and national staff spearheaded the effort to create the infrastructure for Samaritan's Purse to assist an additional 450,000-plus beneficiaries affected by drought with life-saving food assistance. It hasn't been easy. “All of the learnings and challenges have had good results because I know that we are not alone,” said DART member Jose Ampuyas. “God is always there to comfort us and give us protection. The people in Somali are very kind and teachable. They need, like us, to feel that there is hope.”

The beginning of a new year is a great time to start learning a new language! Samaritan's Purse has partnered with Mango Languages for free language learning. Mango offers over 70 languages. Download the Mango app to start learning now!

First time logging in?

• Go here.
• Click “Sign Up” to create your profile.
• Enter your Samaritan's Purse email address and password.
• For Card Number enter SP12345.

Mobile Usage:

• After you have downloaded the Mango Languages app, log in and use the same credentials that you set above.
• Select your language and download lessons to your phone. Once these lessons are downloaded, you can use them offline.

---

2024 Specialty Training Interest Survey

We are excited to roll out our new 2024 Specialty Training Interest Survey! Please carefully read through the survey as you express your interest. We currently do not publicize the DART specialty training calendar, as the dates are subject to change, but we will highlight upcoming trainings in our bi-monthly newsletter and send the invitations for trainings seven to eight weeks in advance.