Helping Homeowners Recover From Winter's Icy Blast

Dear Friend,

As I write this, Samaritan's Purse disaster relief teams are still hard at work in three states following a deadly midwinter storm that caused massive damage across the South. Ice, sleet, and snow knocked out power to more than a million people, with some waiting weeks for their heat and electricity to be restored. Large trees and limbs fell across thousands of houses, yards, and roads.

We responded by deploying four Disaster Response Units to help frozen communities in Mississippi, Louisiana, and Tennessee. Our volunteers braved brutal temperatures to cut up downed trees, tarp roofs, and help with cleanup. Though the weather has improved, there is still much to be done. We are offering a helping hand, extending the warm comfort of God's love, and sharing the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ to repent, believe, and be saved.

Talitha Finnie (pictured below), a resident of hard-hit Oxford, Mississippi, hunkered down at home alongside her husband and their six children while the storm rolled through during the night. As they tried to sleep, it battered their house and the surrounding trees.

They awoke to a yard full of broken limbs and debris. It was a mess too big for them to handle, so Talitha was grateful for our team: "I cannot believe anyone would be out here in this weather, but you guys are awesome. You cleared everything, cut everything down, and put it on the side of the road for us."

As our team finished their work, they gathered on Talitha's front porch to give her a Bible they had each signed. One of our volunteers felt the Holy Spirit tugging on her heart to boldly share the Gospel right then and there. Praise God Talitha put her faith in the Lord, and she couldn't contain her newfound joy. She kept smiling and laughing as she hugged her new brothers and sisters in Christ.

"You asked me if I wanted to accept the Lord into my life. And I did. Now I can just lay my burdens down and present them before the Lord," she said.

We give God all the glory for what only He can do!

Samaritan's Purse continues to work across the region as people recover from this devastating storm. We have had thousands of requests from hurting homeowners and continue to need volunteers who will serve as the hands and feet of Jesus. Will you prayerfully consider helping in His Name? Go to spvolunteer.org to find out more.

Blind, But Now They See

Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem when a blind beggar named Bartimaeus cried out from the roadside: "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" (Mark 10:47). Bartimaeus knew Jesus' reputation as a healer, so when he begged Jesus to restore his eyesight, it was a prayer of faith. "Then Jesus said to him, 'Go your way; your faith has made you well.' And immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus on the road" (Mark 10:52).

When the Bible uses the phrase "made you well," it refers to salvation as well as physical healing. At Samaritan's Purse, we want the whole world to recognize Jesus and know who He is—our Lord and Savior. He promised: "I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life" (John 8:12).

This is our mission in everything we do, including through the medical teams that Samaritan's Purse sends around the world to restore sight to thousands of people who are going blind because of cataracts. The good news is that cataracts are completely treatable through a procedure that takes only a few minutes. I had cataract surgery a few years ago, and I'm thankful for the difference it has made.

We go out of our way to offer this life-changing procedure in places where it is not otherwise available, to people who could never afford it. A grandmother named Awein (pictured above) beautifully described how the surgery changed her life. "The darkness ran away from me, and I can only see the light. God has been faithful with me. His love and His mercy are always beautiful to me."

As we work, God gives our teams precious opportunities to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ. These teams include not only Christian doctors and nurses but also chaplains and local pastors.

In South Sudan, one of our cataract patients was a Muslim leader named Wiche. After a pastor shared the Gospel, Wiche renounced his old beliefs, prayed to accept Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior, and burned an amulet he had worn for spiritual protection. He told the pastor he sleeps peacefully now, grateful to know the only God who can give him true peace. The pastor also gave him an audio Bible to help him grow in his faith and encouraged him to tell others about Jesus. Like Bartimaeus, he now can testify about how Almighty God transformed his life.

Praise God for how He is working to heal the blind and open the eyes of their hearts. We thank you for your prayers and support. May God bless you.

Sincerely,
Franklin Graham