Marine Sergeant Austin Dickinson and his wife, Cass, an Air Force Senior Airman, stood just out of reach of the thundering waterfall where they had hiked—from the boat to the remote pebbled shore of Alaska’s Lake Clark and up the trail lined with devil’s club to the cove where the water gushed from a high…
Celebrating Freedom in Christ this Fourth of July
More than 50 wounded military veterans and their spouses have come to Alaska so far this year hoping for restoration for their marriages and their lives. These military couples are very real reminders that the freedoms we enjoy aren’t free, but come at a price that’s paid on battlefields all over the world. They bear…
More Than They Bargained For
Retired Army Staff Sergeant Ray Davis and his wife Rebecca applied to attend Operation Heal Our Patriots because they wanted to see Alaska: the Last Frontier. It wasn’t until the end of their week at Samaritan Lodge though that they realized just how desperately they had needed the time together. Yes, they expected to reconnect,…
Through the Wilderness
Navy Corpsman Ben Hebert and his wife, Heidi, nearly called it quits. They trace the source of their troubles back to 2009 when Ben watched helplessly as a fellow Marine was killed in an ambush while on patrol in Afghanistan. That traumatic event changed him. Ben was plagued by sleeplessness at night and a short…
Our Ministry
Newsletter June 2025
Franklin Graham Update | June Franklin Graham Update | June Gospel Hope for the World Dear Friend, Just a few weeks ago, I had the privilege of convening the European Congress on Evangelism with the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association in Berlin, Germany. We brought over 1,000 church and ministry leaders from 55 countries and territories across Europe to focus on proclamation evangelism. Our…
Crisis & Disaster Response
In the Wake of Hurricane Laura, Veterans Become an Answer to Prayer
As Hurricane Laura’s 150 mile-per-hour winds threatened to batter the coastline of Louisiana, Rafe David and his wife Mary were prepared to stay in their Lake Charles home of 25 years. The couple had evacuated for major storms like Rita and Ike over the years only to return home to minor damage. They expected the…
Discipleship, Education & Training
2021 Marks Ten Years of Ministry to Military Couples
This summer marks the 10th season of Operation Heal Our Patriots, a program started by Samaritan’s Purse in 2012 to strengthen the marriages of America’s heroes. Wounded military veterans and their spouses come to Samaritan Lodge Alaska where they participate in Biblically based marriage enrichment classes and enjoy excursions into the pristine wilderness of Lake…
Our Ministry
Warrior Ride
11th Annual High Country Warrior Ride Saturday, May 21, 2022 – Rain or Shine! Register Now Come show your support of Operation Heal Our Patriots with a scenic ride along the Blue Ridge Parkway. Escorted by local law enforcement and the Boone chapter of the Christian Motorcyclists Association, the 80-mile ride is a privately organized fundraiser to send…
Letting Go of Anger and Finding Peace
The first time Marine Lance Corporal PJ Kehs was shot at, he was crossing a street in Fallujah, Iraq–and he fell. Just then, a tracer round zipped over, striking the man behind him. “Why did I fall? I didn’t trip over anything. I literally just went down,” he said. “I should have taken that bullet.”…
Discipleship, Education & Training
Military Couples Celebrate Renewal in Christ
Mike Beaulieu experienced a life-changing encounter with God during a week of marriage training in Alaska through Operation Heal Our Patriots. His faith and resolve to live for Christ were strengthened like never before. “Everything feels great when you leave Alaska, but the battle isn’t over,” he said. “Alaska course corrected me back toward God’s…
