Samaritan’s Purse staff and ministry partners aim to bring practical help and the Good News of Jesus Christ to native peoples in Alaska and the surrounding region
Wounded Veterans and Their Spouses Discover Hope in Christ
The metal bracelet on Army Sergeant Justin Gallagher’s wrist, light as it was, had weighed on him for years. It was “like an anchor,” he said, because he had returned home from Iraq and three of his friends had not. Just before Christmas 2006, during operations in Fallujah, Iraq, a bomb detonated near two of…
Military Families Continue to Give Back
When Marine Staff Sergeant Curtis Fowler walked on his own for the first time in two years his family praised God for a healing that once seemed impossible. Curtis had been unable to walk normally after something went wrong during a procedure to repair a decade-old back injury suffered in Iraq. Curtis went into the…
Waterside Conversion Leads to Lake Clark Baptism
As Trish Dawson felt Lake Clark’s frigid waters wash over her, she almost forgot the shocking cold in an adrenaline rush of happiness. “I was just so happy—overwhelmed,” Trish shared, eyes shining at the memory of her baptism. Just moments before, on the beach at Samaritan Lodge Alaska, Trish had prayed with her husband and…
2025 High Country Warrior Ride Helps Strengthen Military Marriages
The rumble of motorcycles is a familiar sound in Boone, North Carolina—but on Saturday morning, the engines echoing near town signaled more than a mountain joy ride. More than 200 riders rolled out into the hills to show their support of military couples seeking healing for their marriages. Throughout the fall of last year, Samaritan’s…
Hope Begins Here
Not long before Army Sergeant Ian Hunt arrived with his wife Maria at Samaritan Lodge Alaska, Ian had gone through treatment after attempting to take his own life. He had believed the nightmare of his battlefield experiences and injuries had become more than he could bear. In 2012, on his third deployment, he was severely…
Newsletter June 2024
New Church Completed and Dedicated on Bering Sea Island
On Oct. 6, praises rang out in English and Cup’ig from the recently finished Covenant Church in Mekoryuk on Nunivak Island, Alaska. Townspeople and distinguished guests worshipped the Lord together for the first time in the brand-new building constructed over the past four months-plus by Samaritan’s Purse staff and volunteers. Following the dedication service, the…
Alaska Restart
In 2011, Army Specialist Shelby Nelms was in a convoy that was rocked by an improvised explosive device in Afghanistan. Her vehicle took a direct hit from the blast. Army Specialist Nick Nelms was also in the convoy and rushed to aid his fellow soldiers. “I said ‘What’s up, girl? I’m here to rescue you,’”…
A New Battle: From Fighting Wars to Fighting for Their Families
When the nine wounded military service members and their spouses arrived at Samaritan Lodge Alaska on May 26, they were strangers, but six days later, they left as friends—renewed, refocused, and with new tools to sustain their marriages. After starting their week with a special Memorial Day observance, the couples participated in a kayak lesson…