When Latasha walked through the front door of her new home, she immediately gave thanks to God. "The Lord kept us safe, and He's going to keep us safe here." ![]() "We're going to bring that cross here to our new house," Dennis said. The only wall that survived was one where Latasha Hayes had hung a cast-iron cross. Their neighbor's roof came crashing through the window. He said the twister sounded like stampeding horses as it ripped through their house. "I thought we were going to die," said Dennis Hayes, remembering how friends and family members sought refuge in a bedroom, hid under a mattress, and cried out to the Lord. “Thanks to the generosity of people like you, we are giving them a fresh start.” -Franklin Graham In addition to the 60 houses in New Hope Acres, we are building 21 more around Mayfield and installing in-ground storm shelters at hundreds of existing houses. This project will eventually include 60 new furnished homes-each one built around a safe room-usually an interior bathroom, designed and reinforced to withstand tornadoes that are all too common in this area. How much different it was a few weeks ago, when I returned to Mayfield to dedicate the first 16 homes in a neighborhood we call New Hope Acres. I went to Mayfield just before Christmas two years ago, when despair hung over the town. It's been nearly two years since an outbreak of tornadoes devastated western Kentucky, and in that time Samaritan's Purse has remained busy in and around the town of Mayfield, where nearly 1,300 homes and businesses were destroyed. ![]() WELCOME HOME: New homeowners include the family of Megan Williams (above) and Latasha Hayes (photo below). Like the Good Samaritan who made arrangements for ongoing care of the man robbed on the Jericho road, we are committed to staying and helping as long as we are needed. When a disaster strikes, Samaritan's Purse is often the first on the ground to help the survivors. Going the extra mile here on the homefront Our work continues in Ukraine, where the war is dragging into another winter, and our church partners are providing multitudes with food, water, and heat. Our international teams have also been busy recently in North Africa, where we are helping after an earthquake and flooding. Meanwhile, our teams and church partners are working to share the hope of the Gospel. Many of the refugees are from Christian backgrounds and are excited to receive Armenian-language Bibles. In addition to the medical teams, our cargo jets flew two airlifts to Armenia, bringing emergency supplies such as blankets and solar lights. Edik feared he might never walk again, but with expert care, he was back on his feet in a couple of days. He was thrown into a pit, with deep burn wounds on his face, back, and limbs. More than 170 people died in an explosion at a fuel depot, and the death toll might have been worse if not for specialized medical teams deployed by Samaritan's Purse who provided surgery, therapy, and care for many who were burned.Īmong our patients was a boy named Edik, who was filling up fuel cans for his family's evacuation when the gas station blew up. More than 100,000 refugees fled their mountainous homeland and are resettling in Armenia. Just before trouble erupted in Israel's backyard, we dealt with another crisis 800 miles north, where the old Soviet state of Azerbaijan seized an Armenian enclave called Nagorno-Karabakh. The Bible tells us, "Pray for the peace of Jerusalem" (Psalm 122:6). So many have lost loved ones, and a generation has been scarred by evil. I know the people of Israel need our prayers as they go through this trial by fire. As the situation unfolds, we stand ready to help the Palestinian people.Īnyone who has studied the Bible understands the possible consequences of a war involving Israel, God's chosen people, living in the Promised Land. Israel immediately has announced plans to invade Gaza and root out Hamas militants. In fact, the hospital that was struck by a missile in mid-October was established by English missionaries way back in 1885. There are hundreds of Arab Christians among them. We've offered our help to authorities in Israel, and we have medical teams and an Emergency Field Hospital ready to deploy if needed.Īt the same time, our hearts are breaking for families and civilians in Gaza, whose homes are under siege as terrorists use their neighborhoods to launch missiles toward Israel. ![]() These churches are counting on Samaritan's Purse to equip them as they distribute food, blankets, and other assistance. The Jewish homeland has several strong evangelical churches that have answered God's call to help their neighbors, including many who were displaced from homes near the Gaza Strip.
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