On September 6, Hurricane Irma raged across our island. On September 8, Samaritan’s Purse International Charity sent their DC-8 to St. Maarten with over 20 tons of emergency relief supplies including blankets, hygiene kits, and enough rolls of heavy-duty plastic sheeting to help 2,000 families.
Over the course of the response, Samaritan’s Purse airlifted additional supplies to the region and was able to reach more than a third of the island with emergency relief, including emergency shelter materials, hygiene kits, blankets and food. They provided emergency relief to approximately 10,000 families in St. Maarten. They also installed reverse osmosis water units on the island to turn sea water into drinking water. To date, Samaritan’s Purse has distributed more than 50,400 litres of clean water.
Samaritan’s Purse sent more than 25 disaster response specialists to St. Maarten. They also sent aid to Barbuda and to the Turks & Caicos, Dominica and Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria. To date, Samaritan’s Purse has airlifted more than 269 tons of relief supplies to the region over the course of 12 DC-8 flights. They asked their supporters to pray for all those in the Caribbean who have lost their homes and for those who lost loved ones.
But who are these strangers, who came here to help, asking nothing in return? Samaritan’s Purse is a non-profit NGO based in North Carolina, USA. They move fast to those in need and Charity Navigator.org reports that Samaritan’s Purse has an excellent rating of 98%, meaning 98 cents of every dollar donated go directly to the people in need.
Started in 1970 by Bob Pierce, Samaritan’s Purse has a mission to meet emergency needs in crisis areas through existing churches. By 1973, Pierce had teamed up with Franklin Graham, son of the famous TV evangelist Reverend Billy Graham. Bob Pierce died of leukaemia in 1978, and then Franklin Graham took over the reins as President and Chairman of the Board.
Through over 30 years of earthquakes, hurricanes, wars and famine, Samaritan’s Purse has expanded to more than just disaster response. They run medical missions across the world and support women in developing countries. They build homes, schools, churches and hospitals in places destroyed by war and natural disasters. They provide animals and agricultural training to families in need across the globe. Their Disaster Assistance Response Team, or DART, specializes in providing water, food, shelter, and medical care to victims of war, poverty, famine, disease, and natural disasters. Through all this service to humanity, the organization is motivated by their Christian faith and their desire to follow the example of love shown in the life of Jesus Christ.
The name of the organization comes from the parable Jesus told of the Good Samaritan, found in Luke 10 of the New Testament. Jesus said, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. Soon, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he travelled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. The next day, he took out two coins and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’ Then Jesus asked, “Which of these three do you think was a neighbour to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.” Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”
“Go and do likewise,” and so they do. For more information or to donate, visit www.samaritanspurse.org
