In his first visit to North Carolina since leaving office, former Vice President Mike Pence and former Second Lady Karen Pence traveled to North Wilkesboro on Wednesday to learn more about Samaritan’s Purse, and how the ministry responds to disasters across the U.S. and around the world.
Franklin Graham, president and CEO of the international Christian relief organization, walked Pence and his wife through the 202,000-square-foot warehouse facility where Samaritan’s Purse pre-positions emergency relief supplies to quickly respond to crises.
“We are here to volunteer with Samaritan’s Purse because we believe in this ministry,” Pence told the organization’s staff and board members. “I hope you all know the difference that Samaritan’s Purse has made in the life of this nation and in God’s kingdom around the world.”
It was such a joy to be at @SamaritansPurse in NC today with @KarenPence to say thank you to @Franklin_Graham and his incredible staff & volunteers for the work they’ve done serving as the hands and feet of Christ for 50 years in 100 countries! pic.twitter.com/FwpL9k3Z1e
— Mike Pence (@Mike_Pence) March 24, 2021
The Pences have already been in the field to provide aid with Samaritan’s Purse several times, and Wednesday’s visit touched on additional aspects of the organization’s disaster relief work.
As part of the visit, the Pences toured a Samaritan’s Purse Emergency Field Hospital with medical staff who provided life-saving care in multiple COVID-19 hotspots around the world, and in places like Iraq, where patients were severely injured by gunfire, land mines, mortar rounds, car bombings and improvised road bombs.
The Pences were also shown how Samaritan’s Purse refurbishes medical equipment to support mission hospitals, and they saw how the organization stands ready to provide critical relief supplies, such as clean water, food, emergency shelter, and hygiene kits at a moment’s notice. They also toured U.S. Disaster Relief units and equipment, which deploy to hard-hit areas across the country in response to tornadoes, hurricanes, floods, and other natural disasters.
“We are so honored that the vice president and his wife came to visit Samaritan’s Purse today,” Graham said. “They love the Lord Jesus Christ, and they have served our country, so it’s a privilege to have them volunteer and be a part of what we’re doing in Jesus’ Name.”
Samaritan’s Purse teams are currently in Alabama, helping families who lost everything in recent tornados, and the ministry is responding in Kentucky where devastating flooding overwhelmed Breathitt County.
Sherry’s Bibles were destroyed in the floodwaters that engulfed her home in #Kentucky. After our volunteers helped her clear out her house and salvage any belongings we could, we gave Sherry a new Bible filled with notes of encouragement from our team. https://t.co/LyHc1w6I6S pic.twitter.com/BkZEbJuRvu
— Samaritan’s Purse (@SamaritansPurse) March 24, 2021
The humanitarian organization is also assisting tens of thousands of suffering people in Tigray, Ethiopia—including children who are at risk of acute malnutrition. The organization reports their DC-8 cargo plane has airlifted enough supplemental nutrition to feed 44,000 children for 30 days.
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