Rushing Aid to Puerto Rico

On September 18th, Hurricane Fiona made landfall in Puerto Rico. High winds ripped through the island, leaving communities without power or water. Nearly 3 million people were plunged into darkness as the power grid temporarily failed.

In this episode, Kristy Graham talks with leadership at Samaritan’s Purse headquarters, pastors serving in Puerto Rico, and those receiving aid to learn about this response.

Samaritan’s Purse responded to Hurricane Fiona immediately, deploying staff members and emergency supplies to those who need it most. First, Kristy talks with Dave Holzhauer, the Director of the International Disaster Response Unit.

They discuss what it looks like for Samaritan’s Purse to plan a response, and the importance of meeting the most critical needs quickly. Dave reflects on Hurricane Maria in 2017, and the ways Samaritan’s Purse has continued to partner with churches in Puerto Rico. These relationships allowed our teams to immediately partner with pastors and church leaders on the ground to meet local needs.

Karl Phelps, the Logistics Manager at the Samaritan’s Purse warehouse in Wilkesboro, North Carolina, describes the water filtration systems, jerry cans, tarps, and other supplies, which were airlifted to Puerto Rico.

Next, Kristy talks with Tom Ovington, who is a member of our Disaster Assistance Response Team in Puerto Rico, to get a sense of what’s happening on the ground. Tom shares that some of the greatest needs are for clean drinking water and roof repairs.

He highlights the relationships the team has built with Puerto Rican churches throughout the years, and how these partnerships are allowing pastors to share the Gospel while helping their neighbors.

“The pastors and their parishioners know their neighbors. They know not only the people in their churches that are their brothers and sisters in the Lord, but they know their neighbors, they know their neighborhoods, and they go out in the name of Jesus and help whomever needs help. The church is activated in times like this, and the Puerto Rican church does amazingly well.” — Tom Ovington

Finally, Leidi, a local pastor, expresses gratitude for the ability to give supplies to her church members and neighbors. Another woman shares about how she was forced to start collecting rainwater after the storm, but because of Samaritan’s Purse they now have access to clean water.

Kristy closes with some ways to pray for the people of Puerto Rico: for Gospel conversations between staff and those hurt by the storm, for continued energy for teams on the ground, and for an increased awareness of God’s strength.