Scripture is alive and active, and no matter the circumstances we face in life, God’s Word can help lift our eyes beyond our current situation and towards our eternal hope in Jesus Christ. This week, we are taking you behind the scenes to Samaritan’s Purse staff devotions where Randy Bishop talks about the history of the English Bible and how important it is that we not only read God’s Word, but crave it daily. Hear Kristy Graham and other members of the podcast team share Scripture that has impacted them in their walk with the Lord.

Resources:

• Have You Heard the Good News of Salvation?
• Listen to Hope Is Where the Healing Starts to learn how God is working in the lives of Ugandan families to bring hope in a seemingly impossible situation.

For further study, below are sources that Randy Bishop used in his devotion: 

1.  Filling Up the Afflictions of Christ
The Cost of Bringing the Gospel to the Nations in the Lives of William Tyndale, Adoniram Judson, and John Paton

The Swans Are Not Silent, Book Five

By John Piper, Crossway, 2009

2. The Legacy of the King James Bible
Celebrating 400 Year of the Most Influential English Translation

By Leland Ryken, Crossway, 2011

3. The Origin of the Bible

By various authors including F.F. Bruce, J.I. Packer, Philip Comfort, and Carl F. H. HenryTyndale House Publishers, 2012

God is our hope and our ever-present help in trouble, but there are times when our circumstances seem impossible. For some families in countries with minimal health resources, their children suffer from an untreatable condition: a heart defect. This is where Children’s Heart Project steps in to provide life-changing heart surgery, and God works in their lives to bring hope in a seemingly impossible situation. Kristy Graham talked with Sheena, a program manager for Children's Heart Project in Uganda, who shared her own story of healing. Additionally, our podcast correspondent, Stephen, traveled to Uganda to join Sheena’s team as they met with families and conducted screenings to identify children who are eligible for surgery this year. 

Resources: 

• Listen to Francis’ miracle story to hear how God used Children’s Heart Project, not only through this 7-year-old boy, but in the lives of his parents and his entire community in Uganda.
• Hear about three generations of women whose lives were changed through Children’s Heart Project.
• In Renewing Lives by Healing Hearts, hear from two Mongolian mothers about how their children’s hearts were healed physically and, in the process, they themselves were renewed spiritually.
• Check out our episode Healing Hearts: Children’s Heart Project where Kristy Graham introduces you to Hishga, a young girl from Mongolia who received life-saving heart surgery.

Country directors play a key role in leading and carrying out the mission of Samaritan’s Purse in our 15 country offices around the world. They work to ensure the passion for the Gospel stays at the forefront of everything their office engages in—from preventing human trafficking to providing clean water. Kristy Graham spoke to Edward Densham, the senior director of international projects, about what it is like to serve alongside country directors. Hear stories directly from some of these men and women about the impact of programming in their countries.

Resources:

• Read about how Clean Water Strengthens Kenya’s Villages.
• Learn how Livelihood Projects Open Doors for Women in Cambodia.
• Listen to last week’s episode to hear how the Lord transformed Matt and Kayla Tucker’s hearts through Operation Heal Our Patriots.

Operation Heal Our Patriots transforms lives and gives veterans and their spouses hope in Jesus Christ. This week-long marriage retreat in Alaska provides military couples with Biblical training and Godly counsel, but the ministry does not stop there—Operation Heal Our Patriots walks with these couples for life. Kristy Graham, host of On the Ground with Samaritan’s Purse, witnessed many military couples surrender their lives to Christ at the recent Operation Heal Our Patriots reunion. After, Matt and Kayla Tucker shared how the Lord healed their hearts and restored their marriage last summer in Alaska. We also take listeners to the Operation Heal Our Patriots reunion to hear from Tim Lee, a veteran who served in the Vietnam War, and Kristy’s husband, Edward Graham.

Resources: 

•  Call the Billy Graham Prayer Line at 888-388-2683.
•  Watch the video and read more about the recent Operation Heal Our Patriots reunion.
• Listen to last week’s episode to hear how Samaritan’s Purse helps vulnerable women and girls around the world experience God’s love in tangible ways.

Samaritan’s Purse protection programing around the world helps vulnerable women and girls experience God’s love in tangible ways by creating safer communities built on the foundation of Christ. Kristy Graham talked to Monica Napier, the global protection technical advisor, about her passion for this important work and her recent trip to Niger. Kristy also spoke with Hanna Mukora, a protection program manager, who works on the ground in the Democratic Republic of the Congo where we provide women with a safe space to share about their trauma and engage in vocational training. 

Resources: 

• Learn more about women’s programs in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. 
• Read about Liya's Journey.
• Listen to Serving as a Spouse in Ministry, where Joy Dagher shares what it has been like sharing the Good News in dangerous places while also raising a family.

Joy Dagher is a devoted wife, mother, and ambassador for Christ, who has chosen to cling to the promises of God in all circumstances. Joy and her husband, Sami Dagher, who was featured in our last episode, have spent their lives sharing the Good News in dangerous places while also raising a family. Kristy Graham asked Joy about her life as a spouse in ministry, and how she has trusted in the Lord to sustain her through uncertain times. 

Resources: 

• Steps to Peace with God.
• Listen to Ministering in the Hard Places to hear from Joy’s husband, Sami, about his work in ministry, topics like prayer and discipleship, and how the Lord brought about his life verse.

Pastor Sami Dagher has served the Lord for decades in hard places that are not open to the Gospel. On a recent visit to international headquarters, Kristy Graham asked Sami about his work in ministry, topics like prayer and discipleship, and how the Lord brought about his life verse. Sami is full of wisdom and, though his life has not been easy, he has taken his experiences and used them for good—ultimately, for the glory of God. 

Resources: 

• Have you heard the Good News of Salvation?
• Listen to our latest episode to hear how God worked miraculously, not only through a young boy named Francis, but in the lives of his parents and his entire community in Uganda.

Francis, a young boy born with a heart defect, was in desperate need of surgery. When Children's Heart Project approved Francis to receive this life-saving procedure at a partner hospital in the Cayman Islands, it was a burden lifted. Francis and the team were en route to the hospital until the plans changed abruptly—there was an emergency during the flight. Over the next 102 days, God worked, not only through Francis, but in the lives of his parents and his entire community in Uganda.

• Hear about three generations of women whose lives were changed through Children’s Heart Project.
• Listen to Renewing Lives by Healing Hearts, and hear from two Mongolian mothers about how their children’s hearts were healed physically and, in the process, they themselves were renewed spiritually.
• Check out our episode Healing Hearts: Children’s Heart Project where Kristy Graham introduces you to Hishga, a young girl from Mongolia.

Description: Franklin Graham, president of Samaritan’s Purse, joined hundreds of Israeli citizens last week to dedicate 14 new ambulances to Israel’s emergency services agency, Magen David Adom. Each ambulance was given in memory of fallen medics who lost their lives due to the ongoing Israel-Hamas war. While on the ground, our podcast correspondent, Stephen, spoke with partners and those we are helping.

Resources: 

• Samaritan’s Purse Provides Ambulances in Honor of Fallen Israeli Medics.
  https://www.samaritanspurse.org/article/samaritans-purse-provides-ambulances-in-honor-of-fallen-israeli-medics/
  
  
• Listen to our recent episode where Kristy talked to two Israeli first responders who were serving their communities when Hamas attacked Israel on the morning of October 7.
  https://ontheground.samaritanspurse.org/podcast/first-responders-in-israel-the-morning-of-october-7
  
  
• In God’s Providential Hand: A Conversation with Jim Dailey, hear how the vice president of communications at Samaritan’s Purse has persevered in times of trial.
  https://ontheground.samaritanspurse.org/podcast/gods-providential-hand-a-conversation-with-jim-dailey 

The news moves on quickly to the next headline, but God doesn't—He sees the pain and the hurt caused by natural and manmade disasters. Even in the most remote corners of the world or storms that only affect one person, God sees all of our needs. The disasters we cover today aren’t headline news, but they are responses in which God has given Samaritan’s Purse the opportunity to respond. This week, hear stories from leaders and others on the ground serving and sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Resources: 

• Learn how you can serve with North American Ministries.
• Find out more about the Samaritan’s Purse Disaster Assistance Response Team.
• Read Seeing God’s Hand in the Tornado’s Wake about the response in Catawba county.
• God is at Work in the Lives of Liberia Burn Patients.
• Listen to God’s Providential Hand: A Conversation with Jim Dailey to hear how he has witnessed God’s sovereignty throughout his 25 years of working in the ministry.