Relief efforts continue in and around Ukraine, with numerous faith-based groups delivering food and medical supplies to refugees and injured civilians. This morning, Samaritan’s Purse President Franklin Graham tweeted his thanks to former U.S. Vice President Mike Pence and his wife, Karen Pence, “for coming to Ukraine to visit our @SamaritansPurse team there and meet many refugees crossing the border into Poland.”
Mike and Karen Pence met with the organization’s Disaster Assistance Response Team set up in Poland before crossing into Ukraine to meet with some soon-to-be refugees.
Mike Pence tweeted that “2.4 million refugees have already fled Ukraine and nearly 400,000 have already come through the Korczowa border crossing.” He added, “The impact of the Russian invasion on these families is heartbreaking and the need for support is great. We encourage everyone to pray and contribute to @SamaritansPurse and other relief organizations today. Let’s stand together as one with the people of Ukraine.”
Samaritan’s Purse Deploys Field Hospital, Medical Personnel
Graham, who shared photos of Mike and Karen Pence interacting with Ukrainians, tweeted, “One Ukrainian told Vice President @Mike_Pence what an encouragement their visit was and the former Vice President responded, ‘No, you are the ones who inspire and encourage us.’ He assured them of our continued prayers and support.”
Edward Graham, operations VP for Samaritan’s Purse and Franklin’s son, also expressed gratitude for the visit. “We’re very grateful that Vice President and Mrs. Pence care so much about the Ukrainian people,” he says. “They were a great encouragement to our team today. This situation is heartbreaking, and we are here to do all we can to help relieve suffering.”
Samaritan’s Purse is setting up an emergency field hospital near Lviv, Ukraine. The facility will have almost 60 beds, including four ICU beds, plus two operating rooms and an ER with a 100-person daily capacity. Medical personnel also will provide maternity care and deliveries.
In addition, Samaritan’s Purse set up a Medical Stabilization Point at the Lviv train station to assess the health needs of refugees as they pass through. The organization has already sent numerous airlifts of relief materials to the area, including Poland and Moldova.
“Ukrainian families are hurting and in desperate need of physical aid and prayer during this difficult time,” says Franklin Graham. “We are deploying life-saving medical care to aid people who are suffering. We want to meet the needs of these families in their darkest moments while pointing them to the light and hope of Jesus Christ.”
Other Christian Relief Groups Are Busy Too
As ChurchLeaders has reported, other humanitarian groups with religious ties are working to meet needs during the crisis. Send Relief, a collaboration between the Southern Baptist Convention’s International Mission Board and North American Mission Board, is working with local churches in Ukraine and Poland to provide assistance.
