Samaritan’s Purse Sends 90+ Tons of Emergency Aid To Earthquake Victims: Partnering With Charlotte-Based Billy Graham Evangelistic Association For Japan Outreach
A team from international Christian relief organization Samaritan’s Purse is now on the ground in Japan, working with local partners to coordinate and deliver much-needed aid for victims of the powerful earthquake and tsunami that devastated the island nation. Friday, March 18, more relief was sent when Samaritan’s Purse loaded some 92 tons of emergency supplies onto a cargo jet at Charlotte-Douglas International Airport.
“I’ve led festivals through the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association in Okinawa and Osaka and my father visited Japan six times during his ministry – so the first thing we did after the earthquake was to contact our church partners in Japan,” said Franklin Graham, president and CEO of Samaritan’s Purse and the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. “We provided money so that they could immediately start buying and distributing supplies to the victims of this disaster. But the need is so great that we also got right to work organizing this emergency airlift.”
The Samaritan’s Purse airlift included plastic sheeting for shelters, as well as water filtration systems, blankets and hygiene supplies.
“You look at all of that rubble and you just wonder how many people are clinging to life waiting and hoping that someone will discover them – and the many thousands of others who have lost everything in this disaster. The people of Japan need our prayers and they need our help,” said Graham.