The evangelist that leads Samaritan's Purse offered insight on how the international humanitarian organization is helping victims of the Ukraine invasion.
Evangelist Franklin Graham, who serves as the CEO of humanitarian organization Samaritan's Purse urged Christians all over the world to pray for the leaders of Ukraine and Russia amid the armed conflict between the two countries. He also recently shed light on how his organization launched humanitarian efforts to help Ukrainian refugees displaced by the war.
In a conversation with the Christian Post, the televangelist discussed Samaritan Purse's efforts to minister to Ukrainian refugees who are leaving their embattled country. The organization is set to open a field hospital in Lviv in the western part of Ukraine this week and they are hoping to accept patients on Wednesday.
"We went to Ukraine and asked if there was a need for that," Graham explained. "As soon as we told them we could bring a hospital, they were very eager for us to do so."
Graham added that Ukrainians who have fled their homes amid Russian President Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine have general "health needs" that must be addressed, while others have sustained injuries as a result of the unprovoked attack. The televangelist spoke about people who were diabetic, who had heart conditions, high blood pressure, and other conditions he described are "just normal everyday problems of life" and those who have been "wounded" due to the Russians' "shelling" of various Ukrainian cities.
"We will be doing a lot of treating trauma," Graham explained. "We won't be doing elective surgeries or anything like that."
In a conversation with Newsmax on Monday, Graham explained that he and his organization were called by God to mobilize and help Ukrainian refugees. He said, "We just feel this is something God has told us to do, wanted us to do. I want the people of Ukraine to know that God hasn't forgotten them, that he loves them, and he cares for them very much."
Graham added that the mission of Samaritan's Purse in Ukraine is going to be carried out "in Jesus' name" and pledged that they would "bring the best medical care that we possibly can."
"Ukraine is total chaos on the ground," Graham remarked. He shared how Samaritan's Purse will set up a "two-tier" hospital in Lviv with two operating rooms, an emergency room, X-ray laboratory, and up to 58 beds. The humanitarian organization is also going to set up a triage center at the train station where about 65,000 to 75,000 pass through every day amid Putin's invasion of Ukraine.
Samaritan's Purse traces its roots back to 1970 when it was founded by evangelist Bob Pierce to address the emergency needs of those in crisis. When Pierce died of leukemia in 1978, Graham took over the organization as its CEO. Graham is the son of Rev. Billy Graham and has had experience as an evangelist. Samaritan's Purse has since operated in war-stricken areas before, including Iraq. Now, they are working with the Ukrainian Ministry of Health to inform citizens where to go for medical assistance.
Graham also urged Christians to continue praying for Ukrainians amid Putin's invasion of Ukraine.
