Reverend Franklin Graham recently visited an emergency field hospital operated by Samaritan's Purse in Venezuela. During his visit, he observed doctors and nurses delivering crucial medical care and spiritual comfort to earthquake survivors who have endured immense suffering and loss.
As president and CEO of both Samaritan's Purse and the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, Graham traveled with his daughter, Cissie Graham Lynch, to provide encouragement to the relief teams and offer solace to individuals who lost family members, homes, and nearly all their possessions. Lynch, who serves as senior advisor and spokesperson for both organizations, noted that a particular interaction with a local pastor left a lasting impression on her during their time there.
"I'm thankful for our incredible teams who are doing just that. They are providing medical care, clean water, tents for shelter, and many other emergency supplies," Graham stated. "As they do this in Jesus' Name, they are comforting these families and praying with them during this time of intense grief and loss."
Emergency Medical Response Amidst Devastation
The emergency field hospital, situated in La Guaira, has provided treatment to more than 2,500 patients. The facility is equipped with two operating rooms, a pharmacy, and a laboratory. Medical professionals at the hospital are performing orthopedic surgeries and addressing infections and other health issues that went untreated following the catastrophic events.
Venezuela was struck by two powerful earthquakes on June 24, measuring magnitudes 7.2 and 7.5. The U.S. Geological Survey reported that these seismic events occurred just 37 seconds apart. Venezuelan authorities reported that the earthquakes resulted in over 5,000 fatalities and more than 16,000 injuries. La Guaira was identified as one of the most severely affected regions.
More than 170 members of the Samaritan's Purse Disaster Assistance Response Team are actively serving in critical areas, including La Guaira, Playa Grande, and Caraballeda. Additionally, aid distribution is being facilitated through church partners in Caracas.
Comprehensive Humanitarian Efforts
The organization deployed six Boeing 767 airlifts, transporting 295 tons of relief supplies into the country. Samaritan's Purse highlighted that their aircraft were the first non-military flights to arrive in Venezuela after the earthquakes. Over 10,200 families have received essential emergency provisions such as tents, tarps, solar lights, blankets, hygiene kits, cooking sets, and Spanish Bibles.
To help restore healthcare services, Samaritan's Purse has installed four emergency clinic modules for local healthcare facilities, with a fifth module slated for imminent opening. These clinics are supplied with medical provisions and generators, crucial for communities devastated by the tremors. Furthermore, two desalination units have successfully produced over 154,000 liters of clean water.
Personal Accounts of Survival and Support
Samaritan's Purse reported that almost every patient treated at their field hospital has experienced the loss of a family member or a close friend. One such individual was a father who sustained a leg injury while heroically rescuing another person's child from a collapsed 14-story building.
"It was terrifying," he recounted. "I thought a plane had crashed."
Another survivor found himself buried beneath rubble after his apartment building collapsed, falling six floors. He remained trapped for two days without access to food, water, or light before rescuers spent six hours to extricate him safely.
"I lose everything, I don't have anything," he expressed. "A nurse here made me paper shoes, I feel so happy for that."
For this survivor, the empathy and prayers he received were as significant as the medical attention.
"The doctors pray with me," he shared. "That's beautiful when they get on their knees and pray with me. I love that. Nobody do that for me."