An international delegation got a glimpse of our relief work in the war-torn nation.

This week, Samaritan’s Purse Chief Operating Officer Edward Graham and an international delegation including former U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo traveled to Ukraine to see the work of Samaritan’s Purse. While in the embattled nation, they also met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and other high-ranking government officials.

Edward Graham meets with with Mykhailo Panochko, senior bishop of the Ukrainian Pentecostal Church.

Graham and Pompeo visited Samaritan’s Purse work in both Kiev and Irpin. Irpin was the site of fierce fighting from late February until almost the end of March 2022, resulting in Ukrainian recapture of the area. The delegation was pleased to meet with several local church leaders who continue to partner with Samaritan’s Purse to deliver food and other relief to those who are suffering greatly.

“We’ve had a chance to get to meet people who are really suffering in difficult places,” Pompeo said. “I’ve watched the church and Samaritan’s Purse in particular do amazing work, not only fix the houses and provide the food but to provide faithful support. It’s work that’s important.”

For more on the visit, watch the video above.

Through our network of local church partners, Samaritan’s Purse has delivered almost 70,000 tonnes of food to the people of Ukraine along with almost 50 million litres of clean water. Together with the provision of medical care and emergency shelter materials (tarps, plywood, lights, wood stoves), more than 8 million individual Ukrainians have benefited from these efforts.

Learn more about our relief work in Ukraine.

The delegation met with Ukrainian government leaders as well as church partners who are delivering relief supplies right into the red zone where the conflict continues to rage. Graham celebrated these heroes because of the risks they’re taking to get supplies to those who need them most. He said, “When there’s a crisis the church stands firm and they love their neighbour in the Name of Christ.”

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