Rotarian of the Day Delane Adams invited and introduced Christina, Lance and Solomon Walsworth of Bienville Parish and Jeanine Ford who regaled Winnfield Rotarians at their meeting on February 12 with tales of their adventures working with Samaritan’s Purse. Samaritan’s Purse is a nondenominational evangelical Christian organization which has helped meet the needs of victims of war, poverty, natural disasters, disease and famine with the purpose of sharing God’s love through His Son, Jesus Christ.  It is probably most well-known for its Operation Christmas Child.

Jeanine Ford is Samaritan’s Purse’s regional director for Operation Christmas Child, which collects shoeboxes filled with goodies to give to children around the world at Christmas. She described the resources she observed during her visit to SP’s Texas headquarters: eight 18-wheelers with another on order, a mobile commercial kitchen, shower trailer and bunk trailer for SP staff, along with stockpiles of essentials like water, Bibles, t-shirts and the like.

The Walsworth family had just arrived back at home in Louisiana from North Carolina two days before Hurricane Helene hit eastern Tennessee and western North Carolina. They wanted to go back to help those affected by the storm, so Christina’s friend with experience in disaster relief work suggested they sign up to work with Samaritan’s Purse.

Upon their return to the area, they stayed in a campground in their tents and commuted to Samaritan’s Purse staging area at Alliance Baptist Church in Boone, NC, to get their assignments each day. All the sites they worked were in the community of Trade, TN. This is one of the easternmost communities in Tennessee located northeast of Asheville, NC. The work sites were scenes of rocks relocated by the high winds of the storm and mud created by the torrential rains. 

Much of the work involved wielding a shovel and moving mud and rocks away from shops and residences so people could get into the buildings and clean up the mud and mess inside. The Walsworth family worked afternoon shifts on a crew which worked at five different locations where they moved rocks, mud, fallen trees, and damaged merchandise and furnishings. Samaritan’s Purse provided all equipment and supplies needed for the work. 

At the end of the day, the volunteers were able to meet with the people receiving their help and share the Gospel with them. At each job, all the volunteers signed a Bible which was presented to the shop or homeowner at the end of the day. A record number of volunteers came to the area to help those in need. They overflowed from the church where they gathered each day for their assignments.

Besides the U. S. Disaster Relief program and Operation Christmas Child, Samaritan’s Purse also has an International Crisis Response program, World Medical Mission, Children’s Heart Program, Operation Heal Our Patriots and many others as they seek opportunity to share the Gospel with the world wherever they can. Alumni of Heal Our Patriots are enabled to assist with disaster relief efforts with specialized trucks, and track chairs a paralyzed veteran can use to work on disaster sites.

Samaritan’s Purse is still rebuilding in North Carolina and Tennessee as well as Maui, and working on water systems to help with wild fires in California.