On our last morning in Liberia, I thought back to all the wonderful people I had met, and I realized there was one thing each Samaritan’s Purse beneficiary had in common. Each person I interviewed thanked the Lord God Almighty, first and foremost. They didn’t thank Samaritan’s Purse, they didn’t thank our staff, and they didn’t ask for anything. All they wanted to do was thank Jesus! And that is exactly what Samaritan’s Purse is about.
Samaritan’s Purse is not about my dad, Franklin Graham, and it is not about the work we do. Samaritan’s Purse is about sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It is about building relationships with people like the Liberians I met last week, and it is about loving them. SP is about assessing situations and deciding which projects will most benefit each village. And through all of that, the Lord presents endless opportunities to share the Gospel.
One of the Liberians I met was an older lady named Jenneh (more on her coming later). Through a translator, Jenneh told me the story of how she became a Christian. She was the first Christian in her village, which meant she quickly became an outcast. As she told me her story, Jenneh’s eyes were intense and her smile welcoming; I was captivated. I didn’t want the translator. I wanted to talk to her. I wanted to ask her questions. I wanted to sit down, just the two of us, and ask her a thousand questions. I wanted to know how God has revealed Himself to her over the years. I wanted to know how her village persecuted her and how she remained so faithful. I wanted to know every detail of every step of her entire journey. It was frustrating for me to indirectly ask questions and wait for the translated answers. Who knew how many details were lost in translation? But as the translator was relaying her story, Revelation 4:8 came to my mind.
“Holy, holy, holy
Is the Lord God Almighty,
Who was, and is, and is to come.”
I kept thinking, one day this lady will be by my side in Heaven. One day we will all bow and sing in the same language, with no translators, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come.” One day I will be able to talk to her.
There are many people like Jenneh, who I’ve had the opportunity to meet through the work of Samaritan’s Purse and who have forever impacted my heart. I know I will never see most of them again here on this earth, but I hold on to the promises of the Lord, knowing one day I will see them again in His presence.