Invited In

In the final episode of Invited In, Kristy Graham shares her heart for the podcast and how bittersweet this season’s ending truly is. The episode closes with a powerful devotion from John Freyler on spiritual growth. Listeners can continue to hear encouraging, behind-the scenes content by subscribing to On the Ground with Samaritan’s Purse.

For one year, Samaritan’s Purse has been serving people in need in Ukraine. Kristy sits down with Stephen Sneed, shortly after he returned from a recently liberated city, to hear more about his experience on the ground.

Regina Randolph, a nurse on our Disaster Assistance Response Team, shares from inside the Emergency Field Hospital in eastern Ukraine. She describes the ways God has brought her and her husband into the ministry of crisis response, and why she's compelled to serve in Jesus' Name.

Ryan Lane, country director of Ukraine, joins Kristy Graham for a conversation about navigating holidays spent away from home. Many Samaritan's Purse staff members have left friends and family to serve in cross-cultural settings. Ryan shares encouragement from his own experiences, and a message of hope for this Christmas season.

Over the past twenty years, member care chaplain John Freyler has supported countless people through hardship and trauma. In today's message, John encourages Samaritan's Purse staff with a surprising twist on a well-known Bible story.

Ron Wilcox, Chief Operating Officer, and his wife Susan join Kristy Graham for a conversation about living intentionally. They share wisdom from their 48 years of marriage and the importance of cultivating a life of prayer.

Mark Lang, Director of Operations and Facilities at Samaritan Lodge Alaska, sits down with Kristy Graham to share more about how God uniquely called him to serve with Samaritan's Purse. This encouraging conversation serves as a reminder that God prepares you for what He has called you to do.

Kaye Martin, a Samaritan’s Purse member care manager, shares how her team’s role is to serve and support fellow staff members as they work in difficult places around the world. Be encouraged as Kristy Graham and Kaye talk about serving in Jesus' Name and focusing on God instead of the circumstances.

When Samaritan’s Purse staff were asked to help in unexpected ways as a result of the pandemic, worker shortages, and supply chain issues, they rose to the challenge and served selflessly. Kristy Graham sits down with Jim Harrelson, vice president of Operation Christmas Child, to reflect on God’s faithfulness, and she also hears from staff across the ministry who had the opportunity to serve for several weeks in a new department.

“Samaritan’s Purse has built a bridge for the church to reconnect with families that we didn’t have before,” said Pastor Brad Morris of First Assembly Mayfield. In Pastor Brad’s conversation with Kendra Bandy, one of our podcast team members, he shares how his hometown is turning to God in the months after the tornadoes last December. As he and his church congregation look to Easter, they’re seeing hope in the midst of heartache and God’s love in the middle of their sorrow.

After recently returning from Ukraine, senior director of communications Melissa Strickland gave a powerful message in Samaritan’s Purse staff devotions. She shares stories of God’s faithfulness that she witnessed on the ground through the Disaster Assistance Response Team and families they helped in the war-torn area and surrounding countries.

Many of you know Dr. Steve Hagen, who is one of our primary care doctors at the on-site Wake Forest Baptist Health clinic at the Samaritan’s Purse headquarters in Boone. Dr. Hagen is providing care and comfort to patients in Lviv, Ukraine, with our Disaster Assistance Response Team. He shares how God called him to serve during conflict, what he’s witnessing on the ground, and ways to pray for the Ukrainian people and Samaritan’s Purse teams.

“When we go into this warzone, God is with us. Even more than that, God is in us. The resurrection power of Jesus Christ is in us,” shares John Freyler, a regional member care manager. Kristy had the opportunity to sit down with him just hours before he boarded the DC-8 flight with the Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) in response to the Ukraine crisis. John and Kristy talk about how the Samaritan’s Purse member care team seeks to provide emotional and spiritual help to the DART as they serve in Jesus’ Name.

Just after attending the annual March for Life, Todd and Kim Chasteen sit down with Kristy Graham to talk about the Samaritan’s Purse involvement with pro-life advocacy. The Chasteens share about their personal experience at the March, impact of the Roe v. Wade decision, and God’s design for human life. This episode will bring you on the ground to hear the joyful sounds of the March as we continue to pray for the protection of unborn children.

Listen to how the Christmas Eve meal in Kentucky all came together with the help of our food services team!Read harrowing stories from homeowners who lost everything in the deadly tornadoes.

In the final episode of our adoption series, Kristy speaks with Chris Johnston, the assistant director for Donor Ministries. Chris and his wife, Julianna, have been married for 14 years. They have five biological children and four adopted children. Chris reveals how the Lord placed adoption on his heart and how his faith has grown. “This is what God has called us to do,” Chris shares. “He’s going to equip us to do it day after day, and still have the strength to do it with patience—even if my heart isn’t where it needs to be.”

“I just love sitting back and watching God move,” shares Michelle Waters, who serves as a brand and production manager for Operation Christmas Child. “It has been an incredible joy to see Him work through me and my community.” In the third part of our adoption series, Michelle shares what led her to be a foster parent as a single woman, how God has shifted her heart, and her gratitude towards others in the process.

“I think it was a really deepening experience as we started walking through the process just to say, ‘We don’t have what we need right now. But God, we trust that you’re going to show up and help us through this next step,’” shared Lynn Windmeyer. Lynn’s husband, Tim, has been with the ministry for 19 years and currently serves as an International Senior Advisor at Samaritan’s Purse. In this episode of our adoption series, Tim and Lynn share what prompted them to adopt and how they relied on the Lord throughout the process.

“I think the hardest part is saying yes and starting the process,” Kristy Graham shares to kick off our series during Orphan Awareness Month. “Once you start it, God starts softening your heart.” In this first special of our adoption series, Kristy and Edward Graham share their adoptive story: balancing the challenges that came in the process while leaning on God’s grace and compassion. The Grahams were thrilled to adopt their son from China after waiting patiently for the Lord’s perfect timing.

If you’d like to dig deeper into your Christian faith, please visit the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association‘s website to learn more about God’s love for you.