Franklin Graham Update | January 2025
Dear Friend,
Jesus said, “You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8, ESV). Mongolia may not be the end of the earth, but it’s close. It certainly is one of the most remote and sparsely populated places on the planet. And for three years in a row, the country has been blasted by dzuds—a peculiar weather phenomenon unique to Mongolia. It’s characterized by extreme cold, heavy snow, and high winds. The herds can’t paw through the packed snow to graze. Millions of animals have frozen to death. Herder families and farmers are suffering the most because they are dependent on their livestock for food and income.
Samaritan’s Purse Canada is partnering with local churches for the Mongolia Resilient Herders project. The program has created agricultural sites in three communities to support over 350 people. We provide equipment and training to help families prevent crop and livestock loss due to severe weather events. We also share with them the Good News of Jesus Christ. Many are now hearing the Gospel for the first time.
Jamsranjar’s family is one of hundreds we have helped. They lost over half of their herds to the dzuds and spent a great deal of money to save the animals that survived. But now he is doing well and is able to take care of his family after receiving proper training and equipment to grow hay and vegetables. And when he heard how much God loves him and how Jesus paid the debt for his sins on the cross, he gave his life to the Savior. Praise God!
I encourage you to continue reading and learn more about Jamsranjar and how God is using your prayers and gifts to help struggling families in Mongolia. May God bless you.
Sincerely,
Franklin Graham
A bone-chilling wind blew over the wintry Mongolian landscape. Outside the door of Jamsranjar’s traditional yurt home, the gale afflicted his sheep and goats, which huddled together for warmth.
Inside, the young herdsman spoke openly about the bitter losses he and his aging, mute father had recently experienced. First, a dreaded dzud had destroyed most of their livestock for the past three years. “When severe winter comes, we have to spend lots of money to try to save our animals. Many of them die,” explained Jamsranjar.
His family relies on selling wool to survive. But the feed required to keep their animals alive when a dzud hits and the grazing lands freeze has become too expensive. “We aren’t able to buy commodities that we need,” he shared. His family was struggling to make it through each day.
An even deeper pain came when Jamsranjar’s mother passed away from cancer last spring. “My wish was for my mother to be better,” he said. “We lost her even though we took care of her, so that hurts my heart.”
But the Lord did not forget Jamsranjar. Through prayer and support like yours, He enabled Samaritan’s Purse and local churches to start an agricultural project in Jamsranjar’s community.
The project provides farm machinery and training to help families grow hay to feed their herds and vegetables to sustain themselves through the harshest winters. Our teams have also delivered emergency food to families facing immediate crisis during the dzuds. Above all, this project opens doors to share the love of our Heavenly Father, who “sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him” (1 John 4:9, ESV).
“I had never heard about Jesus Christ before—just the Name,” said Jamsranjar, pulling out the Gospel of John he received through one of our church partners. “But now I have this book and I am reading all about Him and wanting to learn more.”
Jamsranjar had many opportunities to hear the Gospel. One day, while a local pastor was praying for him, he shared, “I felt something happening in my heart, and I received Jesus Christ.” We praise God!
And not only is he being filled spiritually, but because of the Samaritan’s Purse agriculture training he’s also been able to store up a half-ton of homegrown produce—including potatoes, onions, and beets—to help sustain his household through the winter.
“Before this project, I had no skill or knowledge about vegetable farming or haymaking,” he said. “It was amazing that professional farmers and agronomists came and trained us. I can proudly say that the hay we harvested will be enough for the whole winter!”
Jamsranjar is living proof that “the needy shall not always be forgotten, and the hope of the poor shall not perish forever” (Psalm 9:18, ESV). Will you join us in praying for him and the many other Mongolian families who need God’s help and Good News this winter?
Thank you for caring deeply for people in need and for local churches to “go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation”(Mark 16:15, ESV). As one Mongolian pastor shared: “We have been praying for years to be able to minister to herder households! Through this project, we have been given the opportunity.”
“I FELT SOMETHING HAPPENING IN MY HEART, AND I RECEIVED JESUS CHRIST.”
—JAMSRANJAR, MONGOLIA
Pray for hearts to remain open to the eternal truth of the Gospel in Mongolia and through Samaritan’s Purse projects worldwide. Please lift up our church partners who sacrificially serve their communities and proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ, often under great difficulty.
Every day, thousands of people around the world depend on Samaritan’s Purse for food, water, medical care, and other assistance. Your gift to “Where Most Needed” provides the resources—including personnel, materials, supporting services, and equipment—to fulfill this mission of relief and evangelism worldwide.
The Samaritan’s Purse – Canada is audited annually by an independent accounting firm and our financial statements are available upon request. Our Board of Directors has established the policy that all contributions designated for a specified project shall be applied to that project, with up to 10 percent to be used if needed for administering the gifts. Occasionally we receive more contributions for a given project than can be wisely applied to that project. When that happens, we use these funds to meet a similar pressing need. It is our policy to meet the needs God lays before us so that Christ is lifted up and the Gospel is advanced.
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