Grand Canyon University on Monday will welcome a new Chapel speaker, Samaritan’s Purse Chief Operating Officer Edward Graham, who will shine a light on one of the largest faith-based international relief organizations in the world.
The global humanitarian powerhouse touts an annual revenue of $1.8 billion, placing it among an elite tier of humanitarian organizations, and ranks as the No. 9 largest charity in the United States, according to the Forbes Top Charities 2025 list. It shares space on that Top 10 list in Forbes with such major charities such as Feeding America and the Salvation Army, with the organization managing active projects and relief efforts in more than 100 countries.
Samaritan's Purse is known for such signature programs as Operation Christmas Child, which has delivered more than 244 million shoebox gifts to children worldwide since its inception.
But it is also known for its quick response to global crises, thanks to its massive operational capabilities. The organization owns its own aviation cargo fleet and is able to deploy emergency field hospitals in hours.
Graham oversees international and domestic operations of the organization, traveling throughout the world to aid hurting families and communities impacted by disaster events.
Samaritan’s Purse was founded by evangelist Bob Pierce in 1970. He was traveling around Asia, where he came across Christian missionaries living there to serve and support struggling locals. Their work moved Pierce to follow their example and create something that would touch people across the world.
When Edward Graham's father, Franklin Graham (son of one of America's most influential evangelists, Billy Graham), met Pierce in 1973, he joined him on mission trips and spread the cause of Samaritan’s Purse. Franklin Graham became president of the organization after Pierce passed away in 1978. The impact of Samaritan's Purse spread rapidly, turning it into a major global relief movement.
Its mission is drawn from The Good Samaritan Bible story found in Luke 10:30-37. The story focuses on a Samaritan lending a helping hand to an injured man whom others were passing by.
Jesus encourages people to be a good Samaritan, to not turn a blind eye and to come alongside those in pain and who are struggling. Samaritan’s Purse has applied this command to its work for over 50 years, making its utmost responsibility to live out Jesus’ words and spread the Gospel through spiritual and physical aid.
From natural disasters to wars and poverty, Samaritan’s Purse has extended a helping hand during the world's catastrophic events. Teams travel to affected areas to provide physical relief, rebuilding structures and supplying food, nourishment and medicine, like it did after Typhoon Sinlaku struck Saipan in April.
“I have never encountered a typhoon this long. I wasn’t sure that my home was going to be OK,” said Temara Guerrero, a Saipan resident who was affected by the typhoon, in a story from the Global Alliance Network. "When I saw my home, my heart just sunk. We didn’t have power, we didn’t have water. My husband was away on military training, and I didn’t know how to move forward.
"But there was always some way God reminded me He was there. When I got the resources from Samaritan’s Purse, I cried all the way home to my parents. It was God working in the midst of the chaos.”
Typhoon Sinlaku struck Saipan with floods and winds exceeding 150 mph for three days. Neighborhoods were destroyed, many lost power and water and needed medical care.
Samaritan’s Purse organized a relief initiative, flying in roughly 40 tons of goods, including medical supplies, generators, tarps and more. Volunteers assisted at local churches, distribution points and community centers.
“It is so difficult to get resources here. Unfortunately, with every disaster, it takes time for even big organizations to put everything together and actually get here,” said Arley Long of Isla Community Health Center in that Global Alliance Network story. “Samaritan’s Purse is on a whole different level. They brought in their own plane to Saipan, shipped over pallets to our dock, so we are ready to roll."
Beyond disaster relief and Operation Christmas Child, Samaritan's other initiatives include the Children’s Heart Project, Operation Heal Our Patriots, World Medical Mission and more.
Said Franklin Graham, “We want to meet the needs of hurting people in their darkest moments while pointing them to the light and hope of Jesus Christ."
GCU staff writer Izabela Fogarasi can be reached at [email protected]
