On the 1st Anniversary of the May 22, 2011 Joplin, MO, tornado, Samaritan’s Purse is building 12-20 replacement homes, supplying the bulk of the cost, then giving them to wiped-out victims … in Jesus Name; SP’s Karina Petersen & Stephen Bergin report from Joplin. (www.samaritanspurse.org)
Stephen Bergin, a housepainter father of six donated 40 says of volunteer labor following the tornado, and as of this writing is now on SP’s staff there. Stephen gives testimony of “running” from God, but being dramatically transformed by his coming to faith in Christ. He has received a comprehensive Bible education through Christian radio, having completed six cycles (accelerated) of J. Vernon McGee’s five year “Through the Bible” teaching … provided largely by Bott Radio Network owned KSIV in St. Louis, MO, and other Christian radio station s upon leaving the St. Louis area.
At my request, below is a bio I received from Karina Petersen as well as vital info, as of 2012, on Samaritan’s Purse, led by Franklin Graham.
· Karina was born and raised in Alaska. From the city/town of Soldotna, where Samaritan's Purse has an office/hanger.
· Went to college at the University of Missouri-Columbia. Graduated with a Broadcast Journalism degree (A Mizzou Tiger using her training for Samaritan’s Purse!).
· Worked as a television reporter & anchor for KTVA-CBS 11 News in Anchorage, Alaska.
· As a child, filled up shoe boxes for Operation Christmas Child – a project of Samaritan's Purse. However, my interest in being involved with Samaritan's Purse furthered when my father worked for Samaritan's Purse in Hooper Bay, Alaska on a rebuilding project. (A fire burned down 17 homes and the only school in the village. Samaritan's Purse rebuilt 5 of those homes and a youth center that's operated by the Evangelical Covenant Church). Since then, my parents have worked for Samaritan's Purse in Liberia and Kenya. I went to Kapsowar, Kenya to see my parents and help with the work they were doing there and felt God placed it on my heart to leave my job as a television reporter and use my background/skills by serving God in working for Samaritan's Purse International Relief.
· Less than a year later after the Kapsowar, Kenya trip, I am now working for Samaritan's Purse and have been blessed to be on the Japan disaster response team and recent North Carolina disaster response team.
Purpose of Samaritan’s Purse:: To provide immediate, no-red-tape response to the physical and spiritual needs of individuals in crisis situations-especially in locations where few others are working.
Projects: Samaritan's Purse works in more than 100 countries to provide aid to victims of war, disease, disaster, poverty, famine, and persecution.
U.S. Disaster Relief – Samaritan's Purse has helped 18,000 victims of natural disasters over the past decade by quickly providing emergency supplies, repairing, cleaning and rebuilding homes. Recent relief efforts include providing aid to North Carolina tornado victims. (Others: New Jersey flooding, Nashville flooding, Hurricane Katrina)
Operation Christmas Child – This year the world's largest Christmas program, Operation Christmas Child, aims to collect and ship shoe boxes filled with gifts for some 8 million children. Since 1993, some 86 million boxes have been distributed in more than 130 countries, Operation Christmas Child, aims to collect and ship shoe boxes filled with gifts for some 8 million children. Since 1993, some 86 million boxes have been distributed in more than 130 countries.
Japan – The first thing we did after the earthquake was to contact our partners in Japan, providing money so they could immediately start buying and distributing supplies to the victims of the disaster. We’ve also deployed disaster relief teams to Japan. Within one week of the earthquake and tsunami, we organized an airlift of some 90 tons of emergency relief supplies on a 747-cargo jet bound for Japan. The supplies included: plastic sheeting for shelters, blankets, and hygiene supplies. We have been purchasing small trucks and cleaning supplies to give to churches willing to participate in the clean-up response.
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