Franklin Graham commits to deliver emergency relief aid to survivors of China's deadly 7.9 quake

Samaritan's Purse has made a commitment to help survivors in China's Sichuan Province following Monday's devastating 7.9-magnitude earthquake.

Within hours, Chinese officials reported over 8,500 people killed and thousands more injured or trapped. The death toll was expected to rise, as rescuers were still struggling to reach cities and towns near the epicenter.

Samaritan's Purse president Franklin Graham is currently in China on a trip to support the work of Chinese Christians. Graham and the team are safe, and he is working first-hand with Chinese officials to determine the best way for Samaritan's Purse to help.

The early afternoon earthquake collapsed a number of substantial buildings, including several schools. More than 50 bodies were pulled from the rubble of one high school, and hundreds of children were feared to be buried.

Monday's earthquake was felt in the coastal cities of Beijing and Shanghai, more than a thousand miles from the epicenter. In terms of intensity, it was comparable to the deadliest earthquake of the 20th century-a 7.8-magnitude temblor in 1976 that killed about 240,000 people in China.

WAYS YOU CAN HELP

Pray:

- For earthquake survivors who are trapped, injured, homeless, or grieving.

- For the Chinese churches and Christians as they reach out as neighbors to those who are in need.

- For Franklin Graham and the Samaritan's Purse team in China as they launch the relief work.

Give:

To support our ministry to earthquake victims, please select 'China Projects' on our Donation page.