Franklin Graham's Samaritan's Purse airlifts 28 Ukrainians, mostly women and children, to Canada
Amid Ukraine-Russia war, disaster relief group has flown 28 Ukrainians to safety and a fresh start
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}It's day 82 of the Ukraine-Russia war.
Every week since the conflict began on Feb. 24, the charitable group Samaritan’s Purse has been flying critical relief supplies and food to Ukraine, for the desperate people there caught amid war.
Yesterday, May 15, 2022, the group's DC-8 cargo plane "had a different mission on Sunday — carrying 28 Ukrainians to Toronto," Canada, the organization said.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}In a statement shared with Fox News Digital on Monday morning, Samaritan's Purse — the international Christian disaster relief group run by Rev. Franklin Graham — said that its "flight from Poland landed yesterday afternoon, carrying children of all ages, as well as grandmothers and mothers."
There were also some Ukrainian men aboard as well.
Rev. Franklin Graham delivers remarks at a faith-focused event. He has traveled twice to Ukraine amid the Ukraine-Russia war, as his organization helps Ukrainians who have lost everything. (Billy Graham Evangelistic Association)
One of those travelers on board that plane, the group said, was a woman named Natalia, who is eight months pregnant.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Displaced Ukrainian is 8 months pregnant
The woman shared just how emotionally draining and difficult the journey out of her Ukrainian homeland has been.
Ukrainian refugees are shown arriving in Poland after having crossed the Poland/Ukraine border. (The Associated Press)
"It has been so hard. We were preparing for our new baby and then we had to put our whole life in a suitcase," she told Samaritan's Purse.
"We did not know where we would go. We just ran away."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"God gave us mercy … We can have hope again."
"Then God gave us mercy when we were found by Samaritan’s Purse. We can have hope again."
This woman, as well as other Ukrainians who were on board that flight, have family members in Canada, the organization said.
‘Too dangerous to go home’
"They will be staying with their loved ones while it is too dangerous to go home," Samaritan's Purse said in its statement.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Rev. Graham, president and CEO of Samaritan’s Purse, has traveled to Ukraine twice to visit volunteers teams on the ground in that war-torn country.
Rev. Graham (at left), is shown praying with a team on the ground in Ukraine. (Samaritan's Purse)
In a statement, he said, "God bless these people who have been through so much and had to leave everything behind except what they could carry. They are desperate and hurting."
"We need to continue to pray for the people of Ukraine and do everything we can to help them."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Samaritan’s Purse said it began its work in Ukraine and the surrounding countries immediately after the conflict began in February.
Ukrainian refugees with children board transport at a square next to a railway station in Przemysl, Poland, on Tuesday, March 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits)
"Since then, we have airlifted more than 330 tons of relief supplies — including our Emergency Field Hospital — on 13 airlift missions," the group said.
"We need to continue to pray for the people of Ukraine and do everything we can to help them."
Samaritan’s Purse has a team of doctors and nurses who are operating multiple medical facilities across Ukraine.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}They have treated more than 8,700 patients so far, the organization also noted.
Franklin Graham (at right) is shown in April 2022 in one of the medical clinics his organization set up in Ukraine amid the Russia-Ukraine war. (Samaritan's Purse)
"We have delivered more than 1,433 tons of food in Ukraine and Moldova, and we have also provided 17,500 backpacks for children so they have something to put their belongings in as they flee," the group said.
FRANKLIN GRAHAM ON UKRAINE WAR: CHILDREN ALWAYS SUFFER THE MOST
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"In all, we have helped more than 338,000 people by distributing critical relief items such as blankets, hygiene kits and solar lights."
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"We are also installing community water filtration systems in areas where water sources have been disrupted or contaminated by the conflict," the organization said.