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No Strings Attached

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Dr. David Livingstone, a 19th century Scottish medical missionary, is credited with taking modern medicine to Africa. During his estimated 29,000 miles of trekking throughout the continent, he saw the horrors of the slave trade and took action to abolish it.

In India, Mother Teresa quietly lived out the mantra of St. Francis of Assisi, who said: “Preach the Gospel at all times and, when necessary, use words.”

History clearly shows people of faith assisting the neediest people on Earth, whether a helpless slave, someone suffering from HIV/AIDS or a victim of war or natural disasters. In Africa today, the vast network of mission hospitals and mobile clinics is the backbone of the continent’s medical system.

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Thirty years ago, I visited Baghdad for the first time. Today, our Christian relief organization, Samaritan’s Purse, has a team of Americans, Canadians, Iraqis, Jordanians and Lebanese positioned in Jordan, just a few hours’ drive from the Iraqi border, waiting to provide aid to the thousands of victims, regardless of religion, race or politics.

Our team is made up of veterans of war-relief projects in Afghanistan, Kosovo, Rwanda and Somalia and includes a doctor, an engineer and a water specialist. Funded by volunteer donors, they will be able to quickly provide clean drinking water to 20,000 people, temporary shelters for 4,000 families and medical supplies for 100,000 Iraqis.

Though our organization has done many projects in Iraq, our latest intentions to carry aid into the country after this war have been questioned by some who accuse us of using this merely as an excuse to seek new converts. So why do we do it? And should we do it, especially in a country like this, at a time like this?

Livingstone once said, “I’m willing to go anywhere, provided it is forward.” Like Livingstone, Mother Teresa and millions of others throughout the ages, we draw our motivation for such work from the greatest physician and relief worker who ever lived, Jesus Christ.

Samaritan’s Purse derives its name from the New Testament account of the good Samaritan. We don’t know the race, religion or politics of the man in this story who had been robbed and left for dead on the side of the road. We only know that after others had passed him by, the good Samaritan stopped to give medical attention and lodging and pay all his expenses. He offered this help unconditionally.

Though our work in about 100 nations is offered to all people in need, it is our faith that motivates and compels us to action. When we have been blessed with countless resources and have an opportunity to make a difference in people’s lives, should we withhold that aid just because we are people of faith?

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During his years on Earth, Christ never passed by anyone in need. Today, there is much talk about providing humanitarian aid and some criticism of those who do. Yet for 2,000 years, followers of Christ have been stopping along the ditches and gutters of life’s road, extending a hand to those who have fallen victim to tragedy.

In Iraq, as is the case wherever we work, Samaritan’s Purse will offer physical assistance to those who need it, with no strings attached. We don’t have to preach in order to be a Christian relief organization. Sometimes the best preaching we can do is simply being there with a cup of cold water, exhibiting Christ’s spirit of serving others.

I imagine those who may be starving or in need of emergency medical attention in the coming days and weeks of this conflict in Iraq would not debate the appropriateness of faith-based relief assistance. For it just may be an ambassador of Christ, not of the United Nations, who holds the lifesaving hope for thousands of desperate Iraqis. We intend to be there with outstretched arms.

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Franklin Graham is president of Samaritan’s Purse and of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Assn.

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