MAY 17 UPDATE:

This morning our second Australian DART member, Matthew, flew out from Brisbane to join the team in Brazil. He will be serving this response in a logistics role.

MAY 13 UPDATE:

On Saturday 11 May, one of our Australian DART members, Nahil from Brisbane, flew out to join the WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) team serving those in need in Brazil. Please keep him and all the team in your prayers.

On Sunday morning, May 12, our US based DC-8 aircraft departed the Greensboro Airlift Response Centre in North Carolina bound for Rio Grande do Sul in southern Brazil in a second airlift transporting relief to the flood-ravaged region. The flight is carrying shelter tarp and other relief supplies. Also on board were relief staff deploying to the area. Our first airlift to the region, aboard our 757 aircraft, flew to Brazil May 11.

Supplies Airlifted to Brazil

A Disaster Assistance Response Team has been deployed to the devastated region. We are also working towards deploying an Australian DART member.

Samaritan’s Purse has deployed a Disaster Assistance Response Team to Porto Alegre, Brazil, in response to critical needs in the flood-devastated area. At least 100 people were killed and thousands more were displaced in the wake of flash floods and landslides following days of heavy rains in the region.

We are working with local authorities and a network of area churches to prepare for a disaster response to devastated communities and help meet the urgent needs of displaced families throughout this southern part of the country.

Crews are readying our 757 cargo plane to transport personal water filtration systems, hygiene kits, blankets, solar lights, and other relief items as soon as all flight permissions are finalised. We’re also supplying ten community water filtration systems, each capable of supplying clean drinking water for up to 10,000 people per day.

Rains from powerful storms began to pummel the region April 27, inundating entire towns, destroying critical infrastructure, and knocking out electricity for more than 1.4 million people.

Please pray for these suffering Brazilian families and for our teams as we deliver relief and the hope of Jesus Christ to hurting communities.

Photos via Shutterstock.com.

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When natural disasters strike or armed conflict causes people to flee, Samaritan’s Purse responds quickly to bring relief to those in urgent need. We can provide food, clean water, and shelter, among other necessities.