Community Leaders Project--Franklin Graham

Franklin Graham

By Charlie Johnson

Franklin Graham is the President and CEO of Samaritan’s Purse and the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. Under his leadership the Samaritan’s Purse has helped ease the suffering of people in over 100 countries. Franklin Graham has led crusades around the world for the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. As you can tell Franklin Graham has devoted his life to helping those in need around the world and spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Franklin Grahams father Billy Graham was known around the world as a spiritual leader by the time Franklin was born. Franklin was rebellious as a child and young adult, but at the age of 22, Franklin committed his life to Jesus Christ while alone in his hotel room in Jerusalem. Shortly after, Dr. Bob Pierce who was the founder of the Samaritan’s Purse invited Franklin to a six week Asian mission. While on the mission Franklin felt the calling to help people in war affected areas, natural disasters, and famine.

To oversee the work of the Samaritan’s Purse, who has helped thousands of people in Japan who have went through the horrific earthquake and tsunami in April 2011. Franklin described the destruction in the recent trip to Japan “The devastation I saw there is as bad as anything I’ve seen in my 30 years of ministry.”

Recently Franklin has been helping with the Food Crisis in North Korea, due to the harsh winter, and major flooding they have received. Franklin presented North Korean Farmers with 2,000 rolls of agricultural plastic for spring season seedbeds. Greta Van Susteren of Fox News went on the trip to North Korea with Franklin to report on the major food shortage. “About 6 million people are going to be affected with this food shortage,” Franklin told Greta in an interview before the trip. Franklin has asked the United States to help with food aid, but since North Korea is a closed country the United States is reluctant to help them like they did years ago. Franklin is also asking the American people to donate money to help get food to the North Korean people. Franklin told Greta that the North Korean people will run out of food before the next growing season. Franklin is waiting of a response from the United States which takes three months, but the North Koreans will be out of food in June. Franklin has ordered the Samaritan’s Purse to donate many necessary items to the people of North Korea. This is the latest of the many important projects Franklin Graham is involved with. One thing is true about Franklin Graham, his heart keeps on giving to those in need.