Latest news with #Samaritan'sPurse
Miami Herald
a day ago
- General
- Miami Herald
Lottery player used the same numbers for 16 years. He's finally a jackpot winner
A lottery player used the same numbers for 16 years — and he's finally a jackpot winner. Paul Bierwirth's longtime tradition 'paid off' when his go-to numbers were picked in a drawing, the North Carolina Education Lottery said in a news release shared with McClatchy News on July 18 via email. Now, the lucky winner plans to help people impacted by Hurricane Helene, which battered parts of North Carolina in September. He hopes to donate some of his prize money to Samaritan's Purse, a charity that has raised funds for storm relief. Bierwirth won $439,226 after a stop at a Speedway gas station in Greenville, McClatchy News reported. While there, he tried his luck on the Carolina Cash 5 game, which offers tickets starting at $1. When Bierwirth was drinking his morning coffee, he checked the outcome of the July 14 drawing. That's when he realized his ticket beat 1-in-962,598 odds to hit the jackpot. Bierwirth lives in Greenville, a roughly 85-mile drive east from Raleigh. He kept $315,145 after taxes, according to lottery officials. It's not the first time sticking to a set of numbers has led to a big prize. Another North Carolina lottery player's persistence scored him a 'breathtaking' win, McClatchy News reported in June.
Los Angeles Times
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
Chip and Joanna Gaines' new show features a same-sex married couple. Some Christians are ‘disappointed'
Chip Gaines had a few select words after Samaritan's Purse founder Franklin Graham publicly criticized his and wife Joanna's new HBO Max show for casting a same-sex couple with twins among the three families who are featured. Graham, who is the son of evangelist Billy Graham, wrote Saturday on X that he found it 'very disappointing' to hear that Jason Hanna, Joe Riggs and their boys, Ethan and Lucas, were included on 'Back to the Frontier,' produced by Magnolia Network. Chip and Joanna Gaines created Magnolia and are executive producers on the show. 'I hope this isn't true, but I read today that Chip and Joanna Gaines are featuring a gay couple in their new series. If It is true, it is very disappointing,' Graham wrote. 'While we are to love people, we should love them enough to tell them the truth of God's Word. His Word is absolute truth. God loves us, and His design for marriage is between one man and one woman. Promoting something that God defines as sin is in itself sin.' The American Family Assn. — which bills itself as a 'pro-family organization' and was formerly known as the National Federation for Decency — chimed in first, posting a statement from Vice President Ed Vitagliano saying, 'This is sad and disappointing, because Chip and Joanna Gaines have been very influential in the evangelical community. Moreover, in the past, they have stood firm on the sanctity of marriage regardless of the personal cost that has entailed. We aren't sure why the Gaines have reversed course, but we are sure of this: Back to the Frontier promotes an unbiblical view of human sexuality, marriage, and family — a view no Christian should embrace.' Chip Gaines, who with his wife belongs to the evangelical Antioch Community Church in Waco, Texas, fired off what seemed to be a reply on Sunday. 'Talk, ask qustns, listen.. maybe even learn. Too much to ask of modern American Christian culture. Judge 1st, understand later/never,' he wrote on X. 'It's a sad sunday when 'non believers' have never been confronted with hate or vitriol until they are introduced to a modern American Christian.' Matt Walsh, a conservative filmmaker, political commentator and podcast host at the Daily Wire, fired back at Chip Gaines with a response that said, 'Maybe you should endeavor to understand the basic moral teachings of your own alleged religion before you give lectures to other people about their lack of understanding.' Two hours after his 'sad sunday' post, Gaines wrote that his family was off to worship, reposting a 2016 tweet in which he said, 'In times of trouble.. you'll find the gaines family at church.' Meanwhile, on her Instagram on Tuesday, Joanna Gaines was promoting all the Magnolia Network shows nominated for Daytime Emmys. Separate from the online back-and-forth, Jason Hanna and Joe Riggs have been posting about their family on their @2_dallas_dads Instagram account since the arrival of the twins in May 2014. 'When our boys were born — our twin boys were born via surrogacy in 2014 — we faced some legal challenges, and so we've always felt it it to be important that we try to be an example for same-sex couples,' Hanna told Queerty in a story published last week. 'And so we're super honored that, when they were choosing three modern day families, they did choose the same[-sex] couple as a modern-day family — because we are; we're your neighbors, and your coworkers. And so it was this amazing opportunity to [continue to] normalize same-sex couples and same-sex families.' 'Back to the Frontier' throws three families — from Alabama, Florida and Texas — into an eight-week scenario that recalls the 1880s. Living on the 'frontier,' the families have to reinforce their own shelters, raise livestock, collect food and manage their supplies. The goal by the end of the show is to gather enough resources to make it through winter. But don't worry — the families are all back in modern air-conditioning right now. 'Through this immersive experience, the families will have to reflect on their relationships and navigate the challenges that come with an 1880s lifestyle,' HBO Max said in a release. The show premiered Thursday. HBO Max did not reply immediately to The Times' request for additional comment Tuesday. Chip and Joanna Gaines were caught up in a different conflict over LGBTQ+ issues in May 2023 after Target, which carries the couple's Magnolia Home line among its household items, came under fire for carrying transgender-targeted items as part of its seasonal Pride Month selections. Some critics also hammered Target's recognition of Pride Month at all. A boycott was urged among right-wing conservatives. They also called for a comment from the couple. 'No one doubts that Chip and Joanna are good people, kind, moral, and aligned with American values,' Fox News host Rachel Campos-Duffy said at the time when she was subbing as host of 'Jesse Watters Primetime.' 'But if I had a line at a company and my name was on it and that brand partnered with a trans Satanist that makes tuck 'em bikinis for kids, I would feel compelled to speak up. 'Now, maybe they're raising questions internally. Of course, that's possible, but why aren't they doing so publicly?' The person whom Campos-Duffy — wife of Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy — called a 'trans Satanist' is London designer Erik Carnell, who is trans and whose Abprallen line had partnered with Target until the retailer ended the relationship under pressure from the boycott. Carnell's full line included a design that said 'Satan respects pronouns.' That design was never available at Target, according to CNN. Conservative activist Benny Johnson also posted a video of himself in a Target store at the time, touring the Pride Month section, then walking what he said was '10 steps' to the Magnolia Home display. He referred to Joanna Gaines and her family sarcastically as 'the paragons of Christian entrepreneurs and family values.' 'I've been tweeting about how Christian influencers Chip & Joanna Gaines have not disavowed Target's Satanic child grooming despite the backlash,' he said. 'What I didn't know is the Gaines Section of Target is directly ACROSS from the Groomer section. Not cool.' Chip and Joanna Gaines did not speak out during that controversy.
Malaysian Reserve
12-07-2025
- Business
- Malaysian Reserve
Centaurus Financial, Inc. Donates $30,000 to Help Victims of Deadly Texas Flooding
ANAHEIM, Calif., July 11, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Centaurus Financial, Inc., recognizing the devastation in central Texas as a result of the severe flooding over the Fourth of July weekend, has donated $30,000 to multiple organizations helping people in the area. The Anaheim, California-based independent broker/dealer has donated $10,000 each to Samaritan's Purse, Austin Pets Alive and the American Red Cross. At least 120 lives have been lost, and more than 170 people are still missing as a result of the flooding. These groups are working around the clock helping survivors recover. 'While we are devastated as a result of the horrific loss of life in Texas, in addition to our thoughts and prayers, Centaurus felt the need to do more. At the direction of our CEO, Ron King, and the entire Executive Management Committee, we wanted to be part of the solution,' said Jerry Duhovic, Centaurus Executive Vice President, Chief Administrative Officer and Chief Compliance Officer. 'As such, we have made contributions to several organizations that are helping our fellow citizens, and the animals, to try and ease the suffering and aid in the recovery process from this unspeakable devastation and tumult.' 'It almost sounds like not enough considering this life-altering event, but the thoughts and prayers of the entire Centaurus Family are with our brothers and sisters in Texas,' he added. Samaritan's Purse, a nondenominational Christian group based in Boone, North Carolina, provides spiritual and physical aid to people around the world. The group has had teams on the ground in Kerr County, Texas, where the greatest damage was inflicted, since July 8. More information on Samaritan's Purse can be found at Click here to donate. Austin Pets Alive is leading the rescue effort to save animals that are homeless, hurt or lost in the flooding and is working to reunite them with their families. The group has rescued more than 100 pets since the floods occurred. To learn more about Austin Pets Alive, or to donate to help animals in need, go to https: The American Red Cross, as it has done for nearly 150 years, is helping by providing food, relief supplies and other resources much needed by survivors. The group also has two reunification centers where people can reunite with loved ones. To donate to the Red Cross, go to About Centaurus Financial Headquartered in Anaheim, California, Centaurus Financial, Inc. is a national independent financial services company registered and licensed to offer securities, investment advisory services and insurance products. Centaurus Financial is a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) and the Securities Investor Protection Corporation (SIPC). Centaurus Financial is registered as a broker/dealer and Registered Investment Adviser with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). For more information about Centaurus Financial, please visit Media contact: Maryanne Dell, 714-456-1790, mdell@
Yahoo
01-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Huckabee wants to remove his yellow pin, because it would mean all the hostages came home
The US ambassador to Israel also attended the dedication of an ambulance donated by Evangelicals. One would expect the dedication of an ambulance to take place in the parking lot of a hospital, health clinic, or the organization to which the ambulance was donated - but not in a museum. However, there are always exceptions to the rule, and the bulletproof ambulance donated to Magen David Adom by Samaritan's Purse and Harvest Christian Fellowship was dedicated at the Tower of David Museum in Jerusalem just a few hours prior to the onset of Shavuot. The date and the venue were not coincidental. King David, who made Jerusalem the capital of the Jewish people, was born on Shavuot, and the museum bears his name. The ambulance which was the 42nd donated by Samaritan's Purse since October 2023 massacre by Hamas, was dedicated in the presence of scores of MDA personnel, including MDA global president and former Israel ambassador to the UN, Gilad Erdan past and present MKs and local authority officials, numerous Evangelicals including US ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, US embassy staff, three generations of the family of Reverend Franklin Graham, the President of Samaritan's Purse, Senior Pastor of Harvest Christian Fellowship Greg Laurie, and some dozen stills and video photographers. Also present were returned hostages and members of hostage families including Karina Engel, who, with her two daughters, were abducted by Hamas and returned in November 2023 with the first of the released hostages. Her husband Ronen, an MDA volunteer, was murdered by Hamas and taken to Gaza, where his body is still in captivity. An ambulance in his memory was dedicated in January 2024. Engel told her story with tears streaming down her face and her voice choked with emotion. She has developed a special relationship with Graham and his wife, who both hugged her when she finished speaking. Huckabee said that when he came to Israel, he was asked what he wanted to do during his tenure. Pointing to the yellow ribbon pin on his jacket, he said that he wanted to take it off and never have to wear it again, because that would mean that all the hostages had come home. Huckabee is familiar with the Samaritan's Purse, where his wife Janet has been a volunteer for years. He had high praise for the Evangelical aid organization, which he said, shows up wherever there is a calamity in the world and continues to help people who are in harm's way. Referencing the saying in Jewish tradition, that he who saves a single life is as one who saves a whole world, Erdan said that through Samaritan's Purse and Harvest Christian Fellowship, many lives and many worlds had been saved. What they have done, he added, is a powerful proclamation that Israel is not alone. 'You answered hatred with hope,' he told the Evangelical leaders. There was no better place than Jerusalem for the dedication of the ambulance, he said, because Jerusalem is the city holy to Jews, Christians, and Muslims, and MDA staff and volunteers are made up of people of all faiths. Erdan also pledged that Israel will never waver in its determination to defeat terror, and will never rest until all the hostages have been brought home. He declared that 'Israel's fight is civilization's fight against terrorism and radical extremism.' Graham had been curious as to when the first ever hostages were taken prisoner and abducted, and found the answer in the Scriptures in Genesis 14, where Lot is taken hostage and Abraham goes to rescue him. Graham described Abraham as 'the first responder of his generation.' Listing some of the things that Samaritan's Purse has done, Graham gave credit to many of those present. When President Isaac Herzog had asked him to provide an ambulance for the north of the country, he had turned to Laurie and had impressed on him that the ambulance had to be delivered immediately. In addition, 14 severely damaged ambulances were replaced. Samaritan's Purse also concerned itself with people evacuated from their homes and placed in hotels. Instead of giving them food parcels, Samaritan's Purse gave them gift cards so that they could buy what they wanted and needed. The organization also thought of other ways to help. To determine the needs, Graham has been a frequent visitor to Israel. Laurie considered it a privilege and an honor to be able to help Israel. 'We want to say to the People of Israel and to the Jewish People generally, that we stand with you, and that we want to do something tangible.' Quoting the biblical blessing given by God to the Children of Israel, Laurie said: 'We are an extension of the blessing of the Lord.' He was also proud of the fact that (in 1948) the US had been the first country to recognize Israel's legitimacy. In the face of antisemitism, Laurie has spoken aggressively on university campuses across America. MDA Director General Eli Bin recalled that when watching President Donald Trump's inauguration on television, he had caught sight of Graham, and had sent a WhatsApp message to Erdan asking whether this was indeed their Reverend Graham. When Eldan confirmed that it was Graham, Bin's reaction was, 'Now we have two Israel ambassadors in the US.'
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Franklin Graham meets with Zelenskyy in Berlin, offers prayer as Russia-Ukraine war escalates
Franklin Graham, president of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and Samaritan's Purse, met Wednesday with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Berlin. During their meeting, Graham offered prayers for Zelenskyy, Russian President Vladimir Putin and President Donald Trump, seeking divine guidance for a path to peace in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war. "Today I had the privilege to meet with President Zelenskyy and have prayer with him," Graham shared on social media. "I prayed for President Putin, I prayed for him [Zelenskyy], and I prayed for President Trump — that God would give them wisdom and that God would give them a path forward for peace." Zelensky Sheds Details On Meeting With Vance, Rubio In Rome After Russia Peace Talks Stall The meeting coincided with the European Congress on Evangelism, where Graham addressed over 1,000 Christian leaders from 55 countries. He emphasized the complexities of the war, stating, "These are very difficult, and I believe only God can solve this." Read On The Fox News App Zelenskyy expressed gratitude for the humanitarian aid provided by Samaritan's Purse, including support for Ukrainian children, displaced individuals and medical institutions. "We are very grateful for the strong support from the American people, the White House and President Trump," Zelenskyy said. "Thank you for your prayers and for helping people." The meeting took place against a backdrop of intensified Russian military action in Ukraine. On Third Anniversary Of Ukraine Invasion, European Leaders Show Support, Express Unease Recent reports indicate escalating Russian air and ground assaults, with increased use of drones by both sides. Germany has announced plans to assist Ukraine in producing long-range missiles, marking a significant deepening of support for Ukraine's defense industry. Zelenskyy has proposed a trilateral summit involving Trump and Putin to negotiate an end to the hostilities. Graham's visit coincided with the European Congress on Evangelism being held for the first time in 25 years. From Ukraine to the U.K. and Sweden to Spain, over 1,000 pastors and ministry leaders from across Europe have come to the city where Billy Graham once preached to declare that they are "unashamed of the Gospel," echoing the words of Romans 1:16. "There hasn't been a gathering of this kind since the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association's congress in Amsterdam in 2000," Graham said. "What a moment for Europe, and what a time to boldly proclaim Christ." The congress marks a return to the roots of BGEA's global evangelistic mission. In 1966, Billy Graham held the first World Congress on Evangelism in Berlin, declaring the city a platform to reach the world with the message of salvation. Marc Van de Wouwer, a Belgian evangelist and retired federal investigator, reflected on his experience at the 2000 Amsterdam congress. "At the time, there were very few evangelists in Belgium," he said. "That event reignited my passion, and now I'm coming back to help invest in the next generation."Original article source: Franklin Graham meets with Zelenskyy in Berlin, offers prayer as Russia-Ukraine war escalates
