Who Stays When Crisis Strikes?

These ministries rely on doctors, local workers, volunteers, and partners serving amid disaster, disease, and war.

At MinistryWatch, our mission is to help Christians become more faithful, generous, and effective stewards of the resources God has entrusted to them. It’s why we advocate for transparency, accountability, and efficiency in Christian ministries. Because of that, we cover a lot of stories we’d rather not have to — stories of waste, fraud, and abuse.

But that’s not the whole picture. This column exists to amplify ministries doing excellent work — to spotlight ministries making a difference in their own communities and around the world.

The United Nations observes World Humanitarian Day on August 19, recognizing those who serve people affected by war, natural disasters, displacement, and other crises. This week’s Ministries Making a Difference looks at some of the people behind humanitarian aid.

Operation Blessing

Operation Blessing (Caption: Photo, ob.org)

Days after a major earthquake struck Colombia, Operation Blessing team member Bob Burke arrived with water-purification systems and solar lanterns. By August 13, Operation Blessing said its Global Disaster Response Team and 50+ volunteers had served over 600 hot meals and distributed solar lamps to affected families. The organization deployed to Colombia while continuing earthquake-relief work in neighboring Venezuela.

Operation Blessing asks everyone to pray for those still searching for loved ones, the injured, first responders, and Operation Blessing’s team on the ground as they seek to offer comfort and hope to hurting souls after the 7.5-magnitude earthquake devastated the area.

The ministry often responds to disasters with food, clean water, medical aid, and other emergency assistance by working with local partners and volunteers. Operation Blessing has a 3-Star Financial Efficiency Rating, an A Transparency Grade, and a Donor Confidence Score of 93 in the MinistryWatch database.

Christian Health Service Corps

Christian Health Service (Caption: Photo, healthservicecorps.org)

When 2-year-old Sergina arrived at Bongolo Hospital in Gabon around New Year’s, she was unconscious, having seizures, and suffering from cerebral malaria.

According to Christian Health Service Corps, medical director Renée Valach and the hospital team treated her seizures and malaria and gave her three blood transfusions. Sergina remained unconscious for weeks while her mother and grandmother stayed beside her. Nearly a month after arriving, she left the hospital able to eat and speak again.

Christian Health Service Corps supports doctors and other healthcare professionals serving long-term in areas with limited medical care. It also trains local physicians and strengthens hospitals, with fulltime workers building relationships over years rather than relying only on short-term medical trips.

CHSC has a 4-Star Financial Efficiency Rating, an A Transparency Grade, and a Donor Confidence Score of 100 in the MinistryWatch database.

Water4 (Caption: Photo, water4.org)

Water4

When Rugiatu S. Koroma began working at the Kissi Town Community Health Center in Sierra Leone, the facility had no running water. Women who went into labor at night sometimes could not come to the clinic because the community water tap did not open until morning. Koroma contacted Water4’s local partner, Water4Ever, which installed taps throughout the clinic. The system came with contacts for local maintenance when something went wrong.

Water4 builds local water businesses that install and maintain water systems rather than leaving communities responsible for broken infrastructure. The ministry says revenue from its water services supports about 1,100 local employees who maintain systems and serve customers across Africa.

Water4 Inc has a 1-Star Financial Efficiency Rating, a C Transparency Grade, and a Donor Confidence Score of 73 in the MinistryWatch database (Give with Confidence).

Partners Relief (Caption: Photo, partners.ngo)

Partners Relief & Development

Before a recent health-team trip through Karen State, Myanmar, Partners Relief & Development listed the risks its workers could face. First on the list was death or injury from aerial bombing or fighting. A July field report described workers moving from village to village, training health workers, delivering medicine, and visiting clinics while aerial attacks and fighting remained a constant possibility. Roads could close without warning. Villagers sometimes slept away from their homes or near bunkers. According to the report, the team knew each stop could be interrupted by the war around them.

Among those workers is Thaw Shee Wah, who has led Partners’ health projects in Karen State for six years. She grew up there, trained as a nurse, and has continued serving communities affected by decades of conflict. Partners says the clinics and health workers she oversees provide care in rural areas where access is limited, and airstrikes remain a threat. Partners Relief & Development has a 1-Star Financial Efficiency Rating, an A Transparency Grade, and a Donor Confidence Score of 77 in the MinistryWatch database.

MedSend (Caption: screenshot, medsend.org)

Project MedSend

In eastern Uganda, Dr. Peter Paul Opiro grew up in a region where surgeons are scarce, and some government hospital operating rooms are not functioning, forcing patients to travel long distances for surgical care. Opiro is now completing surgical training at Litein Hospital in Kenya with support from Project MedSend’s National Scholars Program. After his training, he plans to return to northern and eastern Uganda, where he hopes to bring surgical care closer to patients who now travel hours for treatment. MedSend supports Christian healthcare professionals by addressing financial barriers that can keep them from serving in medically underserved areas and by investing in doctors who will continue practicing in their own countries.

MedSend also operates its Longevity Project, which provides professional, spiritual, and relational support intended to help healthcare missionaries remain in long-term service.

Project MedSend has a 1-Star Financial Efficiency Rating, a C Transparency Grade, and a Donor Confidence Score of 75 in the MinistryWatch database (Give with Confidence).

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