Saturday in an appearance on the Fox News Channel, Samaritan’s Purse President Rev. Franklin Graham discussed his organization’s efforts to combat the coronavirus pandemic, which included opening an emergency field hospital in Central Park in New York City to help those diagnosed with COVID-19.

Graham encouraged viewers to pray as the nation approaches Easter week and ask for God’s help.

“As we come to this week, Easter week — I would encourage people around the world and across the country to pray,” Graham said. “I pray that God would protect us, and God’s hand would relieve us from this pandemic. This is a very serious situation, and we need God’s help. Of course, in Central Park, our doctors and nurses are Christian men and women. We pray for our patients. We have chaplains there to pray for our patients. We care for everybody that comes in, and we want them to know God loves them, and He hasn’t forgotten them. We’re there to care for them in Jesus’ name.”

When asked by host Jeanine Pirro as to why he thought God would allow for this crisis to happen, Graham explained the need for forgiveness in a fallen world and once again encouraged more prayer.

“I don’t think God planned for this to happen,” he explained. “It’s because of the sin that’s in the world, Judge. Man has turned his back on God. We have sinned against Him, and we need to ask for God’s forgiveness. That’s what Easter is all about — it’s about God so loving the world that He gave His only begotten son — that who so ever should believeth in Him should not perish, but should have everlasting life. Jesus Christ came to save sinners. He didn’t come to condemn the world but to save the world. And if we’ll put our faith and trust in Him, He’ll forgive our sins, and He’ll heal our hearts, and He’ll change the course of our lives. This pandemic — this is a result of a fallen world, a world that has turned its back on God. I would encourage people to pray. Let’s ask God for help.”

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