Dear friends,

Here’s a brief update on what we’ve been working on during February! Keep reading to find out about our training progress and recent groundbreaking deployments.

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Chazak Academy Training: Class 4

Class 4 is currently in Segment 1.4 Core Training. While 1.4 primarily focuses on at-home coursework, including Perspectives and other classes, Cadets do reunite periodically for hands-on training to continue developing their practical abilities. This phase gives Cadets time to reflect, deepen their spiritual growth, and enhance their leadership skills.

Recently, Class 4 gathered for a winter training trip to Colorado, where they completed Avalanche Safety, Winter Survival, and Wilderness First Responder certifications.

“Class 4’s trip to Colorado for Wilderness First Responder and winter survival skills training was a blast! We learned basic first response, how to travel backcountry on skis, how to set bones, and how to play dead. We got our first certifications as first responders and learned avalanche rescue in the backcountry. Among other things, one of my favorite moments was sitting with the team in our backcountry hut one evening for an unplanned debrief. We talked through team dynamics and struggles. We all went away from that time reinvigorated with a stronger sense of brotherhood. I’m really grateful for the opportunity to experience this training with this team and look forward to growing together in the future.”
– Derek, Class 4 Cadet

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This winter training not only sharpened their skills but also reinforced the importance of teamwork. Class 4 will continue their 1.4 Core Training through the spring, balancing coursework and occasional reunions to prepare for the challenges ahead!

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Operation Red One

Our February deployment in a war-ravaged region of the Middle East has come to a close, but the need remains urgent.

“People are hungry, freezing, without shelter, and without any means of making a living. We met Amira*, who sold her phone just to buy food. She literally has nothing—only a tarp roof, no windows or door, and with bullet holes in her walls. It was raining and hailing, and it took all she had to keep the water from leaking in. We also met a girl who was eleven years old but whose body was no bigger than that of a two-year-old. Her mother held her frail body in her arms pleading for our help. We were able to immediately supply food and clean water for her, but the situation is dire for many more families across the region.”
-Guardian Zach

These families are facing unimaginable challenges. After escaping their country during years of war, they have returned to find that they lost not only their homes and sense of security, but also their livelihoods. With no doors or windows to protect them, they are exposed to the elements, with temperatures often plunging below freezing. The lack of basic necessities—food, shelter, warmth—creates an ongoing struggle for survival. Not to mention the absence of any government infrastructure. Many are without work and have no means to rebuild their lives. For some, the only thing they can do is hold on to whatever scraps they have left, fighting daily to stay alive.

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In addition to providing life-saving food, clean water, and warming essentials to several families, the team also purchased and delivered 11 doors, which make all the difference in a home where the doors and windows have shattered from daily blasts. While this phase of Operation Red One has been completed, the situation remains dire, and we are exploring plans for longer-term deployments to continue supporting these communities in the future.

We would like to thank each of you who have partnered with us to make this an impactful deployment. Not only were we able to deliver life-saving aid, we were also able to make several incredible connections that will enable future opportunities. 

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Operation Sandman

We recently established access to one of the most challenging regions in East Africa. During our latest exploratory deployment to the region in February, Guardians Landon and Adrian—alongside our Humanitarian Liaison and our partners from The Nikao Foundation—were able to make entry into Sudan.

While in Sudan, the team was able to access entire villages that have effectively been under siege for more than two years, since the beginning of the war. Thankfully, the team had brought resources to set up two emergency medical field clinics to treat various illnesses that, while very treatable, would have gone unchecked due to lack of supplies. The team was able to treat 450+ patients in a matter of days, as well as delivering emergency food supplies to villages in desperate need.

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“I was blessed to be a part of the team that was able to gain access to Sudan! I saw needs of all kinds there. Some could be fixed with the money in my pocket, others only through the collaboration of a community. Some needed simple malaria meds, others a source of clean water for drinking and hygiene. Our team had the privilege to bring some medical supplies and humanitarian aid to a rural village. There we witnessed the gratefulness of mothers as they received medicine for their children and fathers accepting food for their households. Meanwhile, we had fulfilling interactions with other members of the community. We got to play soccer with the children and share laughter with the men. We look forward to the mighty ways God will work among the people.”
- Guardian Adrian

The impact was immediate and deeply felt: local leaders, who had begun to lose hope, were visibly moved at finally seeing outside support be able to reach their villages. In many cases, they told us we were the first westerners who had been able to access the region.

Our work in Sudan has only begun, and the dangers are far from over. Daily flare-ups of fighting underscore just how precarious the situation remains. Still, we remain committed to saving lives, spreading hope, and easing suffering, even when there’s risk. Now that we have gained access to this region, we plan to return this spring with a group of Guardians to launch a more comprehensive field hospital, partnering with other organizations to expand medical services, distribute critical aid, and offer training and supplies to local healthcare workers. However, the needs for an endeavor like this are quite extensive.

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Will you join us in bringing hope, aid, and rescue into the hardest to reach places? Your prayers, advocacy, and financial support are the lifeline people are counting on. Click here to give now.