International Samaritan

10/14/2026

Some of our scholarship students were showing up to school hungry, so our team in San Pedro Sula, Honduras, started Comedor Pequeños Corazones (Little Hearts Soup Kitchen). 💛

What began with our own resources has grown into a community effort — parents, our program alumni, neighbors, and local churches all pitching in. So far, we've shared two meals with about 45 kids, and with every plate, a little more joy.

10/12/2026

"I can stand up for myself." Recently, 49 of our female scholarship students went through self-defense training. Kellen said she now knows how to defend herself, especially when walking home alone. Leticia said she now knows what to do if someone grabs her from behind.

"Their words carry a powerful message," said David Kafambe, Country Director in Uganda. "They no longer see themselves as helpless."

See the story on our blog: intsam.org/standing-taller

10/09/2026

What does it mean to be a Samaritan? The Good Samaritan saw someone in need and made a simple choice: to stop and help. On October 25, in honor of that story in Luke 10:25, our scholars and teams around the world will celebrate International Samaritan Day—honoring Good Samaritans and the difference each of us makes when we choose to show up for someone else.

Here are a few ways to celebrate this year:
📞 Call or text your own Good Samaritan and tell them what they meant to you.
🏚️ Learn what it's like to live in a settlement next to a garbage dump: https://intsam.org/about-garbage-dump-communities/
🧭 Walk through our choose-your-path story and see what choices you'd make: https://intsam.org/imagine/
💛 Donate and support scholarships—100% of your gift goes directly to children and families living next to dumpsites: https://internationalsamaritan.app.neoncrm.com/forms/donation

10/07/2026

Movie night magic! 🍿 Our scholarship program alumni in San Pedro Sula, Honduras, threw a special night for the kids in our program.

They watched "Exchange," a story about empathy, adapting to change, and working as a team — perfect themes for a room full of scholarship students and their siblings. With homemade popcorn, soft drinks, and a cozy theater vibe, the kids got to just be kids — laughing, bonding, and soaking up a little movie magic together.

Grateful for the team behind this one. 💛

10/05/2026

Scholars, their families, team members, and friends recently gathered in Guatemala City to celebrate the grand opening of a new Family Life Center.

"It's a time to build," said Fr. Robert Karle, S.J. in his homily. "To create this Family Life Center. To create a home for International Samaritan here in Guatemala, but more importantly, a home for this community—a place where people can gather, learn, grow, receive support, strengthen families, build relationships, and imagine new possibilities together."

Read his homily on our blog: https://intsam.org/a-time-to-build/

10/02/2026

Exciting news — we've launched a new Tae Kwon Do program, led by instructor Aneeke Brown, who believes our girls should be able to defend themselves. Last Saturday, we kicked off our very first class, and everyone left excited!

Thanks to donations for sports and arts, self-defense classes are now being added to programming in every country we work in. Next up: getting uniforms and gear for our scholars as the program grows.🥋

10/01/2026

Breaking poverty cycles and transforming young lives around the world. Watch as Mike Tenbusch, president of International Samaritan, shares how scholarships, food support, and mental health services are creating real opportunities for children growing up in settlements next to garbage dumps. Discover simple ways you can help. Watch the full interview on the Transforming Lives Panel Podcast.

Mike Tenbush, former Detroit lawyer turned humanitarian, shares how...

09/30/2026

This past Sunday was National Bible Day in Honduras! Our local teams in San Pedro Sula and Tegucigalpa gathered with scholarship students and their families for prayer and worship. More than 500 Bibles were handed out to families that day, with illustrated Bible literature for the children.

"Thank you to everyone who made this donation possible, and thank God for allowing us to be part of something so beautiful," said Ronia Romero, our Central America Regional Director.

09/28/2026

Our poultry project in Honduras is growing! The families who participated cared for their chicks and then found creative ways to earn money by making chicken-filled pastries, home-cooked meals, or selling the birds directly.

Thanks to our partnership with Mentors International, 41 families recently received a new batch of 15 chicks, along with feed to raise them. While these chickens provide an income source, they also give families the chance to learn and work together. 🐥

09/25/2026

Stronger parents, stronger families. Parents of our scholarship students in Villa Guadalupe recently participated in a "Mothers and Fathers in Action" program. Workshops, talks, and reflection sessions taught practical tools for parenting and family life. What began as workshops often turned into group therapy, with parents supporting each other through real challenges.