In the aftermath of the devastating Christmas weekend Midwest floods, the Billy Graham Rapid Response Team (RRT) sent crisis-trained chaplains earlier this month to support residents emotionally and spiritually as they pick up the pieces.
“They’re saying this is historic flooding, and whether its record-breaking or not, for those people who have lost their homes and nearly all their possessions, it’s definitely historic and impacting for them,” said Matt Gidney, RRT manager of operations and deployment.
“We’re going to bring the love of Christ to these people who are in crisis and share with them the hope that only Christ can bring.”
Four chaplains have been in Fenton, Missouri, serving alongside Samaritan’s Purse since Jan. 11. The chaplains currently anticipate being in the St. Louis County area until early February and are being hosted by Southgate Church in nearby Crestwood.
More than 10 inches of rain fell during the Christmas weekend in the Midwest, prompting historic flooding of the Mississippi River and its tributaries. The National Guard was activated shortly after floods engulfed the area to assist first responders. Roughly two dozen deaths have been blamed on the natural disaster.
Fenton, the area RRT chaplains will be serving, sits on the Meramec River, a tributary of the Mississippi, that overflowed in late December. In some places, the Meramec crested 18 feet above the flood stage. That’s just a number until you consider homes, schools and businesses were beneath that 18 feet. A one-story home can run around 15 feet tall.
The RRT chaplains will be available for prayer as some residents have returned home and business owners figure out next steps. In the meantime, there are two ways you can pray for this effort.
“I would say it’s two-fold: pray for these people and the restoration of their homes and getting back hopefully to life as normal; but of course also pray for their emotional and spiritual wellbeing as they deal with this,” Gidney said. “Pray they would know the comfort and love of Christ.”
