Let the sun shine, and let the wind blow.
It seems like such a simple prayer in the middle of devastation, but for the folks in West Monroe, Louisiana, it’s at the top of their list as they pour into the Billy Graham Rapid Response Team’s Mobile Ministry Center.
Seven crisis-trained chaplains have deployed to West Monroe and nearby Bossier City to provide emotional and spiritual care in the aftermath of deadly flooding that has displaced more than 1,700 people and impacted thousands of homes. Ten more chaplains are on the way to serve the cities, which are located in northern Louisiana and roughly 90 minutes apart along Interstate 20.
Chaplain coordinator Mike Clark is based in the West Monroe area, where he said flooding has prompted local officials and the National Guard to block off entire subdivisions.
“It kind of reminds me of a little Katrina because I was here during the Katrina days,” said Mike Clark, who has been a Rapid Response Team (RRT) chaplain since then. “This is one of the worst floods I have seen.
“The basins get full of water, and they have nowhere to go. They try to pump it from the ditches back out, but there’s nowhere for it to go.”
Clark said the community response has been overwhelmingly positive. Roughly 50 area pastors showed up to attend a last-minute pastors meeting that RRT held last Saturday.
“We normally don’t see that. The community is really pulling together,” Clark said. “The people are supporting each other. It’s great to see everybody working together, and they’re just so appreciative of us being here.”
The weather will remain a concern, though, as more rain is in the forecast.
“Today is a beautiful sun-shiney day, and I don’t know what the wind is gusting to, but it’ll blow your hat off,” said Clark, who in fact has taken to carrying his beige RRT ballcap in his hands.
“And I’m thinking, ‘Thank you Lord. You’re providing what the people are asking for.’”
