Many who find themselves victims of a natural disaster are already going through some other crisis in their lives, says Jack Munday, international director for the Billy Graham Rapid Response Team (RRT). Crisis-trained chaplains with the RRT have been on the ground offering emotional and spiritual care in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey.
Vice President Mike Pence and second lady Karen Pence flew to Texas to talk with homeowners and survey the damage. Mrs. Pence, pictured with Franklin Graham and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on the right, offered a prayer at the site of a church half-gutted by the hurricane. Read more about the Pences' visit.
Chaplains hold hands in prayer for the Aples family whose home was flooded by Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and again by Hurricane Harvey last week. Chaplains were struck by the faith of this family who also lost a 4-year-old daughter to cancer about a month ago. Read the Aples' story.
Franklin Graham, president and CEO of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and disaster relief ministry Samaritan’s Purse, met with both homeowners affected by the storm and volunteers who are onsite to help.
RRT chaplains have a Mobile Ministry Center onsite where they regularly gather to pray over the people of Texas, including first responders and homeowners.
Personal belongings left by the road as people sort through their homes for anything salvageable.
A man stops to pray with a couple of chaplains. Many people who ask for prayer are also open to hear about the lasting hope found in Jesus.
Chaplains can use prayer, too, as they minister to a hurting community. Franklin Graham stopped to pray with one chaplain in the midst of it all.
Chaplains joining hands with a team of Samaritan's Purse volunteers who are there to help clean up and rebuild.
