The old storehouse where Mosaic Church gathers was filled with worship and fervent prayer for the broken community of Little Rock, Arkansas, on April 14.
The fiercest tornado Little Rock has seen in decades ripped through the city two weeks prior, leaving death and destruction in its wake.
According to news reports, at least five people lost their lives and dozens more were injured. More than 2,500 structures were damaged while roofs and vehicles were thrown into the air in its 50-mile path.
In response to this tragedy, the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, Samaritan’s Purse, and Marcos Witt joined forces to minister to the hurting community with an event of worship, prayer, and hope.
More than 1,000 area residents—mostly Hispanics—lifted up their voices in praise and worship accompanied by the music of Marcos Witt. His wife, Miriam, led prayer for the physical and spiritual needs of the community.
“Marcos was singing and the sound that filled that auditorium was just amazing,” said Roxanne Wolgemuth, the Billy Graham Rapid Response Team (BG-RRT) chaplain coordinator. “Everyone was singing at the top of their lungs. It was glorious. It was like a touch from Heaven.”
“Is there is anyone here who doesn’t speak Spanish?” Witt asked the crowd, which prompted some raised hands. “It’s OK. God loves you, too,” he said jokingly, to lighten the mood.
“When we praise, we tend to close our eyes, and that is wonderful,” Witt said. “But look at the person beside you and speak God’s truth to that person, tell them how precious they are to the Lord, and that our God is great.”
A Providential Encounter
Little Rock resident Jesús Rodríguez headed home a few minutes after the storm had passed on March 31.
As he was approaching his torn-apart neighborhood, he couldn’t believe his eyes. Trees and debris were lying in the streets, and some houses were missing.
When he saw an entire room and the roof torn from his house, he feared the worst for his family.
“I found my wife and my two daughters huddled together on the hallway floor, trembling and crying,” he shared. “I just thanked God that He spared my family.”
With the few belongings they were able to gather, they left the neighborhood and found refuge at a family member’s home.
“It was so hard, I didn’t even want to see that house again,” Rodríguez said.
But this past weekend, as Witt, Billy Graham chaplains, and Samaritan’s Purse volunteers were helping clean up his neighborhood, God worked a miracle.
“I was just driving, going to a different place. But for some reason I turned on the turn signal as if I was going to my house,” he shared. “I don’t know why I did it. But because I had turned the signal, I decided to turn and go to my house.”
At that time, Spanish-speaking chaplains Josué and Daniela were talking with some neighbors near his house. When they saw Jesús, they approached him to start a conversation.
“Because we had some stuff in his front yard, the Lord opened a door for us to talk to him and to share God’s love with him,” said Daniela.
Jesús had the chance to share some things he experienced during and after the storm, and the chaplains asked if they could pray with him. Rodríguez’s eyes seemed to brighten up as he answered “Sí, por favor.”
After praying, he seemed relieved and thankful. BG-RRT chaplains have been in touch with him over the phone and encouraged him to attend a Bible-teaching church in the area.
“For a long time I have felt that God is calling me, but I was afraid. … I didn’t know God was sending me back to my house for them to pray for me,” Rodríguez said.
