As the sun came up Saturday morning, the extent of the damage seemed unreal.
Miles and miles of massive heaps of debris, homes knocked off their foundation, twisted vehicles and trees unearthed.
>>You can help bring comfort and compassion to those grieving.
At least 80 people died in Kentucky alone as Friday night storms formed a relentless band of tornadoes stretching from the South up toward Illinois where an Amazon warehouse collapsed, causing more fatalities.
The storms also reached a nursing home in Arkansas, killing at least one.
Of more than 30 tornadoes that touched down, one stayed on the ground for about 200 miles.
In hardest-hit Kentucky, the governor declared a state of emergency as search and rescue crews frantically look for those lost in the chaos just two weeks before Christmas.
“We are deeply saddened by the significant loss of life as a result of last night’s tornadoes,” said Josh Holland, assistant director of the Billy Graham Rapid Response Team (BG-RRT). “We are praying for all of those who lost friends and loved ones, and also for the large number of people who suffered damage to their homes and property.
“Our crisis-trained chaplains will be there to listen and pray with people, and let them know that God is with them and loves them, even during this difficult time.”
Franklin Graham called it “a night of horror” as the merciless storms ripped through multiple states.
It was a night of horror for many as some 24 tornadoes and multiple storms swept through several states leaving a path…
Posted by Franklin Graham on Saturday, December 11, 2021
Two of the Rapid Response Team’s Mobile Ministry Centers (MMCs) are in Mayfield, Kentucky, and Northeast Arkansas as chaplains respond to the communities’ needs. Chaplains are also deploying to Bowling Green, Kentucky, starting Tuesday.
The MMCs serve as a hub for anyone in the area in need of prayer or just someone to listen in the midst of overwhelming grief.
Chaplains are working alongside teams from sister ministry Samaritan’s Purse who will repair and rebuild in the aftermath of the storms.
Please pray for all impacted by these storms and for everyone’s safety as they search through the rubble.
