CHARLOTTE, N.C., July 25, 2018 – Crisis-trained chaplains with the Billy Graham Rapid Response Team have been deployed to the resort town of Mati, Greece, following reports of at least 80 fatalities as the result of raging wildfires that overcame the region on Monday.
Chaplains from the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association’s U.K. office will arrive in Greece tomorrow to begin providing spiritual and emotional ministry to those who have lost everything, with two additional arriving Monday and more ready to deploy if needed. The team will also begin to meet with and assess the ongoing needs of the area churches—those discussions have already begun to take place.
The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association has an established presence in Greece and relationships with multiple church leaders. “Our ministry will come alongside the churches who have lost church members, neighbors, and their own possessions, to help equip them for long-term ministry,” said Jack Munday, international director of the Rapid Response Team.
“This devastating event has been referred to as ‘Armageddon’ and an ‘Apocalyptic Inferno,’” said Munday. “But we know that God is a God of comfort in times of crisis. Our chaplains will offer a ministry of presence to display His compassion and hope found only through Jesus Christ. Much of the ministry will be listening to survivors; praying for them; and encouraging them to help begin their healing process.
For more information on the ministry, including videos, photos, news articles and an interactive map of former and current deployments, visit www.billygraham.org/rrt. Updates can also be found at www.facebook.com/RRTChaplains.
About the Billy Graham Rapid Response Team:
The Billy Graham Rapid Response Team was developed by Franklin Graham
and the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association following the attacks of
Sept. 11, 2001. It has since grown into an international network of
chaplains in the U.S., U.K., Canada and Australia who are specifically
trained to deal with crisis situations. They have deployed to more than
280 disaster sites, including shootings, floods, hurricanes, wildfires
and tornadoes.