Chaplains with the Billy Graham Rapid Response Team (BG-RRT) have deployed to New Mexico after a massive wildfire spread through the region. The U.S. Forest Service says the Hermits Peak fire began on April 6 and, so far, has burned over 312,000 acres. Las Vegas is 66 miles east of Santa Fe, New Mexico.
“This is such a frightening situation for all those involved and our hearts go out to the community of Las Vegas, New Mexico, and to all those who lost their homes,” said Josh Holland, international director of the BG-RRT. “We want to show God’s love and our support as we send crisis-trained chaplains to share God’s love and provide emotional and spiritual care to the community during this time of crisis.”
The team of chaplains from the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association is serving alongside disaster relief organization Samaritan’s Purse to help meet the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of those impacted by the fires.
BG-RRT chaplains are now serving in three locations. Besides Las Vegas, New Mexico, crisis-trained chaplains continue to minister in Ukraine at several Samaritan’s Purse Emergency Field Hospitals and in Poland, where they are offering hope and providing comfort and compassion to families who have been forced to flee from Ukraine.
For more information on the ministry, including videos, photos, news articles and an interactive map of former and current deployments, visit the BG-RRT press kit or BillyGraham.org/RRT. Updates can also be found at Facebook.com/RRTChaplains.
About the Billy Graham Rapid Response Team:
Media Opportunities
|
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 550 disaster sites across the globe, including shootings, floods, hurricanes, wildfires and tornadoes.
– 30 –
Media Contact:
Christine Batchelder
cbatchelder@bgea.org