BG-RRT Press Kit
CHARLOTTE, N.C., April 1, 2023 – For the second weekend in a row, catastrophic tornadoes swept across the Midwest and South, resulting in at least 21 deaths. As a result, chaplains with the Billy Graham Rapid Response Team (BG-RRT) have deployed to Little Rock, Arkansas – one of the hardest hit areas.
“Once again we are seeing unbelievable devastation across much of the South. Our thoughts and prayers are with the people of Little Rock, who have suffered such great loss. We can’t even begin to imagine how scary this situation must have been for people,” said Josh Holland, international director of the BG-RRT. “We are sending our crisis-trained chaplains to pray with, comfort, listen and share God’s love with those who have been impacted by these devastating tornadoes.”
The team of crisis-trained chaplains is working in conjunction with disaster relief organization Samaritan’s Purse to help meet the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of those impacted by the severe storms.
The Billy Graham Rapid Response Team Mobile Ministry Center (MMC) is also en route to Little Rock to provide a safe space for chaplains to comfort and pray with people.
BG-RRT chaplains are now providing emotional and spiritual support in six locations. Besides Little Rock, Arkansas, chaplains are in Rolling Fork and Amory, Mississippi, which were devastated by tornadoes. Chaplains have been in Nashville, Tennessee, since Monday following the shooting at The Covenant School. They are also in Huntsville, Alabama, where a police officer was shot and killed Tuesday, and they are offering hope and providing emotional comfort and spiritual care to families who have been forced to flee their homes in war-torn 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.
Media Opportunities
- Josh Holland, international director for the Billy Graham Rapid Response Team, will be available for interviews, as well as chaplain coordinators on the ground in Little Rock. For B-Roll, photos and media inquiries, please contact Christine Batchelder at cbatchelder@bgea.org, (704) 724-6851.
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 700 disaster sites across the globe, including shootings, floods, hurricanes, wildfires and tornadoes.
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Media Contact:
Christine Batchelder
cbatchelder@bgea.org