CHARLOTTE, N.C., July 20, 2026 – The Billy Graham Rapid Response Team (BG-RRT) is deploying alongside Samaritan’s Purse to southwest Texas following catastrophic flooding caused by days of torrential rainfall. Parts of the region received more than 20 inches of rain, flooding homes, roads and entire neighborhoods.
Crisis-trained chaplains will minister in Uvalde and Kerrville, where hundreds of homes were damaged and many residents forced to evacuate. They will provide emotional and spiritual care to individuals and families facing the challenges of this crisis.
“As families return home, they will face not only the mud and debris left behind by the flooding, but also the heartbreak of everything they have lost,” said Josh Holland, vice president of the Billy Graham Rapid Response Team Global. “As communities begin the overwhelming task of rebuilding, our chaplains will walk alongside them, offering a listening ear, prayer, and the lasting hope that comes through a relationship with Jesus Christ.”
The BG-RRT has ministered in Texas following previous tragedies. In 2025, chaplains served in the Hill Country communities of Kerrville and San Angelo after historic flooding claimed more than 130 lives. In 2022, chaplains also responded in Uvalde following the Robb Elementary School shooting.
The ministry deploys to natural disasters in coordination with Samaritan’s Purse, the Christian disaster relief organization also led by Franklin Graham. Together, the two ministries will address the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of impacted homeowners.
In addition to Texas, chaplains are ministering in Colorado following historic wildfires; Venezuela following earthquakes; southern Mississippi and Avoyelles Parish, Louisiana, following severe flooding; and Charleston, Illinois, following a tornado. The Billy Graham Rapid Response Team also continues to offer emotional and spiritual care to families 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
- Interviews with:
- Josh Holland, vice president of BG-RRT
- Chaplain coordinators in Uvalde and Kerrville
- B-Roll and photos (please use with credit to Billy Graham Evangelistic Association)
- Interview request form
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 940 disaster sites across the globe, including shootings, floods, hurricanes, wildfires and tornadoes.
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MEDIA CONTACT:
Claisse Opulencia
copulencia@bgea.org
+1 (704) 401-2717