CHARLOTTE, N.C., June 17, 2023 –The Billy Graham Rapid Response Team is deploying to Perryton, Texas, after a severe storm system swept through the South on Thursday night, producing deadly and destructive tornadoes. So far, at least three people have been killed, and preliminary reports show hundreds of homes have been damaged or destroyed.
“The amount of devastation we are seeing in Perryton, Texas, is heart-breaking. Our thoughts and prayers are with those who have lost loved ones and whose homes have been destroyed,” said Josh Holland, international director of the BG-RRT. “We want to make sure residents know they are not alone and not forgotten. In the midst of the storm, there is hope — and that hope is only found in Jesus Christ. We are sending our crisis-trained chaplains to pray with, 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.
BG-RRT chaplains are now providing emotional and spiritual support in two locations. Besides Perryton, Texas, chaplains are ministering 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:
- Interviews with:
- Josh Holland, international director for the Billy Graham Rapid Response Team
- Richard Brown, senior manager, deployments and operations of the BG-RRT
- Chaplain coordinators in Perryton, Texas
- 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 730 disaster sites across the globe, including shootings, floods, hurricanes, wildfires and tornadoes.
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Media Contact:
Christine Batchelder
cbatchelder@bgea.org