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CHARLOTTE, N.C., March 29, 2020 – The Billy Graham Rapid Response Team (RRT) will deploy crisis-trained chaplains to Jonesboro, Arkansas, to offer emotional and spiritual care alongside Samaritan’s Purse after a devastating tornado ripped through the town on Saturday.
The EF-3 tornado destroyed multiple businesses and stayed on the ground for nearly 20 miles. More than 20 people were injured and it is estimated that nearly 200 homes sustained damage as a result of the 140 mph winds.
“As our nation and world are in crisis with COVID-19, we are saddened that many residents of Jonesboro, Arkansas, also lost their homes as a result of the tornado that hit Saturday evening,” said Josh Holland, assistant director of the RRT. “The Billy Graham Rapid Response Team is sending crisis-trained chaplains to share God’s comfort and hope to the community during this time of great loss.”
The RRT also has teams of chaplains serving in Italy and on the way to New York City to offer emotional and spiritual care at Samaritan’s Purse Emergency Field Hospitals set up to care for COVID-19 (coronavirus) patients.
For more information on the ministry, including videos, photos, news articles and an interactive map of former and current deployments, visit BillyGraham.org/RRT. Updates can also be found at 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 450 disaster
sites across the globe, including shootings, floods, hurricanes, wildfires and
tornadoes.
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