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CHARLOTTE, N.C., Feb. 18, 2020 – The Billy Graham Rapid Response Team (RRT) is deploying to Jackson, Mississippi, following historic flooding along the Pearl River. Working alongside Samaritan’s Purse and local churches, chaplains will provide emotional and spiritual support in the area once the flood waters recede.
A state of emergency was declared Saturday by Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves as more than 1,000 homes are expected to be impacted by the flood, which crested at 36.7 feet, the third-highest crest on record.
“What has already happened is horrific. I can’t imagine looking around and seeing that devastation, and then to know that the forecast is calling for more rain, and how helpless that would make you feel,” said Josh Holland, assistant director of the RRT. “The message of the Bible is that God is a God of hope, no matter what the natural circumstances are. His supernatural love can meet us in the middle of our greatest pain and we are honored to share that with people. Even when there are no words, we have the opportunity to be a physical presence and beside them as they grieve loss.”
Tuesday’s deployment marks the second time in 2020 in which RRT chaplains have volunteered in the state of Mississippi, having also deployed to the northern part of the state after tornadoes and violent storms claimed multiple lives in January. RRT also has active deployments in Spartanburg, South Carolina (tornado), Ponce, Puerto Rico (earthquakes) and Pendleton, Oregon (flooding).
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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Media Contact:
Blake Freeland
(704) 401-2124 – Office
bfreeland@bgea.org