Hurricane Michael was the most powerful hurricane to hit the U.S. in over 25 years and third-strongest ever at 155 mph.
The Billy Graham Rapid Response Team (RRT) has sent U.S.-based chaplains to Albany, Georgia, and the Florida Panhandle to provide emotional and spiritual care to those affected.
“For us, it’s not so much about the houses damaged; it’s the hearts,” RRT Director Jack Munday said.
With hundreds more crisis-trained chaplains on standby, the RRT has deployed alongside Samaritan’s Purse. They are serving with listening ears and compassionate hearts, sometimes to people who have lost everything.
The storm has claimed at least 19 lives, and more than a million people were left without power. Florida Gov. Rick Scott said the Category 4 storm that was just shy of a Category 5, is “the worst storm the Florida Panhandle has seen in a century.”
Moving up into the Carolinas and Virginia, Michael brought more rain to devastated areas still drying out from Hurricane Florence before heading back out to sea.
The RRT team has been in communication with emergency management in the region and coordinating with other disaster relief organizations. In addition, two of their Mobile Ministry Centers (MMCs) will serve as their base of operations during the deployment. They’ve also been in touch with chaplains who live in the affected areas, checking on their safety and hearing about current conditions.
Just as the chaplains have walked alongside those facing loss from Hurricane Florence, they are offering a ministry of presence to those affected by Hurricane Michael, too.
Please keep all those affected by recent disasters in your prayers.