A small team of Billy Graham Rapid Response Team (BG-RRT) chaplains arrived in Haiti Thursday to serve at an emergency field hospital set up by Samaritan’s Purse.
Local hospitals have been inundated with patients and short on medical supplies since August 14, when a 7.2-magnitude earthquake struck the country. The quake injured more than 9,900 people, killed over 2,200—and the death toll is expected to rise.
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“The incredible destruction and loss of life caused by this earthquake is tragic,” said Josh Holland, BG-RRT’s assistant director. “So many people are overwhelmed and hurting right now, and our crisis-trained chaplains are deploying to Haiti to share the hope and peace that is found through Jesus Christ.
“Even in these darkest of times we want people to know that God loves them and has not forgotten them.”
News reports say the quake destroyed or damaged tens of thousands of homes and blocked roads, making it difficult for recovery efforts. The natural disaster also damaged hospitals and destroyed many churches, which Haitians usually rely heavily on for aid.
“At the request of Haiti’s Ministry of Health, we have deployed a Tier 1 surgical field hospital to treat earthquake victims,” Franklin Graham said on Tuesday. “Our DC-8 departed North Carolina at 6 a.m. today and has landed in Port-au-Prince with the 36-bed unit and staff. Pray for our teams as they respond.”
Late Monday, Tropical Storm Grace hit the already devastated region and compounded destruction, dumping inches of rain that caused flooding and mudslides. Residents had to stand in water as they dug through rubble looking for anything of value where their home once stood.
The Billy Graham Rapid Response Team is returning to the small Caribbean country after a 22-month-long deployment in 2010 following a disastrous earthquake that killed over 220,000 people.
“When we deployed BG-RRT chaplains following the catastrophic 7.0 earthquake in Haiti in 2010, we never thought they would suffer again from another earthquake,” said BG-RRT international director Jack Munday, who served in Haiti 11 years ago.
“But as people are now dealing with more loss, fear and paralyzing trauma, we ask that you pray for the Haitian people—and our chaplain team as they provide emotional and spiritual care in Jesus’ name.”
Please be in prayer for all those affected in Haiti by this devastating earthquake.
Support chaplains as they offer hope to those desperate for help.