When Maui residents heard about 65-mph hurricane winds from the south, they never expected the deadly flames that the wind would bring.
The wildfires—now the deadliest in our nation’s modern history—engulfed parts of Maui and decimated the beach town of Lahaina, leaving at least 106 people dead, hundreds more missing, and thousands of homes and buildings destroyed.
Richard Brown, who was raised in Hawaii and serves as senior manager of operations and deployment for the Billy Graham Rapid Response Team (BG-RRT), arrived in Maui last week. Brown has witnessed the effects of the horrific fire first-hand.
His parents, still Hawaii residents, lost their home and church, and some of his friends have also been impacted.
One of Brown’s friends saw the smoke approaching his home from about 500 yards away and quickly gathered his family into their vehicle to evacuate. Within the next 10 minutes, embers were flying around them.
“As they were driving out, their yard was catching on fire,” Brown said, describing the shock and ferocity of the fire. “Their home was completely destroyed.”
Ten BG-RRT chaplains are offering emotional and spiritual care in Maui, and more will arrive this week. As chaplains pray with locals, they’ve seen God working in the darkness.
On Monday, one of our teams met a couple in Kula, Maui, whose home had somehow remained unscathed, despite their neighbours’ homes being left in ashes. Seeing how quickly life can take a turn, the couple listened as chaplains explained the Gospel using the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association’s Steps to Peace With God. The husband and wife shared that they were ready to put their faith, hope, and trust in Jesus Christ, and chaplains led them in a prayer to accept Christ as their Lord and Saviour.
Billy Graham chaplains are also offering comfort and prayer in a family assistance centre in Kihei, Maui, where residents have been gathering to help locate missing loved ones.
Please continue to lift up hurting communities across Hawaii in prayer, as well as first responders and chaplains as they grapple with the aftermath of this tragedy.
