Billy Graham Rapid Response Team Chaplains Return to France Following Attack
An international coalition of crisis-trained chaplains with the Billy Graham Rapid Response Team are returning to France to offer emotional and spiritual care on the streets of Nice following last night’s horrific terror attack.
Though the situation continues to develop and unfold, the latest news reports indicate that more than 80 people died in the violent Bastille Day attack. Dozens more were injured.
“Once again we find ourselves staring into the face of terror and evil,” said Jack Munday, international director of the Billy Graham Rapid Response Team. “We will bring a light of hope into a very dark situation, providing a ministry of presence for those who want to talk, pray, or grieve. So many need our prayers right now.”
Franklin Graham, president and CEO of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, used Twitter to ask for prayer following the tragedy: “Pray for France as the country grieves the loss of 84 people and many more wounded in the terror attack in #Nice.”
The joint effort of the U.S., Canada and U.K. Billy Graham Rapid Response Teams includes French-speaking chaplains. It is anticipated that they will be joined by newly-trained chaplains from Paris and Brussels, cities that have also weathered terrorist attacks in recent months.
The deployment to Nice marks the seventh time in the last 10 months that the Billy Graham Rapid Response Team has sent chaplains into areas involved in mass shootings or terror attacks. Chaplains are currently ministering in Dallas following the shooting deaths of five law enforcement officers last week, and they recently completed their ministry in Orlando after the massacre of 49 people in the Pulse nightclub.
The group also responded to Brussels, Belgium (March 2016), San Bernardino, Calif. (December 2015), Paris, France (November 2015), and Umpqua Community College in Roseburg, Ore. (October 2015).
Additionally, chaplains continue to minister in Baton Rouge, La., Brazoria County, Texas, Kanawha County, W.Va., and Greenbrier County, W.Va.
For more information on the ministry, including videos, photos, news articles and an interactive map of former and current deployments, visit www.billygraham.org/rrt. Updates can also be found at www.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.
(Source: Christian Newswire)
