Franklin Graham deploys 250 rapid response chaplains to Texas to minister to hurricane victims

Evangelist Franklin Graham has sent out 250 members of the Billy Graham Rapid Response Team to Texas to minister to those affected by Tropical Storm Harvey, which has battered parts of the state with more than 30 inches of rain since Friday.

Crisis-trained chaplains from the Billy Graham Rapid Response Team are already on the ground in flooded parts of Texas, and staffers are keeping tabs on the hardest hit areas in the state before sending out more workers to assist those affected by the storm, according to the team's international director Jack Munday.

"Right now we are dealing with people that are in shock that can't believe that it happened as it did. We always think it's gonna someone else who suffers at times like this. Our focus is emotional and spiritual care," Munday said, as reported by WBTV.

Earlier this week, Graham, the president of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and head of Samaritan's Purse, released a statement about the storm, which has already left at least six people dead.

"My heart goes out to the people of South Texas, as the devastation caused by Hurricane Harvey grows worse by the hour. As I write this, floodwaters continue to rise in many areas, and more than 50 inches of rain are possible by the end of the week," Graham said.

The evangelist encouraged Christians to pray for the Texas National Guard, the military, law enforcement and others who are working to help Texas residents during the crisis.

At least 12,000 Texas National Guard members have been deployed by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott to respond to over two feet of rain in the Houston metro areas. More than 3,000 people have been evacuated from Houston, but Mayor Sylvester Turner said that over 100,000 are still without power.

Various Christian churches, charities and relief organizations have also launched disaster relief work to help thousands who are affected by the historic flooding.

Convoy of Hope, which is operating a distribution site in Victoria, Texas, shared updates of its disaster relief work and noted that it has already served more than 1,000 families.

Pastor Gregg Matte of Houston's First Baptist Church said that Houston, which is one of the hardest hit cities in the region, was "like a war-zone."

"There's people rescuing people, which is amazing. I've heard of three or four boat rescues just from our own church members," Matte said, adding that his church is usually the one that sends help, but they are the ones now in need of assistance.

Reports have indicated that at least 30,000 Texans have been displaced from their homes by Monday morning due to the severe flooding following Harvey's landfall. While Harvey is no longer considered to be a hurricane, flooding is expected to continue in and around major cities, including Houston, due to continuous rain.