“Four to five days ago, in a pile across the road, was found a mother and kid. That’s really hard. That makes the reality of the situation set in…” Dan Holman, a ReachGlobal Crisis Response missionary, shared from the ground in Texas.

“It’s a place of mourning. There’s still a little girl missing. Over 106 people are buried…” he continued.

Dan and other Crisis Response missionaries landed just a few days after the flooding in the Texas Hill Country made national news this month.

These missionaries are training hundreds of volunteers pouring into the area, and leading them to serve in the aftermath of this crisis.

One of the emphases in the training is for volunteers to go in with the right attitude and mindset.

Normally the Guadalupe River and this area of Texas in particular is a place people go for recreation—fishing, tubing, camping, etc.

“[Volunteers] can’t just view this area as the same place they go to play and swim. This is literally a graveyard. So we’re not going to just throw people’s stuff in piles and rejoice over it.” Dan stressed.

A shift happens when people realize that the physical work like debris clearing is an “access ministry”. The actual goal of Crisis Response is to have access to the deeper ministry of loving people and walking beside them as they work through the emotional, relational and spiritual pain.

That’s why ReachGlobal Crisis Response has the motto “people over project”-- a quick way of expressing that having the right attitude and priorities are key to sharing the love of Christ.

The Crisis Response staff and volunteers have worked tirelessly to physically make a difference. And more importantly, they’ve served in a way that those impacted by the flooding feel loved and cared for.

Here is what the 2nd floor of a camp looked like before the Crisis Response staff led a team to serve. Notice that the waterline is at about 7 ft.

Here’s what the same room looked like after the hard work...

Sadly, the owner of this camp passed away in the flooding. Her son, Doug* (name changed for privacy) thanked all the volunteers saying, "You have not only ministered to me, but to all the thousands of people who have grown up in this place in the summers."

Thank you so much for being a part of making a lasting difference in Doug’s life and others impacted by these floods. 

Thank you also for being part of a larger movement to unite the local churches to pour out the love of Christ on their hurting communities over the long term road to recovery.  

Please continue to pray that many people will find the ultimate healing that comes with a relationship with Jesus Christ. Please prayerfully consider continuing to support this valuable ministry through the Texas Hill Country Flood Response.