PORT ALSWORTH, AK — They came to Samaritan Lodge Alaska from across America sharing a common calling—law enforcement—and many similar stories of on-duty trauma: shootings, physical assaults, violent car accidents in pursuit of suspects.
All were showered with love and encouragement. Most important, the eternal hope found only in Christ and the trustworthiness of His Word were clearly communicated during the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association’s Law Enforcement Appreciation Retreat, in Port Alsworth, Alaska.
Eric Hubbard – BGEA. 19 years Law Enforcement Retired:
Law enforcement is a very stressful occupation. Law enforcement officers see things and hear things that they wish they never had to see and hear.
Donnie and Marie – Officer Charlotte, NC and wife:
The traumatic event that occurred consumed us and it tormented me for many years.
Aside from the normal stress, there’s added stress with all that’s been going on, especially in some of our bigger cities.
Ken and Sara – Sheriff’s Office, Sacramento and wife:
It just builds up. It becomes extra rocks in a backpack you’re carrying that’s just going to weigh you down until you break.
Allison Uribe – Wife of police officer
It might feel like the world is against you but there’s so many people that are not against you. There’s people for you.
Eric Hubbard
Our law enforcement marriage retreats are designed to encourage law enforcement officers and their spouses who have been through trauma.
Allen Scroggs – BGEA 10 years active LE duty
When you’re coming down the runway, you begin to see the entire town on the runway welcoming the plane.
Ken and Sara
By the time we got to our room we were crying. There was so much love and genuine love.
Allen Scroggs
It’s a very remote area, but yet a beautiful setting for a marriage retreat and all of the activities that we have planned for them.
J.Warner Wallace – Torrance Police Dept (ret) / Chaplain
If you saw the schedule you’d think well this is all a bit of fun. What is really is, it’s an avenue by which we can build community so we can get to the core and talk about trauma, talk about marriage. So a lot of the activities here are designed to help us be able to talk about those things.
A lot of the reasons why our marriages struggle comes down to communication.
Eric Hubbard
This retreat is a way to address some of those challenges and traumas that officers and their spouses experience.
J. Warner Wallace
Some of them are coming to the Lord allowing God to bring healing.
Since John’s shooting I haven’t been sleeping well and I slept here. I really slept. Getting baptized with my husband was amazing and I’m never going to forget this.
Tim and Tabby Warner – Officer Lubbock, TX and wife
The love that was shown, so much love.
It blew my mind. Hands down the best thing we could ever have done.
Just seeing what the Lord has done through these retreats so far is priceless.
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. It has since grown into an international network of chaplains in the U.S., U.K., Canada and Australia who are specifically trained to deal with crisis situations. They have deployed to more than 300 disaster sites, including shootings, floods, hurricanes, wildfires and tornadoes.
Read more news on Compassion Services and Christian Ministry on Missions Box.
Sources:
- Global News Alliance, Alaska-Based Law Enforcement Retreat Renews Faith, Marriages
- BGEA, National Law Enforcement Ministry