TUSCALOOSA, AL — Billy Graham chaplains are caring for Tuscaloosa and Dallas County locals in Alabama, United States in the aftermath of a series of tornadoes ripped through the area earlier this month.

“I feel better knowing that somebody is actually praying for me,” one resident said.

This past weekend, the Billy Graham Rapid Response Team (RRT) expanded ministry to three new locations after deadly storms produced more tornadoes on Thursday. Five people reportedly died.

“Pray for families whose loved ones were killed and for those who have lost so much in these storms,” Franklin Graham said on Facebook.

Chaplains are deploying to Southside, Alabama; Pelham, Alabama; and Newnan, Georgia.

“The state of Alabama was still reeling from last week’s tornadoes and now to get hit with another destructive storm system has a lot of people hurting and overwhelmed,” said RRT Assistant Director Josh Holland. “Our crisis-trained chaplains want to be there to visit with people, allow them to share their experiences, and to share the hope and peace that only God can provide.”

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 Humanitarian Services and Disaster Relief on Missions Box.