FARMINGTON, PA — From personal tragedies like disease, suicide and financial difficulties to catastrophes on a massive scale such as shootings, fires and floods, many Christians may feel unprepared to offer comfort and hope to those who are grieving and in despair.

On May 4, the Billy Graham Rapid Response Team (BG-RRT) – a nationwide network of crisis-trained chaplains ready to deploy whenever disaster strikes – will hold an instructional session at Spring Valley Community Center, titled “Sharing Hope in Crisis.” This one-day seminar will equip Christians to help those who are suffering.

“We want people to be ready to share the compassion and love of Jesus Christ,” said Kevin Williams, manager of training and community engagement with the BG-RRT. “Suffering and tragedy are all around us. It could be a loved one with cancer, the death of a friend, a job loss or a divorce. As people desperately seek answers to life’s problems, it is critical that we be able to know how to respond and share God’s hope and comfort with them. It’s important people know God loves them.”

The training will take place 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, May 4, at Spring Valley Community Center, 100 Spring Valley Road, Farmington, PA 15437. Seminar topics include:

• A Biblical view of suffering
• Effects of trauma
• Places of grief
• Listening skills
• A ministry of hope
• What to say and what not to say

The event is free. For more information and to register online, please visit BillyGraham.org/RRTSharingHopeinCrisis.

BG-RRT Press Kit

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 800 disaster sites across the globe, including shootings, floods, hurricanes, wildfires and tornadoes. For more information on the Billy Graham Rapid Response Team, including videos, photos, news articles and interactive map of former and current deployments, visit www.billygraham.org/rrt. Updates can also be found at www.facebook.com/RRTchaplains.

Media Opportunities

• Interview with Kevin Williams, manager of training and community engagement with the BG-RRT
• B-Roll and photos of deployments (please use with credit to Billy Graham Evangelistic Association)
• Interview request form

Media Contact: Lisa Moseley, lmoseley@bgea.org

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