With heavy hearts, we raise our hands in prayer

Andy,

This past weekend, my heart broke as I read about the loss of life in Texas. When I was younger, my youth group made the 22-hour drive from Illinois to Ceta Canyon, Texas, for summer camp. I vividly remember one year when it rained heavily throughout the week. Positioned on sandy soil with little drainage and at the base of a canyon, we walked through a foot of water to get from building to building.

I can’t possibly imagine what the campers at Camp Mystic experienced, or how their families continue to grapple with grief. But I can easily picture myself, my friends, and my siblings trapped in a flood in Texas. I am both incredibly grateful to be alive and incredibly sad for the campers and others near Kerr County who were devastated by the flood.

In unsteady times, when pain and anguish threaten to overwhelm, we seek solace in prayer for those enduring incredible suffering. Right now, floods in Texas have claimed lives. Floods in South Sudan are spreading waterborne diseases, such as cholera. Nonprofits around the globe are bracing for a strong and deadly hurricane season.

When facing the worst that can happen, I don’t always know what to do. But I know this: we are strong together. We are strong in prayer, and we are strong in hope. We are strong in action, preparing to face tragedies head-on and offer solace, healing, and healthcare for survivors. Now more than ever, we need each other, and the world needs this community of thousands that comes together under the CMMB umbrella to offer prayer, comfort, and healing to those enduring tragedy.

In grace and peace,

Patrick Eckhardt
CMMB Staff