Kerr County

Texas Flood Response And How To Help

Rick TryonLeave a comment

Catholic Church Response

  • The Archdiocese of San Antonio called on Catholics to pray “for all those affected,” especially for victims, the missing, and their families. Archbishop Gustavo García‑Siller and Auxiliary Bishop Boulette visited Kerrville, while Notre Dame Church in Kerrville opened its gym as an emergency shelter, with Catholic Charities providing food, clothing, hygiene kits, and water.
  • Special Masses were held on July 6, and priests from the Diocese of Beaumont and Austin encouraged prayers, invoked Our Lady of Prompt Succor, and launched additional fundraising efforts across the region aleteia.org.

Southern Baptist & Texas Baptist Relief

  • Southern Baptists of Texas Disaster Relief (SBTC DR) mobilized immediately:
    • A Quick Response Unit arrived July 4–5 in Kerrville and San Saba, offering meals, chaplaincy services, damage assessment, cleaning crews, shower and laundry facilities.
    • They partnered with First Baptist Kerrville, coordinating with pastor Joey Tombrella, and plan extended ‘mud-out’ and recovery efforts as waters recede.
  • Texas Baptists’ “Texans On Mission” deployed chaplains and assessors as early as July 7, preparing feeding, shower/laundry, recovery crews, and infrastructure teams. Local pastors are actively registering volunteers to support flood relief.

Evangelical Christian Leaders & Organizations

  • Franklin Graham of Samaritan’s Purse and BGEA led prayers with DHS Secretary Kristi Noem inside a Kerrville church. His teams are hosting volunteers beginning July 8 for mud-out and cleanup; a second relief site is being set up in San Angelo.
  • Samaritan’s Purse has deployed North American Ministries and BGEA Rapid Response Teams, coordinating with local churches like Kerrville Bible Church, with on-site cleanup and spiritual support still underway.
  • An article in Crosswalk compiled statements from six Christian leaders urging prayer, trusting in God’s hope, emphasizing both immediate comfort and long-term salvation amid tragedy crosswalk.com.

Other Denominations & Churches

  • Episcopal Church leaders called for prayers and donations to support flood-stricken communities. Episcopal News Service quoted leaders asking congregations to “please pray” and contribute toward relief episcopalnewsservice.org.
  • Many local Protestant churches joined long-term recovery efforts, working alongside Baptist and evangelical groups to support victims beyond initial rescue .

Summary

There has been a broad, ecumenical response across Christian communities:

  • Prayer & spiritual care: daily Masses, prayers in churches, visits by bishops, and pastoral support for grieving families.
  • Physical aid & logistics: emergency shelters, feeding, hygiene services, cleanup and “mud-out” crews, volunteer coordination, chaplains, and equipment.
  • Samaritan’s Purse and Southern Baptist/Texas Baptist ministries are leading the operational efforts, working through local church partnerships.
  • Ongoing recovery: after immediate rescue, longer-term rebuilding and spiritual care will continue as floodwaters recede.

Kerr County Flood Relief Fund

Why Does God Allow Children To Drown?

Rick Tryon1 Comment

The latest from CNN as of Sunday afternoon: At least 80 people have died in connection with the flash floods that struck central Texas early Friday, according to officials. The toll includes at least 21 children in Kerr County, where 11 girls and one counselor are still missing from Camp Mystic, authorities said.

An often-asked question: “How could anyone believe in an all-powerful, loving God who would allow so much evil and suffering in the world?“

That’s a very difficult question, and there are countless books, articles, sermons, doctoral theses, movies, songs, and philosophical/theological debates on that subject (often referred to as theodicy or the problem of suffering), dating back centuries, that attempt to answer it.

The typical and extremely simplistic reasoning offered by some Christians as to why God would allow children at a Christian camp to drown goes something like this: “Well, God needed more angels in heaven.”

I believe that explanation is light-years away from the truth—and could even be considered inappropriately cavalier.

For me, beginning to understand the “why” of it all starts with this simple proposition: in order for there to be a level playing field where human beings are able to exercise actual free will, the conditions that create the possibility for failure, tragedy, and death must exist. Free agency is meaningless if there are no possible negative consequences resulting from human choices.

Matthew 5:45 – “For He maketh His sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.”

God is entirely just, and He has committed Himself to abiding by the conditions that allow free agency—and the processes of nature in a now fallen creation—to operate.

God doesn’t break His own rules, and He absolutely has a grand purpose in mind, which He will bring to pass by His own power and in His own time.

For now, we live in a broken and fallen world, and sometimes it’s nearly impossible for us to see light through all the darkness, given our very limited understanding—but a day certain is coming when we will know, even as we are known.