the bus in which they traveled caught fire, just as Christians began a National Emergency Prayer Assembly.
American news reports quoted police officials as saying that the passenger bus was "rocked by
explosions" early Friday, September 23, on a gridlocked highway near Dallas.
"Deputies were unable to get everyone off the bus," Dallas County Sheriff’s Department spokesman Don Peritz told reporters, adding that he believes 24 people were killed, but that this number could change.
They were among up to two million people in Texas and Louisiana who were urged to flee for Hurricane Rita, one of the largest exodus in recent US history, amid fears she could cripple the heart of the nation’s petrochemical industry and overshadow Christian relief efforts.
Christians were also believed to flee and there were fears that church buildings would be destroyed in the troubled area, as happened during Hurricane Katrina.
As the hurricane began to effect several areas, the Christian Emergency Network (CEN) partnered with the National Prayer Committee Friday, September 23, for what it described as a "National Emergency Prayer Assembly," an initiative to gather believers around America in prayer.
DEVESTATING STORM
"Hurricane Rita looms as a storm that could be the most devastating in US history," said Mary Marr, the CEO of CEN, a platform of 5,000 relief organizations, ministries and media outlets as well as 47,000 churches. However "we are seeing not only the consequences of not being prepared, but we also are witnessing what occurs when well-meaning people respond impulsively: they are not trained, often get in the way, and can easily fall prey to scams."
She said prayer was essential as "we must respond with a biblical model, especially when the disaster we face has been described as a tragedy of “biblical proportions” by at least one U.S. senator and countless others. That model – upon which CEN is founded – is that of prayer-care-share. In short, if we are first prayerful, God will lead us to care and share appropriately."
Forecasters said earlier it appeared Houston and Galveston areas could avoid a direct hit as Rita veered slightly to the east, threatening its 140 miles per hour (224 kilometers per hour) winds at the Beaumont and Port Arthur area about 75 miles (120 kilometers) east of Houston.
CEN "has set up a page on its website to allow Christians to share their prayer pleas so that believers can unite in prayer and model the example set by the disciples," Marr added. Rita also will make it difficult to continue one of America’s largest Christian relief operation ever in several areas, which was launched in the aftermath of Katrina’s destruction, warned at least one organization.
SEVERE WEATHER
"Hurricane Rita has taken a northern/eastern jog and our home base, Port Mercy at Lake Charles is now in danger of receiving severe weather with a predicted possible 15′ surge on the Calcasieu River where our base is located," said the Christian aid organization Friend Ships.
"We are making the necessary preparations and most crew will transfer to the ships in Gretna at New Orleans. Our office is especially at risk so the computers will be removed and moved to the ship Hope. stored aboard ship," it added.
News of the setback for the mission organization came as the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association’s (BGEA) Rapid Response Team (RRT) of chaplains, said one of "the next critical needs facing the ministry" was the need for pastors and other Christian counselors.
"We’re experiencing a need that is far greater in scope in the multitudes of people than ever before. The degree of devastation to these people’s lives is beyond what we’ve seen in the past, even with other hurricanes,” said Jack Munday, responsible for orchestrating the deployment of the counselors for BGEA, which was founded by American evangelist Billy Graham. “I heard it said today that Jesus never walked by one person that was hurting. That is our desire. Not to walk by anyone either,” Munday added in a message posted on the CEN website.
GOVERNMENT LIMITED
Marr stressed that Christians should "recognize that governmental authorities will be overwhelmed and [that despite the difficulties authorities] will be counting upon Christian ministries, churches and other nonprofits to help fill the many needs that the government is not equipped or allowed to meet."
She stressed CEN had hosted nationwide debriefings and collaboration meetings this week where "many CEN partners representing media, city leaders, and churches expressed concerns about providing long-term care and spiritual guidance."
"The most obvious area where the government can not meet needs is the most important – spiritual," she said. "While all indications are that local, state and national governments have learned from errors made in the wake of Katrina, and are better prepared this time to provide aid and guidance, Christians are uniquely positioned to respond with the most important message: Whatever one’s circumstances, if they will put their trust in Jesus, they will experience an unprecedented sense of peace and confidence in their eternal destination."
On earth meanwhile Americans were expecting to lose many properties and homes, officials warned. (With reports from the United States and BosNewsLife Research).
