Rev. Franklin Graham: Harvey's Devastation 'Almost Hard to Describe'

The Rev. Franklin Graham, as head of charity Samaritan's Purse, has seen catastrophes around the world, but said Monday the situation in Texas in the wake of Hurricane Harvey is "almost hard to describe to people."

"This is such a mess, and people don't realize that floods are the worst," Graham told Fox News' "Fox and Friends" program. "Once the water recedes, it's the mud, it's the mold that begins to take over [the] house, and it takes weeks to clean out some of these homes, and it can take months before you can even repair it because the house has to dry out."

The recovery in Texas will take several years, and will be a long process, Graham pointed out.

"Samaritan's Purse, we're in Victoria right now," Graham said. "We have chaplains right now in shelters praying with people, encouraging people. People don't know what to do. And they're sitting in these shelters and their homes, they've lost their homes, they've lost everything they've worked for their whole lives. Their businesses."

Those people don't only need help now, but for months to come, said the evangelist and son of the Rev. Billy Graham, and the number one thing to do is pray.

"We need prayer," Graham said. "The rain is still coming, and right now for parts of Houston and to the east of that, it's only going to get worse, so pray. That's what I want to encourage."

All of the organizations responding need financial help to keep helping the victims of Hurricane Harvey and its aftermath, said Graham.

"Right now, many of the areas are under [water]; they're rescuing people," Graham said. "What we're doing right now, we're staying out of the way of people that are involved in rescue. Our job is to come in once the water recedes and help them take their lives back."

Graham encouraged people wishing to donate or be involved in the relief effort to visit his organization's website.

Samaritan's Purse is a nondenominational evangelical Christian organization that has been providing spiritual and physical aid around the world since 1970, including at times of natural disasters, war, poverty, and famine.

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