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Camp Mystic, those devastating videos and the role of faith during disasters

Camp Mystic, those devastating videos and the role of faith during disasters

USA Today2 days ago
Pink bedding drenched in mud. Stuffed animals meant for homesickness abandoned.
Photos and videos of Camp Mystic after the central Texas camp was caught in a deadly deluge over the weekend are going viral. At least 27 children and counselors died after the nearby Guadalupe River became a mass torrent of water that surged over 26 feet in less than an hour on Friday.
As some campers from the 99-year-old nondenominational Christian summer camp for girls evacuated, they sang the words "I want my world to know/the Lord of love/has come to me/I want to pass it on" to stay calm. As the girls sang, waves crashed where water shouldn't flow, tumbling through broken roads and structures turned inside-out.
The haunting video has gained over 700,000 views and thousands of comments, with many reactions embracing something fundamental to Camp Mystic: prayer.
"I'm not a 'religious' person but I'm extremely moved by these young ladies' faith and strength," said one comment. Others remarked on the song as a symbol of resilience and even-keeled stillness amid a terrible event.
These reactions are an important reminder of how religion can helps some people through difficult times, even for those who aren't normally spiritual, according to Mary Beth Werdel, associate professor of counseling at Fordham University. Research links religion is to positive outcomes after disasters, as engaging in faith helps people make sense of what's just happened.
"Prayer as a coping mechanism is really useful," said Werdel, who researches how religion leads us through stress and trauma. "Especially when other forms of coping are not available."
For people who have seemingly lost everything in a near-biblical flood, reaching for hymn or prayer is an active medium for healing when other mechanisms, like therapy, aren't easily accessible, Werdel said.
"Singing is a ritual," she said. "Religion in many ways gives people a roadmap to follow, structure to follow, in a time when stress and trauma make things very chaotic."
'Religion doesn't erase sadness'
The wide-ranging reactions online are an important reminder that everyone processes trauma differently. Not everyone finds peace through prayer right now. Some reacted to the scene at Camp Mystic by calling out flood warnings that came too late to save lives and decrying local climate change preparedness policies.
But it's not about choosing one versus the other, Werdel said. "We can be hopeful and moved by people's collective experience. And it can also be true that things can happen systemically ... religion's not going to stop the floodwaters."
She added singing can be powerful, but some may find themselves asking, "What type of God would allow this to happen?"
"Allow that question to stay with us," Werdel said. "Try not to find an answer right away ... It's OK to now have an answer."
Werdel recommends working through questions like those with a counselor or therapist. "Religion doesn't erase sadness [or loss]," she added. "But it can give you hope that loss isn't the final reality."
Prayer at the center of a community
Lorynn Divita's 17-year-old daughter was working as a food service worker at another camp about 50 miles away from Camp Mystic. Her daughter happened to have a day off when the flooding occurred and was off-site in an unaffected area. But Divita prayed following the realization it could have been her child.
Faith is the connective tissue for the area's summer camps, said Divita, an associate professor at Baylor University. These camps give kids opportunities to immerse themselves in nature and explore the tougher, unpredictable parts of life, she said. Parents often send their kids to these camps in the hope they will find the same joy and growth they did.
"This whole experience has taught us that we are not truly in control," she said. Prayer has helped, she added.
"While it doesn't answer the question of 'why,' the community fostered by [these camps] and the togetherness they have at least gives the solace of knowing they are not alone in feeling the feelings they have and confronting the trauma they've experienced," Divita said. "They are part of a community that cares for them and that is larger than themselves."
How to match prayers with action
The high number of prayer responses reflects how many people right now are moved by the losses at Camp Mystic and elsewhere in the flood zone, said Jamie Aten, executive director of Humanitarian Disaster Institute at Wheaton College. He says these expressions of prayer online are well-meaning, but people can also take those intentions into their real lives.
"I would also encourage that in addition to prayer, we look at best practices for how to take action," Aten said. This can mean finding trusted nonprofits and other groups to give our money and time to through donations and volunteering (here's how to help victims in Texas right now).
"There's something so truly powerful about just showing up," said Aten, a Hurricane Katrina survivor. "Know that your presence means more than any words you could ever say."
Think about what you can do right outside your door, Aten recommended. If you're moved to pray, try also to take this moment to reach out to a friend who has had a recent loss, for example.
How to cope with trauma after a natural disaster
While research shows Americans have been moving away from religion in recent years, for areas like central Texas, events like these can show the best examples experiencing love and loss with community, said Werdel.
But it's important to acknowledge faith, spirituality and coping is different for everyone. And faith isn't a fit for all people experiencing trauma, said Werdel.
The Anxiety and Depression Association of America offers some other strategies for coping with natural disasters:
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Man Has Been Searching for His Parents Since They Were Swept Away in Texas Flood. What He Wishes He Could Tell Him
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time4 hours ago

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Man Has Been Searching for His Parents Since They Were Swept Away in Texas Flood. What He Wishes He Could Tell Him

Robert Brake Jr. has been tirelessly searching for his parents since their cabin was destroyed by the floodwaters that swept through central Texas last week Robert Leroy Brake Sr. and Joni Kay Brake are among the more than 160 people who remain missing An additional 119 people have been confirmed deadA man is opening up about his tireless search for his parents after their cabin was swept away in the floods that tore through central Texas. Robert Brake Jr. told ABC News that his parents, Robert Leroy Brake Sr. and Joni Kay Brake, have not been heard from since Friday, July 4, when their cabin at the HTR campground in Kerrville was destroyed by the floodwaters. The couple are among the more than 160 people who are still missing following the flash floods; an additional 119 people have been confirmed dead. "My folks got washed away in their cabin," Robert Jr. told ABC News. On Wednesday, July 8, Texas officials confirmed in a news conference that over 160 people are still unaccounted for following the natural disaster. One of the hardest hit areas was Camp Mystic, a Christian girls' camp located in Texas Hill Country along the Guadalupe River. The camp perviously confirmed 27 girls and counselors were lost when the cabins were flooded. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Ryen Brake, one of Robert Sr. and Jon's grandchildren, spoke with ABC affiliate WFAA on Monday, July 7, sharing that his grandparents were visiting Kerr County for the first time when the floods hit. According to Ryen, they were in town to spend time with their son and his wife. 'The Fourth of July was a favorite holiday for our family, and unfortunately, I don't think that's going to be the case anymore,' he said. As for Robert Jr., even if he's not able to find his parents, he hopes he'll still be able to make a difference. "We came down to help," he told ABC News, sharing hope that he'll be able to help others find their loved ones and "have some closure and peace." In a separate interview with David Muir, Robert Jr. shared the one message he would like to send to his parents if he could. "Thank you... thank you for being such good parents. Thank you for raising such good children and instilling good values in us." To learn how to help support the victims and recovery efforts from the Texas floods, click here. Read the original article on People

Flash flooding claimed more than 100 lives in Central Texas. Here's what we know about the victims
Flash flooding claimed more than 100 lives in Central Texas. Here's what we know about the victims

Yahoo

time6 hours ago

  • Yahoo

Flash flooding claimed more than 100 lives in Central Texas. Here's what we know about the victims

AUSTIN (KXAN) — At least 119 people across Central Texas are confirmed dead, including dozens of children who were attending summer camp in the Hill Country, after a weekend of catastrophic flooding. The flash flooding deluged summer camps in Kerr County, dotted along the Guadalupe River, and also left families in Burnet, Kendall, Tom Green, Travis and Williamson Counties looking for family members swept away in the floodwaters. State officials are still hoping to find people alive as crews enter their fourth day of searching. MAP: Where have flash flooding fatalities been confirmed in Texas? Kerr County officials said at least 95 people died in flash flooding over the Fourth of July weekend — 36 of whom are children. At least 161 others remain missing. Camp Mystic is a nearly century-old all-girls Christian camp on the banks of the Guadalupe River. The camp has been run by couple, Dick and Tweety Eastland, since they purchased it in 1974. The grandson of Dick Eastland confirmed on social media his grandfather died 'saving the girls that he so loved and cared for.' New images show aftermath of Camp Mystic flooding In a message posted Monday morning, Camp Mystic said it was grieving the loss of 27 campers and counselors. 'Our hearts are broken alongside our families that are enduring this unimaginable tragedy. We are praying for them constantly,' the post stated. On social media, several families across Texas have confirmed that their daughters did not survive the historic flooding that deluged the camp, including Mary Grace Baker, Anna Margaret Bellows, Lila Bonner, Hadley Hanna, Janie Hunt, Lainey Landry, Hanna and Rebecca Lawrence, Sarah Marsh, Linnie McCown, Blakely McCrory, Wynne Naylor, Eloise Peck, Renee Smajstrla, Mary Stevens and Greta Toranzo. Hundreds gathered outside Casis Elementary School on Sunday to mourn 8-year-old Austin ISD student Linnie McCown. Her father said on Instagram the Mystic camper, 'filled [their] hearts with so much joy we cannot begin to explain.' The family of Mary Stevens, a Mystic camper and student at Highland Park Elementary School, confirmed on social media that she was among those who did not survive the flooding. Stevens' mother wrote on Instagram, 'Our world is shattered, but I have peace getting your letters and knowing you were having the time of your life at camp and had a dance party with all of your friends before the Lord decided to take you from us.' St. Anne Catholic School in Beaumont confirmed Mary Grace Baker was among those killed at Camp Mystic. 'Mary Grace was a bright light in our close-knit school family, known for her kindness and friendship to all, her joyful spirit and her love for her faith and family,' the school posted on Instagram. 'Her giggle was contagious, as was her spirit.' The mother of Anna Margaret Bellows, 8, confirmed to KXAS that her daughter's body had been recovered. Lila Bonner's family told KXAN, 'We ache with all who loved her and are praying endlessly for others to be spared from this tragic loss.' The family of Hadley Hanna, 8, confirmed she was among those killed. 'While we are deeply moved by the outpouring of support from neighbors, first responders and volunteers, we ask that the media, the public and even well-meaning individuals honor our need for space and quiet during this time,' a statement from the family read. Janie Hunt was attending Camp Mystic along with several of her cousins, according to a message from U.S. Congressman Buddy Carter posted on X. Hunt's family said about her on social media, 'God of grace and comfort, we thank you for our little niece, Janie Hunt and for the place she held in all our hearts.' Nine-year-old Lainey Landry was also killed in the flooding at Camp Mystic, a Facebook post by St. George Catholic Church in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, said. Eight-year-old twins Hanna and Rebecca Lawrence were among the victims at Camp Mystic, their grandfather told NBC News. Their older sister was also at camp, but was safely evacuated. 'Hanna and Rebecca gave their [family] so much joy,' the grandfather said. 'They and that joy can never be forgotten.' The Mayor of the City of Mountain Brook, Alabama, said on Instagram that Sarah Marsh, 8, was a student at Cherokee Bend Elementary. Mayor Welch said, 'This is an unimaginable loss for her family, her school and our entire community. Sarah's passing is a sorrow shared by all of us, and our hearts are with those who knew and loved her.' Blakely McCrory, 8, was also among those killed at Camp Mystic, her mother confirmed on Facebook. 'While we find some comfort in the knowledge that Blakely is happy, safe and secure in the arms of Jesus, we are beyond shattered and will miss her with every breath we take for the rest of our lives.' The family of Wynne Naylor confirmed to KXAS that their daughter was killed. 'There are no words to express our gratitude to everyone who supported Wynne and our entire family through this time,' a statement from the family read. 'Wynne has a great love of the outdoors, a love of God and love for her community.' The family of Eloise Peck confirmed she had been found dead. 'It is with a heavy heart that I let you know that Eloise Peck has been found and is now an angel,' a statement from the family said. A family member of Renee Smajstrla confirmed she was among the victims, writing on Facebook, 'While not the outcome we prayed for, the social media outreach likely assisted the first responders in helping to identify her so quickly.' The family member went on to say, '[Renee] will forever be living her best life at Camp Mystic.' The parents of Greta Toranzo shared on Facebook that her daughter was among those killed. 'Greta was thrilled to return to Camp Mystic for a third summer this year,' her parents said. 'She was overjoyed to be reunited with her camp friends for weeks of fun, laughter, sports and sisterhood.' At least one Camp Mystic counselor was also killed during the flash floods, according to her family. Chloe Childress, 19, was a former camper who had become a camp counselor. In a statement, her family said she 'lived a beautiful life that saturated those around her with contagious joy, unending grace, and abiding faith.' Bailey Martin was a police officer in Odessa, Texas. Nexstar station KMID reported that Martin, his girlfriend, Jayda, his father, Bobby Martin, and his stepmother, Amanda Martin, were visiting a campground in Kerrville to celebrate the Fourth of July weekend when their RV was swept away in the flash floods. The Odessa Police Department said on Tuesday Martin was found dead. 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'She loved our residents dearly and was an invaluable part of our mission. We are deeply grateful to the rescue workers and first responders who worked tirelessly to bring her home.' The Williamson County Sheriff's Office also recovered the body of Kaitlyn Swallow, 22, of Liberty Hill. Emergency management officials in Burnet County say five people are dead after flash flooding hit their county. Officials confirmed that ranch worker Preston Prince, 22, lost his life. Malaya Hammond, 17, and Walter Reed, 79, were also named among the victims. The son of William 'Govani' Venus, 57, confirmed to KXAN's Kevin Baskar that his father was among those killed. In a Facebook post, his son said Venus was a 33-year retired CSM Army veteran who had been deployed five times. A fifth victim has not yet been identified. One other person remains missing — Marble Falls Area Volunteer Fire Department Chief Michael Phillips, who was swept away during a water rescue. 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Bethel Church removes teen from leadership role, outs him as gay to unaffiliated camp, family says
Bethel Church removes teen from leadership role, outs him as gay to unaffiliated camp, family says

Chicago Tribune

time7 hours ago

  • Chicago Tribune

Bethel Church removes teen from leadership role, outs him as gay to unaffiliated camp, family says

Bryce Fech said he had spent the morning of June 27 rushing around Wal-Mart with his mom and sister to buy toiletries and care-package items for a week-long stay at Twin Lakes camp. Over an Olive Garden lunch, Bryce, 14, told his mom how much he was looking forward to returning to Twin Lakes, a Christian summer camp in Hillsboro, Indiana. His favorite memory of summer 2024 was going to Twin Lakes Camp, he said, and he was looking forward to this year's camp because he would finally be able to participate in events in the same age group as his 17-year-old sister. 'I had just such a good time at camp. I made such good friends. I got along with each and every single person in my cabin,' Bryce said. Later that afternoon, Bryce said he was getting ready to go swim in the backyard pool of his dad's Crown Point home and texting his friends to let them know he would be out of pocket while at camp. As he was about to jump into the pool, his mom Nicole Fech told him the heartbreaking news: He was turned away from attending Twin Lakes Camp this summer because Melissa Anderson, the director of kids ministry at Bethel Church in Crown Point, where the Fech family used to attend, called camp officials to inform them that Bryce is gay. 'The thing that irks me is, we haven't talked to her in a year and a half, and she's a grown woman who decided to take time out of her day and call the camp because this was such a big issue to her,' Bryce said. Bethel Church officials and Anderson did not respond to multiple attempts for comment. Jim Patten, the director of Twin Lakes camp, did not respond to multiple attempts for comment. Rev. Leah Peksenak, who leads Marquette Park United Methodist Church and Hobart First United Methodist Church and is the president of Northwest Indiana Pride Fest Inc., said it is 'unusual' for church leaders to reach out to an outside entity, after the person left the church, to share information about them. 'What is really unusual is that this person would go above and beyond to contact the camp … to out this minor who isn't under their pastoral care,' Peksenak said. Bethel Church About 16 years ago, before Bryce was born, the Fech family started going to Bethel Church in Crown Point, Nicole Fech said. Shortly after joining the church, Nicole Fech said she started serving in the church's children's ministry, and even served while pregnant with Bryce. 'So he literally grew up in Bethel Church,' Nicole Fech said. When he was 3 years old, Bryce said he joined the church's youth group called Awana, in addition to attending service. Once he was older, Bryce said he became an Awana leader, and he really enjoyed teaching the children. 'It was a very welcoming environment. I never felt unwelcomed,' Bryce said. 'I felt really loved there, and I really enjoyed going.' The day before Easter in 2023, Bryce said he was watching a movie with his mom when he turned to her and told her he was gay. Nicole Fech said with a laugh that he just blurted it out. The two hugged and kissed, and nothing has changed, Bryce said. In November 2023, Bryce said he came out to his dad Matt Fech in the car after theatre practice. Matt Fech told his son he loved him and gave him a hug and a kiss. 'Nothing really changed with family dynamics at all. I'm very lucky,' Bryce said. On Feb. 14, 2024, Nicole Fech said she was scheduled to lead the church's Love Your Leader night, where she would lead about 300 kids in devotion and show love for their leaders. That afternoon, Nicole Fech said she received multiple text messages from Anderson that they had to talk as soon as possible. When she received the text messages, Nicole Fech said her motherly instinct was that Bryce and his sister Kenna Fech likely got into some adolescent trouble. She texted them asking if they knew what Anderson was reaching out about. Kenna texted back that she had no clue. Then, jokingly, Kenna texted back that it's likely a call about the fact that Bryce is gay. Nicole Fech said when she called Anderson to talk, Anderson opened the conversation with, 'This is going to be a hard conversation.' 'I immediately knew. Immediately,' Nicole Fech said. 'That's when I told her, 'It's not going to be a hard conversation for me. But we can have this conversation.'' Anderson said that children in the church were talking about how Bryce had a boyfriend, and she asked if that was true, Nicole Fech said. When Nicole Fech confirmed, Anderson asked if she could 'walk beside him and pray with him.' 'I told her, 'No, Melissa. That's not the way it works,'' Nicole Fech said. 'She basically told me that because it conflicts with our theology, and with our doctrine and our rules, he can't serve.' Nicole Fech said that Bryce was a leader at the time, so he was supposed to go to the church later that evening to participate in the Love Your Leader program. When she got home after work, Nicole Fech said she told Bryce about her conversation with Anderson, stressing that what Anderson said didn't reflect how the Lord felt about him. The whole family decided not to attend the Love Your Leader program that evening, Nicole Fech said. They haven't returned to Bethel Church since the phone call, she said. Bryce said it was hard to hear that he couldn't serve anymore because he was gay, and he felt hurt by it. But, Bryce said he was happy that his sister immediately said she wouldn't attend the leadership program if he couldn't go. 'I was hurt by the church, but I felt very loved at home and by all my friends,' Brye said. 'It was very bittersweet.' Twin Lakes In June, about a year and a half since the Fech family stopped attending Bethel Church, Nicole Fech said that Anderson reached out to her because the church received a list of children registered in the church's name attending Twin Lakes. Bryce, who attended the camp in summer 2024 and registered as a Bethel Church parishioner, was on the list for this summer, Anderson said. Nicole Fech said that Anderson asked if the home church could be changed. Because Bryce and his sister had been attending the camp for many years, previously under Bethel Church, when she registered them again for this summer, a lot of the information was pre-filled out, Nicole Fech said. Nicole Fech said she texted Anderson to let her know that she didn't realize that her children were still listed as Bethel Church parishioners, but that she had called the camp and given officials the children's new home church. But Nicole Fech said Anderson kept calling her. In a text message, Anderson said she wanted to talk about Bryce 'because I know from our last discussion that Bryce was involved in a same sex relationship and chose this lifestyle with your approval.' 'We have an obligation to let the camp know as this would go against their Biblical standards and policies. Is Bryce still living in this lifestyle? If so, I would like to request that you call the camp and let them know and talk to them about it,' Anderson wrote, in part. Nicole Fech texted back that the family no longer belongs to Bethel Church, so Anderson doesn't have anything to worry about. Anderson texted back that she would like Nicole Fech to call camp officials to inform them that Bryce is gay, or that she would call to 'let them know of (her) concerns.' 'I want you to know that I would be doing the same for any child that is attending camp where I am concerned that the camp should be aware of something. This gives the camp the ability to be best prepared for what is needed for the child and for the camp,' Anderson wrote. Nicole Fech texted back that there was no concern because 'Bryce loves the Lord and is going to have a wonderful time.' She reminded Anderson that Bryce has attended the camp for years. 'If you call, Melissa – how disgusting,' Nicole Fech wrote back. 'What is your goal here, Melissa? That you block Bryce from going to church camp? That you isolate him from being able to participate in learning more about the Lord and making new friends?' Matt Fech, an attorney, said he wrote a cease and desist letter to Bethel Church to stop them from contacting the camp on the family's behalf. On Friday, June 27, two days before Bryce and Kenna were supposed to leave for camp, Nicole Fech said she got a phone call and Twin Lakes flashed on her screen. She said she immediately knew what the call was about. Patten, the camp director, was on the other line and asked if she had a moment to talk. Nicole Fech immediately asked if he was calling to tell her that Anderson had called him and now Bryce can't come to camp anymore. Nicole Fech said she asked Patten what his concerns were about Bryce attending the camp. After 'beating around the bush,' Nicole Fech said Patten told her Bryce would be put 'in a situation of temptation' if he attended camp because he would be sharing a cabin with other boys. When she heard that, Nicole Fech said she became upset about the conservative, Christian stance that being a member of the LGBTQ community is all about sex. Ultimately, she said she hung up on Patten. 'I was not nice. I probably lost some of my Christianity on that phone call,' Nicole Fech said. But, Nicole Fech said her heart immediately dropped because, after spending the morning getting all the final items they needed for camp, she had to tell her son – for the second time – that he's being excluded for being gay. The aftermath What perplexes her, Nicole Fech said, is that Anderson went out of her way to call the camp a year and a half after the family left the church. To her, it feels like a violation of Bryce's civil rights, Nicole Fech said. 'I can't believe this is happening,' Nicole Fech said. 'The fact that she did this a year and a half later, when we have no affiliation with the church, is absolutely, jaw-droppingly, astoundingly inappropriate in all the ways.' Actions like this, Nicole Fech said, lead to people feeling church hurt and excluded from religion. But the message of all this, Nicole Fech said, was best summed up by a friend who said, 'Jesus doesn't practice selective grace, he embraces radical inclusion.' Matt Fech said what bothers him is that Bethel Church didn't raise an issue last year when Bryce went to camp. 'This is a conscious decision by them to take affirmative steps to make sure that Bryce doesn't get to go to camp,' Matt Fech said. 'One of the things that I have been so proud of Bryce is the maturity with which he has handled all of this. It's really been incredible. You always want your kids to handle adversity with grace and dignity, and how Bryce has handled this situation over the last year and a half has been incredible to watch.' Peksenak said it's 'commonplace' for conservative Christian church officials to remove LGBTQ members from leadership positions once they are made aware of how a person identifies. When it comes to disclosing information about a minor, Peksenak said church leaders are held 'to strict confidentiality' unless the minor expresses harm to themselves, harm to others or reports abuse. 'You are expected to hold that sacred,' Peksenak said. 'The bar is so high, you don't break confidentiality unless you have a good reason, and this isn't a good reason.' Unfortunately, church officials police themselves so it's unlikely any action will be taken by Bethel Church against Anderson, Peksenak said. The impact of such actions, Peksenak said, is that people in the LGBTQ community and their families 'don't want anything to do with the church anymore.' Bryce, who was interviewed July 4, the day he should've been returning from camp, said he wanted to share his story to remind those in similar situations that they are not alone and they are loved. 'I don't need a pity party for this. I want people to just know what happened and know if this has happened to them, they are not alone, and this happens a lot, which is very unfortunate,' Bryce said. 'Gay people are nothing more than a beacon of light and love.'

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