The White House Faith Office responded to the tragic flash flooding in Central Texas with a Biblical message of encouragement, reminding those affected by the disaster that God is near to the brokenhearted while urging Americans to pray for the dozens of Texans who are still missing in the wake of the floods.
For background, disaster struck between July 4 and 6, 2025, when devastating floods hit the Texas Hill Country, leaving at least 82 people dead, including counselors and campers at Camp Mystic, an all-girls Christian summer camp located along the Guadalupe river, with at least 10 girls and a counselor reportedly still missing.
In response to the tragedy, the White House Faith Office shared a statement with The Christian Post, urging Americans to “join us in prayer for the precious lives lost” and adding, “Amidst this tragedy, our nation must come together to pray for the victims, their families, and the first responders conducting rescue missions to find those still missing.”
Concluding its statement, the Faith Office quoted Psalm 34:18, saying, “May God wrap his loving arms around all those in Texas. The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.” Moreover, Texas Governor Greg Abbott, a devout Christian, urged “every Texan” to join him in prayer “for the lives lost, for those still missing, for the recovery of our communities, and for the safety of those on the front lines.”
Continuing, Gov. Abbott proclaimed that July 6, 2025, was a statewide day of prayer, adding, “Our hearts as a people are collectively aching for the families of loved ones who are still missing or who perished in the floods, and for the first responders who are putting their lives on the line to recover the lost.”
In addition, the governor said that it was “right and fitting” for Texans to “join with others from across the country and around the world to seek God’s wisdom for ourselves and our leaders.” He went on to call for ardent prayer “for God’s peace and comfort upon those who experienced devastating loss” and urged Christians “to ask for His merciful intervention and healing in this time of crisis.”
Furthermore, Pope Leo XIV reportedly shared his condolences for those affected by the disaster and offered prayers, saying, “I would like to express sincere condolences to all the families who have lost loved ones, in particular their daughters who were in summer camp, in the disaster caused by the flooding of the Guadalupe River in Texas in the United States. We pray for them.”
According to the Associated Press, Kerr County, Texas, Sheriff Larry Leitha pledged to continue the search for missing individuals “until everybody is found,” with a reported 41 people still unaccounted for across Texas, including campers and one counselor from Camp Mystic. Moreover, the Associated Press confirmed that emergency responders have found the bodies of 68 people, including 28 children, according to Sheriff Leitha.
Watch Gov. Abbott’s response to the flooding:
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