As Hurricane Florence lashed the Carolinas, there was some good news in amongst the devastation as an evacuee came to faith in Christ.
The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA) said that an evacuee named only as Brandon was seeking shelter in Charlotte, North Carolina, when he asked one of the organization's chaplains for a Bible.
Chaplain Leo Grabowski said he gave Brandon the Bible and showed him how to use it. He also explained how he could have peace with God when he realized that the man did not have a personal relationship with the Lord.
'The light went on,' Grabowski said. 'He finally understood what it meant to be a Christian.'
The BGEA said ahead of the storm that 200 chaplains were on standby to offer practical and spiritual support in the aftermath.
Florence barreled into North Carolina on Friday and has since been downgraded to a tropical storm, but the heavy rains and winds continue to cause extensive damage. The storm has brought widespread flooding to the Carolinas and heavy rains are forecast to continue over the weekend, promising havoc for many days to come.
It is reported that at least five people are dead, including a baby. Heart-wrenching footage showed firefighters kneeling in prayer outside the home where a mother and her infant died after a tree fell on the house on Friday.
Despite the uncertainty, those affected have tried to stay positive and keep their faith in God.
Kristen Yarborough, a resident of the badly-hit Wilmington, North Carolina posted to Facebook: 'Love this beautiful place the Lord has given us to call home! My heart is still heavy and sad today, however our family is standing in faith that the Wind and the waves will obey the voice of the Lord and bow to His Name! Move along Florence, head back to sea! You're not welcome in Wilmington!'
Pastor Mike Ashcraft and his family decided to ride out the storm inside his church in Wilmington, despite the city lying directly in its path.
The pastor of Port City Community Church explained why the family decided to stay: 'We wanted to be here in the aftermath.'
He added, 'There's not much you can do with something like this except wait and see and hope and pray and trust.'
His wife, Julie, said: 'We actually did not even consider leaving, really.'
The Ashcrafts are making their church available for first responders and disaster relief ministries in the coming days.
