ROCKSPRINGS, Texas (BP) – Flash flooding that wiped out the only road to a Texas Hill Country adventure camp last week prompted a call for help that led to a ride that 325 middle schoolers will never forget.
The student ministry of Houston’s First Baptist Church neared the end of its Camp Rush, held at Camp Eagle, when heavy rains led to flash flooding. The result was the loss of the road connecting campers with the seven charter buses that brought them.
Students were never in danger, but plans took shape that enlisted help stretching from the state to the federal level. It included U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, a member of Houston’s First, as well as State Sen. Paul Bettencourt, State Rep. Wes Virdell, Real County Judge Bella Rubio, and numerous first responders, companies and individuals.
On July 18, amphibious all-terrain vehicles called SHERPs rumbled back and forth across the washed-out road to transport students to buses.
The next day, Senior Pastor Gregg Matte shared a list in a message of thanks during services, noting that students won’t forget this week of camp.
“Many of them said it was the most fun part of camp they had,” he said. “But it took a lot [of help] and it has been a stressful weekend to get them home within 24 hours of when they were supposed to get home.”
Campers left for the trip a little over a week after the one-year anniversary of Hill Country flooding that claimed at least 136 lives. That event re-energized a focus on weather preparedness, like the information provided by Camp Eagle.
Steven Murray, a church member who attends the Cyprus campus of Houston’s First, shared on Instagram how church leaders kept parents informed last week, and anxiety at a minimum.
“The staff kept parents updated via a designated GroupMe,” he wrote. “Shout out to Tommy Kersten from our Cypress Campus for keeping us informed and for showing by video how high the camp facilities are above the river.”
In a post on X, Cruz called it “an extraordinary Texas rescue operation.”
“First responders rolled in SHERPs — massive all-terrain vehicles with giant inflatable tires built to cross ground no ordinary truck can touch,” he said.
“The SHERPs drove down the washed-out road. Picked up the campers in groups. Carried them to the firetrucks. The firetrucks got them to the county road where seven buses were waiting to take them home to Houston.
“Every camper and volunteer made it home safe. … Our office was proud to play a small part. Praise God they’re all home.”
Matte called for prayer for those who experienced worse. At least two deaths were confirmed from the same weather system, with emergency crews executing more than 200 water rescues.
At the same time, he praised the swift response that helped students get home.
“A lot of times we hear a lot of complaints about the government [and the separation of] church and state, like we’re at war,” he said. “We could not have done [this operation] without the help of many people from [the] federal level to [the] local level.”
