In a now-viral video, Victoria White and Marquist Taylor gave a passionate, gospel performance at a Texas shelter for Harvey evacuees.
Surrounded by cots and people, White burst out powerful notes of the song “Spirit Break Out,” singing of hope and uplift. People nearby yelled “Amen” and clapped along.
“What do I see in their eyes? You know, when we first walked in the door, you may see a little bit of despair, some hopelessness, but by the time we leave, we’re seeing tons of joy, hope and love,” White, a volunteer with Others Outreach Missions told CNN’s Chris Cuomo.
White and Taylor were volunteers at the Lone Star Convention and Expo Center in Conroe, Texas. The singers’ homes are OK, but they were still moved to help people who are struggling after Harvey.
“I’m a Christian so we have a duty and assignment to love people everyday no matter what their color, their background or race, and what they’re driven,” said Taylor, vice president of Others Outreach Missions.
He said he has been touched by the responses from people at shelters who’ve gone through devastating losses.
“You can see the countenances on their faces. I’m moved by the fact that they’ve lost everything and some of them are trying to still crack a smile. It makes me more passionate, and it makes me want to go out and help as much as I can,” Taylor said.
Blown away by the social media response the performance has gotten, White made a call to action on her Facebook page: “Let God’s love and the people devastated by this tragedy continue to be the highlight of this video! Get out and SERVE if you can! If you’re in the Houston area and you can get out…..GO SERVE those who were impacted the most by this storm!”