Bishop D.D. Hayes of DFW International Airport’s Interfaith Chaplaincy to Attend Global Airport Chaplain’s Conference in Cape Town, South Africa
DFW INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, Texas, Aug. 28 /PRNewswire/ — Bishop D.D. Hayes of DFW’s Interfaith Chaplaincy is spreading the word on the Airport’s spiritual mission in South Africa and Botswana beginning August 29th, participating in the global meeting of the International Association of Aviation Civil Chaplaincy. Bishop Hayes and his team of multi-denominational pastors have built the DFW ministry into what is considered the global model for airport programs.
Bishop Hayes, Secretary of the Association’s executive board, will also be spreading the word on DFW, which will host the meeting next year on the chaplaincy’s 30th anniversary in North Texas.
“Airport chaplains around the world have played a integral part in the care and compassion of travelers, especially since the tragic events of 9/11 five years ago,” said Bishop Hayes. “The latest security threat in Britain earlier this month demonstrated again how important our men and women of the cloth can be in airport terminals around the world in a time of crisis.”
The chaplains will spend a week in Cape Town, South Africa discussing the growth of their programs, relationships with airports and governments, and new developments in airport ministries. Then, Bishop Hayes and several other chaplains head to Botswana to lead seminars at a government-sponsored AIDS conference on how churches and public agencies can work together to halt the spread of the disease.
“D.D. Hayes and his team are an inspiration to us all and a comforting, compassionate force at our Airport,” said Jeff Fegan, CEO of DFW International Airport. “We are very proud that D.D. can take his expertise from the world’s third busiest airport and assist others around the world. And we will look forward to hosting the airport chaplain’s conference next year.”
The DFW Interfaith Chaplaincy includes 12 volunteer pastors who lead services across five airport terminals. The group also attends to the five chapels at DFW, including the new facility in International Terminal D. In addition, the chaplains minister to more than 6,000 members of the U.S. military and their families each month as part of the daily “Rest and Recuperation” flights at the airport. Earlier this summer, one of the chaplains even conducted a renewal of vows ceremony for a returning solider and his spouse.
“The time we spend walking the terminals and talking to passengers is indeed a unique form of ministry that we all truly enjoy,” Bishop Hayes said. “A smile or a hug can be the difference for some travelers who may be making a difficult trip or having a difficult time in their lives. We also minister to many airport employees. We are proud of the support of DFW and the entire airport community in our outreach.”
For more information on the DFW Interfaith Chaplaincy, including locations of the chapels at DFW, go to http://www.dfwairport.com/ and click on Terminals. The Chaplaincy also hosts its own website: http://www.dfwchapel.com/ .
About DFW International Airport
Located halfway between the cities of Dallas and Fort Worth, Texas, DFW International Airport is the world’s third busiest, offering nearly 1,900 flights per day and serving 59 million passengers a year. DFW International Airport provides non-stop service to 131 domestic and 35 international destinations worldwide. For the latest news, real-time flight information, parking availability or further details regarding the many services provided at DFW International Airport, log on to http://www.dfwairport.com/ .
DFW International Airport
CONTACT: Ken Capps, Vice President Public Affairs of DFW InternationalAirport, +1-972-574-8080, or Kcapps@dfwairport.com
Web site: http://www.dfwairport.com/http://www.dfwchapel.com/