Vice President Mike Pence and Second Lady Karen Pence met with victims and their families of the Sutherland Springs, Texas, church shooting Wednesday to offer condolences and attend a prayer vigil. The largest mass shooting in Texas history took the lives of 26 people and left more than 20 injured.

Pence tweeted earlier in the week that he and his wife would meet with families of the fallen, injured and law enforcement. He added, “We are with you Texas.”

Karen & I will travel to #SutherlandSprings on Wednesday to meet w/families of the fallen, injured & law enforcement. We are with you Texas

— Vice President Pence (@VP) November 6, 2017

The couple first went to Brooke Army Medical Center to visit with victims. Pence then met with law enforcement in Sutherland Springs for a briefing. Shortly after the briefing, Pence and his wife, along with Governor Greg Abbott, spoke at a press conference. Sen. Ted Cruz was also present. 

Pence said the people of Sutherland Springs are “well-grounded” in their faith. “They’ve been through a trauma that few people will ever experience in their lives,” he said. “But they’re coming through it because they’re guided by the strongest power that exists, and that’s the power of God.” He told those in attendance that “The Bible tells us that the Lord is close to the brokenhearted,” adding that he and Karen were inspired by the “community of faith.” He asked for Americans to pray for the “precious families” impacted by the shooting. “Prayers make a difference,” he said.

The Vice President also spoke at an evening prayer vigil at Floresville High School. “We mourn with those who mourn and we grieve with those who grieve but we do not grieve like those who have no hope, because our faith gives us hope,” he told the crowd. “We find hope in [this] community of faith.” 

Pence mentioned Rev. Frank Pomeroy, pastor of First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs. Pence said he marveled at the pastor’s faith:

All of America marveled when the devoted pastor of First Baptist Church still grieving the loss of his own precious daughter, somehow found it in his heart to say to the world, and I quote, ‘Lean on the Lord rather than your own understanding,’ he said. ‘I don’t understand but I know my God does.’ Like millions of Americans I was humbled and inspired by that expression of faith and I will never forget. … If the attacker’s desire was to silence their testimony, he failed.

Pence told the crowd that on Sunday, “evil descended on this small town and on this small church.” But there was something stronger than fear. “Faith is stronger than evil. We live in troubling times … faith is the antidote to fear and despair.”

Karen Pence led the crowd in prayer:

Lord, thank you for being here, right now with us. Father, sometimes the burdens just seem too heavy to carry. The loss too great. But your word says ‘My yoke is easy and my burden is light.’ So Lord, today, we need you to come and carry this load. The Bible says, ‘let the little children come unto me.’ Lord, help this precious community to cling to that image, of all of these beautiful children. All of the victims are children of God, so that all of these beautiful children would be in your arms today. Help us to hold that vision of them in your arms close to us. And give comfort Father, give your peace — the peace that passes all understanding because we don’t understand. So come and hold this community in your hands. Help them to draw closer to you and to each other. And in this dark hour Heavenly Father, help these precious believers know how wide and long and deep is the love of Christ who conquered death. And we pray all of these things in your precious name, amen.

Gov. Greg Abbott has proclaimed Sunday, November 12 a Day of Prayer in Texas.

Proclaiming November 12 as a Day of Prayer in Texas following Sutherland Springs tragedy. https://t.co/hvQ84dJgC2 pic.twitter.com/JwiA1Vff49

— Gov. Greg Abbott (@GovAbbott) November 9, 2017