Disaster Relief Update Friday, October 28, 2011

“For All flesh is like grass, and all its glory like a flower of the grass. The grass withers, and the flower drops off, but the word of the Lord endures forever. And this is the word that was preached as the gospel to you,” 1 Peter 1:24-25 (HCSB).

Southern Baptist Disaster Relief volunteers are rebuilding damaged homes, preparing meals, clearing downed trees, cleaning out flooded homes and cleaning burned home sites. The work they do is hard and the days are long, the help they provide individuals and communities devastated by disaster helps them find their way out of the devastation and back to life. As important as this is, the men and women who wear the Gold and Blue of SBDR know the truth of this scripture. This is the reason these volunteers prepare themselves to give a verbal witness to the God who has called them to this ministry and to the Hope He has given each of them and offers to everyone.

• Pray for our volunteers who are working today that they will have opportunities to share again the "word of the Lord" that "endures forever."

Turkey Earthquake

At least 535 people were killed by the earthquake and its aftermath and more than 2,300 people were injured, according to the Turkish Disaster and Emergency Relief Agency. Tens of thousands appear to be homeless and hope of finding additional survivors in the thousands of collapsed buildings is quickly fading.

Pat Melancon, of Baptist Global Response, reported this week: "A team of nationals have been on the ground responding since a few hours after the earthquake. The team of trained Disaster Relief volunteers has been providing tents, tarps, food, heaters, etc. to residents in the quake damaged region of Eastern Turkey.

• Pray for these volunteers as they serve their fellow countrymen. Pray that they will be able to bring Hope in the midst of the crisis confronting so many families."

Bangkok, Thailand

 Flood High tides expected to peak on Saturday are pushing the Chao Phraya river to its brink, and the rising water is posing one of the biggest tests yet to Bangkok’s anti-flood defenses. Authorities are calling this "the worst flooding in Thailand in half a century." IMB missionaries and volunteers trained by Baptist Global Response and Southern Baptist Disaster Relief leaders are assisting residents in areas of the country hard hit by the flooding. The water has crept from the central plains south toward the Gulf of Thailand for weeks, a third of the country has been inundated with the rising water. Nearly 400 people have died and 110,000 more displaced.

• Pray for these volunteers as they minister surrounded by rising waters.

Texas Fires

Volunteers working in Bastrop County Texas have served 2,857 volunteers days, prepared more than 11,700 meals, cleaned up 220 burned building sites, shared the Gospel with 186 people and witnessed 73 individuals profess new-found faith in Jesus Christ. In addition to feeding and recovery teams, these volunteers are manning shower and laundry ministries, and serving as chaplains, assessors and operations coordinators.

Volunteers from SBTC and TBM volunteers have been joined over the last several weeks by Southern Baptist Disaster Relief volunteers from California, Utah, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and New Mexico. On Friday, New Mexico Baptist Disaster Relief director, Ira Shelton, reported 21 recovery volunteers and seven feeding volunteers along with two recovery units and heavy equipment were deployed to Bastrop, TX.

SBTC state Disaster Relief director, Jim Richardson asked, "Please join me in prayer for those who have been impacted, the fire fighters (many of whom lost their homes as they fought the fires), local churches who continue to minister to their communities and church members who have lost their homes and volunteers as they respond to the needs.

• Please also pray for the volunteers as they respond and share the HOPE of Jesus."

Photo left: SBTC chaplain Brenda Parr stops to pray for residents at the site of their burned out home near Bastrop, TX. The ministry of Disaster Relief chaplains is critical in communities like this one where the loss of material possessions, especially family heirlooms and historical documents, can be overwhelming for people who returned to the smoldering home sites.

Volunteers have been privileged to share in ministry with the Southern Baptist churches of Bastrop through the hospitality of First Baptist Church of Bastrop. First Baptist has provided a great location, local resources and volunteers to assist the teams in responding to the needs created by the recent fires.

Hurricane Irene/Tropical Storm Lee North Carolina

Linda Pitman reported on the activity of the NC Baptist Disaster Medical Corps during the response to Hurricane Irene in eastern North Carolina. The unit first set up at First Baptist Church Manteo, NC and later in New Bern, NC. Medical Corps volunteers staffed the unit and traveled with recovery teams and assessors to job sites.

In addition to caring for volunteers suffering from dehydration, pulled muscles, falls, even a dog bite, the medical volunteers assisted in cleaning out a freezer, and repairing the roofs of several individuals with special medical needs.  During their one week deployment, August 29 through September 4, the team, led by Dr. Mike Glover, treated 10 local residents and 68 Disaster Relief volunteers.

In her report Linda wrote, "During this time I saw GOD!! I watched the gentle guiding hand of Dr. Glover as he served us. What a man of God!! We are so blessed to have this man leading us into only what God can know."

Volunteers are still working in the Pamlico and Hatteras regions of North Carolina. They are helping residents to clean out their flooded homes and sharing Christ. Another profession of faith was reported by volunteers this week.

• Give thanks to God for their continued faithful ministry.

For more updates click here.