Maryland/Delaware DR Teams Minister to Families in Tennessee
By Sharon Mager
LINDEN, Tenn. — BCM/D Disaster Relief teams recently provided recovery assistance to those affected by snow and ice storms in the Linden, Tennessee, area. Maryland/Delaware volunteers joined Disaster Relief teams from Virginia, North Carolina, and Texas.
Clayton Clark shared how a family lost their workshop, and almost their home, when their generator sparked a fire during a winter storm in Tennessee. Firefighters barely made it in time to save their house. DR volunteers were able to help clear trees and debris and help with clean-up. (Photo by Clayton Clark)
Teams removed fallen trees and debris from homes and sheds and cleared damaged trees that posed safety hazards or blocked driveways. Chain saw teams cut and pulled trees away from structures, then chopped them into manageable pieces—stacking wood for residents to use as firewood or placing debris by the roadside for government crews to remove.
In total, the teams served 13 families during their deployment.
DR volunteer Clayton Clark, pastor of Pleasant Valley Baptist Church, Rohrersville, Maryland, who led the team alongside Kerry Wolford, a member of Mountain City Baptist Church, Frostburg, said many families in the area faced difficult and often dangerous circumstances following the storm. He shared one example that illustrates the kinds of situations DR teams often encounter. In one case, a couple, both Christians, lost power at the height of the ice storm and began using a generator in their workshop with the doors open. They did not realize the generator was leaking fumes, which sparked a fire that destroyed the workshop.
Clark said, “Because of the ice, the fire department barely got there in time to put the fire out before the couple lost their home.” Just feet away stood a full propane tank, and beneath the surrounding trees was a 250-gallon diesel tank.
The situation was further complicated when the utility company refused to reconnect power until the hazardous trees were cleared. Living far from a fire department or water hydrant, the couple cannot afford homeowners’ insurance—a situation that Clark said is common in the area.
Beyond the physical labor, the team’s most important work, Clark and Hinton say, is ministering to disaster victims—being there for them, listening to their stories, offering encouragement, and sharing the gospel as the Holy Spirit leads. Before leaving, teams pray with families and present them with a Bible signed by the team.
It’s all about being the hands and feet of Jesus.
Is God calling you to serve in Disaster Relief? There are many ways—administration, feeding units, laundry, chaplaincy, and more. Adults 18 and older are welcome. Some DR workers are college students, and some are octogenarians. Read more on our website.
An upcoming Disaster Relief training is scheduled for April 11 in Shepherdstown, West Virginia. Click the link below for more information.
Sharon Mager serves as BCM/D Content & Stories Editor.