MD/DE DR Volunteers Deployed to South Carolina
By Sharon Mager
SPARTANBURG,SC—In response to Hurricane Helene, Maryland/Delaware Disaster Relief (DR) volunteers have been on the ground, serving victims in South Carolina. Ellen Udovich, BCM/D Ready/ Disaster Relief Missionary, said that at the request of the Baptist Convention of South Carolina, volunteers are serving in incident management, community feeding support, and chainsaw/emergency repair teams.They’re also listening and caring for victims and other DR workers and sharing the love of Jesus.
Bruce Glisson’s team is serving out of the “cambros” at Chimney Rock. Glisson (far left) stands where people would come to pick up a container with food. (Photo submitted)
Bruce Glisson, executive pastor of Allen Memorial Church, Salisbury, was trained years ago as a DR volunteer but said his certification lapsed, so he recently retrained and, following the hurricane, deployed to Spartanburg. Glisson oversaw a team providing about 400 meals each day.
Glisson said, “We took some supplies the first day and dropped them off at the distribution center in Bear Creek, just outside Asheville. It was an HVAC business, and the owner turned it into a distribution center. He said a lot of the community hasn’t returned to the area, but some are not going anywhere and are staying in tents on their property.”
Glisson said residents said water rose 20-25 feet, and unfortunately, buildings may have to be gutted. “We were definitely seeing some fatigue — people are starting to think, ‘how long are we going to have to deal with this?’ One of the things that really hit me was on two different buildings, written on plywood, was Romans 12:12, ‘Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.’ In some of their worse moments, these people are finding hope.”
Seasoned DR volunteer Darla Lewis, a member of LaVale Baptist Church, served in Anderson, South Carolina. “I worked with Alan Caho, incident commander, in administration, taking phone calls and helping cook for the team,” Lewis said their team has seen people struggling, and they’ve seen God moving.
One of the stories the teams shared was about a man, a Jehovah’s Witness, doing some soul-searching. “He was questioning religion and God’s existence and prayed asking God to show He was real and asked Him to ‘Do something!’ Well, the storm came, and a big tree fell in his yard. He said the answer to his prayer showed up in yellow hats,” Lewis said.
DR workers prepare food at a mass feeding station at First Baptist Church in Beech Island. (Photo by Carol Simpson)
The teams get to share with homeowners and pray for them in addition to doing physical labor to display God’s love for them. Sometimes, though, ministry is just spending time with someone in a crisis. That’s what Lewis said happened with a retired policeman in Anderson who was trying to get his house up to code. A tree fell on his roof when Hurricane Helene rolled through, and he had no insurance. Life was overwhelming for this man, and Lewis said he cried each day and was discouraged. While another team got the tree off his roof, Maryland volunteers helped clear the rest of his yard. One DR volunteer, also a retired policeman, spent the day just talking with this homeowner. He discovered the gentleman is a Christian and really just needed some encouragement.
Carol Simpson, Greenridge Baptist Church, Boyds, served in a mass feeding unit at Beech Island and Anderson. She and others prepared food at a feeding trailer under a huge tent in a church parking lot. They cooked meals loaded into containers for the Red Cross to pick up and transport to various sites.
Simpson saw evidence of the flooding and trees down as she traveled south to join the team. She was pleased God allowed her to serve and gain more DR experience. She was also exhilarated by all of the activity happening around her— so many people from various parts of the country serving together in different ways. In addition to the feeding units, some were doing chainsaw work, while others were operating shower and laundry units. “There was a lot going on,” she said.
Taressa Fisher and Carol Simpson served meals to hurricane victims and Disaster Relief workers in Anderson, South Carolina. (Photo submitted)
Nationally, during Hurricane Helene Disaster Relief efforts, so far, volunteers have logged 172,959 volunteer hours, provided 797,518 meals, served 2,257 job requests, and have seen 185 individuals profess faith in Christ.
More teams will be deployed. In addition, local churches partnering with churches in affected areas have been ministering and sending teams and supplies.
You can help with Disaster Relief! New training opportunities are available. From 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. on October 26 at Lynnhaven Baptist Church. Email [email protected] for more information.
Sharon Mager serves as a BCM/D communications specialist and editor.