South Carolina | Hurricane Matthew didn’t leave many small clean-up projects in his wake. The October storm, which inflicted heavy damage in parts of Florida, Georgia, and the Carolinas, felled large trees, caused major flooding, and devastated some picturesque beach communities that are still picking up the pieces.
“There weren’t any little jobs” in the South Carolina community where Debbie Porter and the Disaster Relief team from First Baptist, Galatia, traveled to assist with the clean-up effort. Debbie’s husband, Butch, served as the “blue cap” supervisor for a team that removed trees and debris from homes and yards, and ministered to homeowners still reeling from the storm.
One homeowner in his 90s came to know the Lord personally after the team shared the gospel with him. During their week in South Carolina, the Galatia team saw three people profess faith in Christ, something they hadn’t experienced before as a team.
“It wasn’t for lack of witnessing,” Porter said, “because we were, but we just never had witnessed a profession of faith.”
Another of the homeowners the team met was a woman who had been widowed just the week before. Volunteer Marge Fulkerson, who lost her husband, Don, last year to a heart attack while serving on a DR callout, was able to minister to the woman, Porter said.
“Marge was able to hold hands with that lady and pray with her and witness to her…Right off the bat, that woman needed Marge.”
The Galatia team was one of nine groups from Illinois who responded to the hurricane damage in South Carolina. DR volunteers give of their time and energy, and Illinois Baptist Disaster Relief covers their transportation to and from their callout locations. IBSA church members can assist on future callouts by giving to Illinois Baptist Disaster Relief, said IBSA’s Dwayne Doyle, who coordinates the state’s DR efforts.
To make a donation, go to IBSA.org/dr.