Marion | As Disaster Relief volunteers worked at the site of a damaged house in Marion, a neighbor walked up. Dustin told his story.
When he saw the swirling wall of debris headed toward them, he grabbed his daughter and fled their home, barefoot. With no safe place to go, Dustin lay on the ground next to a playhouse, holding onto the structure while covering his daughter. The tornado rushed over them, lifting them off the ground while he held on. When it passed, Dustin was left with only a scratch on his hand, but his house was scattered across the field and nearby pond.
On the work orders for Illinois Baptist Disaster Relief, Dustin became homeowner #61.
IBDR volunteers arrived soon after the string of tornadoes that raked Missouri and Kentucky killing 28 also dropped funnels in Illinois on May 16. In Marion, churches were on duty as shelters and feeding centers, reaching out to their displaced neighbors. Cornerstone Church served as a hub, helping facilitate the work of Marion’s First Baptist, Second Baptist, and Cana Baptist churches.
“The devastation is amazing,” said Jason Thrash, Cornerstone Care Pastor. “Unless you see it, it’s hard to imagine.”
Numerous houses were destroyed along a 16-mile path through Williamson, Saline, and Gallatin counties. “The worst destruction happened south of Marion. There the tornado was almost one-and-a-half miles wide,” IBDR State Director Arnold Ramage said. “Both Saturday and Sunday we had about 60 volunteers from numerous southern Illinois churches show up to help.” On Monday, DR crews amassed at Cornerstone as a staging area for recovery response lasting more than a week.
“It’s been great to see so many volunteers willing to do whatever they can do to help,” Thrash said. “Our Renew Second Hand Store came up with the idea of offering free laundry service. They did 107 loads of wash, dry, and fold for people without power.”
IBDR provided a shower unit. North American Lutheran Church Disaster Response offered 100 cleaning kits, 100 health care kits, along with Bibles and gift cards. IBDR and church volunteers distributed those to people affected by the storm.
Facebook posts showed the storm touched numerous church families. “I am proud to be the pastor of Cana Baptist Church,” Steven Lindsay wrote. The tornado narrowly missed the church just southeast of Marion near Creal Springs, but members quickly reached out.
Ken Sharp, Care Minister at First Marion, said multiple families in their church were affected. One home was standing but “moved off the foundation so much that it will need to be rebuilt,” while another church family’s home was destroyed.
“I received a call from a pastor in Granite City,” Ramage said. “They received damage from the same tornado that impacted St. Louis.” Assessors reviewed the area and IBDR recovery crews were also assigned in the Metro East.
To learn more or to give directly to the work of IBDR, go to IBSA.org/dr.