Clearing tree damage in rural Vienna left after severe storms on March 14.
At least 42 were killed by severe storms that swept through over two dozen states last weekend. Southern Baptist Disaster Relief (SBDR), including volunteers from Illinois, have been responding to the needs of those impacted by the more than 970 severe storms reported by the National Weather Service from March 14-16. Volunteers have already wrapped up work here at home and are preparing to help with recovery efforts in Missouri.
On Sunday, Illinois Baptist Disaster Relief (IBDR) chainsaw volunteers were called to serve in the southern part of the state in Neoga and Vienna.
According to State Coordinator Arnold Ramage, 24 volunteers from Goshen Trail, Nine Mile, Saline, and Williamson Baptist Associations completed seven jobs at homes in rural Vienna. In rural Neoga, seven volunteers from Kaskaskia Baptist Association completed three jobs at homes. All jobs were started and completed on March 17.
Although most communities in Illinois received little storm damage, the Jr/Sr High and Elementary School buildings in Neoga were badly damaged by a tornado on March 15. Classes are not expected to resume until March 26.
IBDR volunteers are preparing to serve in Arnold, Mo., a suburb south of St. Louis, where one person was killed in Friday’s storm. The severe storms rendered many homes in the community unlivable, ripping roofs off and snapping large trees in half. Several businesses were also heavily damaged.
Debris along the roadway in rural Vienna left after severe storms on March 14.
Teams with chainsaws from Kaskaskia and Williamson Baptist Associations will arrive in Arnold March 20 and another team from Nine Baptist Association is expected on March 23.
“I am blessed by the willingness of IBDR volunteers to respond on short notice to bring help, hope, and healing to disaster survivors,” said IBDR’s Arnold. “Matthew 25:40 states whatever you have for the least of you have done for me. Our volunteers are serving Christ by helping strangers.”
Several Missouri Baptist churches sustained damage to their buildings, The Pathway reported, including First Baptist Church of Arnold and First Baptist Church of Bakersfield.
SBDR at work in other states
Randy Garrett, state director for Arkansas Baptist Disaster Relief (ABDR), told Baptist Press that volunteers have established a base of operations at Southside Southern Baptist Church in Cave City, where feeding, showering and laundry teams joined an incident command team. Chainsaw and recovery volunteers were also preparing to join them.
“These storms were some of the strongest ever to hit the state of Arkansas,” he said. “They included two EF-4 tornadoes with winds reaching up to 190 mph like the one that hit Diaz. There is a lot of destruction.”
First Baptist Church Bakersfield, Mo., sustained damage in a tornado March 14.
In addition to the needs of storm victims, SBDR and Send Relief are also responding to those affected by recent wildfires and dust storms.
Send Relief reported that volunteers were providing more than 2,000 meals a day in Oklahoma, where a father died after he and his son tried to escape wind-fueled wildfires that are blamed for the destruction of more than 400 homes and four deaths. Volunteers are also assisting and feeding survivors in Arkansas as well as other recovery efforts such as those in Missouri, Mississippi and Alabama.
Also in Oklahoma, the Rainy Mountain Kiowa Indian Baptist Church building was destroyed. The historic structure, built in 1921, was home to a Native American congregation, the Baptist Messenger reported.
Seven ABDR chaplain teams – each consisting of two assessors and a chaplain – are making their way through affected areas. Two salvations have been recorded through those interactions.
Southern Baptist Disaster Relief volunteers are helping their neighbors in a time of need,” said Garrett. “The only reason we do this is to represent Jesus.”
Oklahoma Baptist Disaster Relief reported teams were onsite by March 15 preparing meals for first responders in the town of Leedey.
The century-old building of the Rainy Mountain Kiowa Indian Baptist Church in Oklahoma was destroyed by a fire March 14.
States not as hard-hit are also preparing to send personnel. Southern Baptists of Texas Convention Disaster Relief have a shower unit on standby to assist volunteers near the central Texas Crabapple fire. A quick response feeding unit capable of providing 700 meals a day is deploying to West Plains, Mo., where it will set up at First Baptist Church.
Alabama Baptist Disaster Relief teams are responding to areas in West Central Baptist Association, Walker Baptist Association and Salem-Troy Baptist Association, reported the Alabama Baptist.
Mississippi Baptist Disaster Relief teams have been deployed to three churches for focused responses to tornado damage in the town of Elliot and in Walthall and Smith Counties.