Reno, Nevada - Fire
Judi Cook, Offsite Coordinator for California Baptist Disaster Relief, reported on Monday that CA assessors will travel to Reno, NV on Tuesday. The team is going in at the request of Nevada Baptists to assess fire damage and how Southern Baptist Disaster Relief volunteers might be able to assist homeowners in cleaning up their damaged property. The January blaze that destroyed 26 homes struck the same Reno area that saw more than 20 structures destroyed by a fire in November of last year. Pray for these assessors as they speak with residents, ask God to pave the way for them to share the Hope of Christ with homeowners still reeling from two blazes in three months.
Reno, NV fire: 20 homes destroyed Alabama Tornado Cleanup
 Alabama SBDR closed out their feeding operation on Thursday, February 2, 2012, serving between 13,000 and 14,000 meals in the Birmingham area as a result of the recent tornado activity.
Photo right: Alabama Disaster Relief volunteers and state missionary Rick Lance pray with Clanton, AL homeowner Gloria Neville. (see more photos on the AL DR Facebook page) Tornadoes hit 8 counties in central Alabama; DR teams move in quickly FEMA Recovery Centers Open In Jefferson, Chilton Counties
2012 SBDR Awards
The 2012 SBDR Awards will be presented at the 2012 Roundtable meeting in Des Moines, IA in August. These awards are to celebrate and honor the work of Southern Baptist Disaster Relief personnel who have given a lifetime of pioneering leadership (Robert E. Dixon Lifetime Achievement Award); three or more years of outstanding leadership (Joel Phillips Outstanding Service Award) and individuals who distinguished themselves in some specific manner during a response in 2011 (Distinguished Service Award). If you know someone who meets the criteria described for one of these awards nominate them for an award. The deadline for nominations in March 1, 2012. Find out more about the award criteria
at the websites listed below. Distinguished Service Award
Joel W. Phillips Outstanding Achievement Award
Robert E. Dixon Lifetime Service Award Great Central US Shakeout
 The second annual Great Central U.S. ShakeOut
is Tuesday, February 7, 2012 at 10:15 am CST. This is a public earthquake drill organized and coordinated by the Central U.S. Earthquake Consortium and its member and associate States, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the U.S. Geological Survey, and dozens of other partners. Listen to the NOAA Weather Radio for a tone-alert and instructions to "Drop, Cover, and Hold On." Are you ready? In the News Volunteers build house for one Bastrop-area family, start another
Facebook users can find SBDR Chaplains and Childcare on Facebook Japan Earthquake/Tsunami
Six California Baptist volunteers left on Monday for Japan. The team will be helping with construction and various ministry assignments in the region hit by the earthquake and tsunami in 2011. The team members will work alongside Baptists in Japan and their partners. Darrell McCain, Disaster Relief Coordinator for the Hawaii-Pacific Baptist Convention, is with a team that will head home from Japan this weekend. Darrell wrote,
"Serving in Japan, Miyagi Prefecture at the SP (editor's note - Samaritan's Purse: a BGR partner in the Japan Rebuild effort) Tome base. God's love is shown through many volunteers working on rebuild. There is still some mud out jobs still being accomplished. My team is working on home repair and rebuild. Pray for us as we serve. Japan is coming up on its 1 year anniversary March 11, 2012," on the SBDR Facebook page this week. Last week Baptist Global Response posted the following update on their website.
"Please continue to pray for those affected by last year's earthquake and tsunami in Japan. The rebuilding of their lives will take many years. The winter is now upon them which means lots of snow and difficulty in travel. Depression and feelings of isolation are the greatest problems. Volunteer teams are still needed to work in this area. Community centers have been provided in some of the temporary communities and volunteers are having an impact just giving of their time in a game of checkers. Please pray that the Lord would continue to send volunteers." If you are interested in volunteering you can find information on the
BGR website. Teams scheduled to travel to Japan
January 30-February 11 Hawaii-Pacific Construction team
February 6-16 California Construction team
February 13-25 Kentucky Construction team
February 20-March 1 California Construction team
February 29-March 11 Georgia Construction team
March 14-25 LA Construction Team
Upcoming Trainings
The following is a list of trainings scheduled over the next three months that we have received information from convention DR leaders. Check your
convention's website if you do not see a training listed here. Arizona Baptist Convention Disaster Relief
Annual DR Training
March 9-10, 2012 Scottsdale, Arizona
Get more information here. California Baptist Convention Disaster Relief
February 11, 2012 Oakley, CA - Clean-up, recovery and assessment only
February 16-18, 2012 Highland, CA
March 1 - 3, 2012 Granite Bay, CA
Saturday, March 3, 2012 Turlock, CA
March 16 - 17, 2012 Gridley, CA
March 17, 2012 Petaluma, CA - Clean-up, recovery and assessment only
For information visit the CSBC website Florida Baptist Convention Disaster Relief
2012 Regional Trainings
March 24, April 28, May 19, June 2, June 23
Download the FL DR training flyer. Kentucky Baptist Convention Disaster Relief
March 10 Lexington, KY - Disaster Relief Training
April 14 London, KY - Disaster Relief Training
For information visit the KBC website. Louisiana Baptist Convention Disaster Relief
February 17-18, 2012 Dry Creek, LA - DR Roundtable, SW Region
February 17-18 Dry Creek, LA - Chaplaincy and OSFA Training
For information visit the LBC website. South Carolina Baptist Convention Disaster Relief
Semi-Annual DR Training
March 2-3, 2012
White Oak Conference Center, Winnsboro, SC
Find out more and register here. Southern Baptist Conservatives of Virginia Disaster Relief
February 11 - Southeast Region, Poquoson Baptist Church
February 25 - Central West Region, Liberty Baptist Church-Appomattox
March 10 - Central East Region, Colonial Heights Baptist Church
Southwest Region, Rosedale Baptist Church
March 24 - Northern Region, Spotswood Baptist Church
Central West Region, North Main Baptist Church
March 31 - Southeast Region, Great Neck Baptist Church
April 14 - Southwest Region, GraceLife Baptist Church
Get more information and register here. | 
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