"Stop your fighting-and know that I am God, exalted among the nations, exalted on the earth" (Psalm 46:10 HCSB).
Southern Baptist Disaster Relief Childcare workers in SBC Houston, TX
Last Friday, June 7th, a journey started that has made an eternal difference in the lives of 4 people. For the past 7 years the Southern Baptist Disaster Relied childcare workers have served the Southern Baptist Convention by providing the childcare during the Pastor's Conference and the Southern Baptist Convention. This year the states that have made the journey to join Texas Baptist Men and Southern Baptist Texas Convention in H
 ouston are, Florida, Tennessee, Ohio, Oklahoma, Missouri, and New Mexico.
The mission at the North American Mission Board is to penetrate lostness in North America. This came to reality last Friday as the Ohio childcare team began making their way to Houston. When they stopped to spend the night, Larry Randolph shared with a waiter at a restaurant stop and a waitress as the team were nearby praying for these divine appointments. Both of these precious people prayed to receive Christ that night.
This same team experienced 2 more salvations as Larry Randolph again shared about how Christ has made a difference in his life. As they were heading back to their housing after a long day of taking care of children, they again stopped to eat on the way back and 2 more lives were changed as they heard about how Christ can bring help, healing ad hope to their lives.
It has been a privilege to serve at the SBC in Houston. As they bring the time spent here to a close and head back to their homes, pray with them as they travel and for those divine appointments along the way home.
'Now I know God cares,' Okla. survivor tells Baptist chaplain
By Joe Conway
ALPHARETTA, Ga. (BP) -- Southern Baptist Disaster Relief (SBDR) volunteers moved into action following another round of deadly storms in Oklahoma, Missouri and Arkansas last weekend. A series of tornadoes north of Oklahoma City claimed at least 18 lives Friday. Arkansas floodwaters killed four people.
"Southern Baptist volunteers continue to serve people who are hurting and in need," said Fritz Wilson, executive director for disaster relief at the North American Mission Board. "One of NAMB's core values is 'Whatever it takes.' That spirit is exemplified in Southern Baptist Disaster Relief volunteers. Volunteers were scheduled to go to one location and changed at a moment's notice to respond to a new area of need."
The critical nature of SBDR ministry was evident again Saturday following the storms in the Oklahoma City area. Sam Porter, disaster relief director for the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma, relayed the experience of a chaplain serving near the city.
"We had a chaplain with an assessor," said Porter. "They were visiting with two women, neighbors who had storm damage." As the assessor spoke with one woman, the other told the chaplain, "I have to tell you something. I've been so overwhelmed by all that has happened here I was going to take my life today. But now I know God cares for me and people care." Porter reported the chaplain prayed with the woman as she placed her faith in Christ.
June 4 marked the 17th straight day of SBDR response in the Oklahoma City area, with more than 400 cleanup and recovery jobs completed, according to Porter, but with at least 200 more job requests. Porter said insurance estimates show that each cleanup job saves homeowners an average of $8,000. He added that the tornado that went through Oklahoma City Friday never churned into the ground and could have been much more destructive. Porter thanked Southern Baptists for their prayers.
Assessment teams were on their way to St. Louis Monday where storms ran a parallel track some 40 miles long, according to Missouri Baptist Convention SBDR director Dwaine Carter. Carter said volunteers are on their way from Kansas-Nebraska, Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee to aid Missouri SBDR volunteers. He hopes to have teams serving by Wednesday. Twelve days of cleanup and recovery operations had just completed in Hannibal when Friday's storms hit the St. Louis area.
NAMB dispatched a semi-truck loaded with requested supplies to St. Louis on Sunday; primarily plastic rolled roofing, furring strips and SBDR teddy bears. Another SBDR truck from NAMB is in route to deliver 52,000 new clothing items donated by retailers, which volunteers will distribute this weekend through Southern Hills Baptist Church in Oklahoma City, near Moore.
New opportunities, like the clothing distribution, allow SBDR to partner with local churches in the affected area to bring help, healing and hope in new ways, Wilson said.
"SBDR would not exist without the strong network and partnership between the state conventions and national entities," said Wilson. "SBDR is the Cooperative Program lived out to its fullest."
Wilson said SBDR officials are also monitoring wildfires in Arizona and California, along with potential flooding in Iowa and the Midwest for possible responses. Baptist Convention of Iowa SBDR director Ty Berry said although rivers were high in the state, flooding had remained minimal so far.
To help build awareness of the ministry of SBDR, a television commercial began running in Oklahoma City markets over the weekend. To view the TV spot, visit baptistrelief.org and click "Media."
NAMB coordinates and manages Southern Baptist responses to major disasters through partnerships with 42 state Baptist conventions, most of which have their own state disaster relief programs.
Southern Baptists have 82,000 trained volunteers-including chaplains-and 1,550 mobile units for feeding, chainsaw, mud-out, command, communication, childcare, shower, laundry, water purification, repair/rebuild and power generation. SBDR is one of the three largest mobilizers of trained disaster relief volunteers in the United States, along with the American Red Cross and The Salvation Army.
To donate to SBDR efforts, contact the Baptist convention in your state or visit namb.net/disaster-relief-donations. Other ways to donate are to call 1-866-407-NAMB (6262) or mail checks to NAMB, P.O. Box 116543, Atlanta, GA 30368-6543. Designate checks for "Disaster Relief."
Joe Conway
Sandy Rebuild Information
Sandy Rebuild Information
The Superstorm Sandy clean-up and recovery work shifted into home repair before the end of the Sandy Spring Break Initiative as teams began replacing dry-wall that earlier teams had removed from flood damaged homes.
May 1, 2013, marks the official beginning of the long-term Sandy Rebuild Project to complete repairs on homes in New York and New Jersey. Construction teams are needed now to work on homes and to complete the set-up of the Base Camps which will house additional volunteers this summer.
Volunteers who are interested in assisting with the Base Camp feeding operation, housekeeping and warehouse duties are also needed.
Visit the Sandy Rebuild website for more information and instructions on how to register. www.namb.net/Sandy.
SBDR National Events
BGR/SBDR Sphere Project Training
 Baptist Global Response (BGR) and the North American Mission Board (NAMB) are partnering together to offer an International Disaster Assessment training for SBDR key volunteers. This training will be a pilot project to help BGR develop a cadre of volunteers who can respond after a Level 3 international disaster.
Dates for the training are July 15-19, 2013, 8:00am to 5:00pm., at the North American Mission Board in Alpharetta, GA, by invitation from the State Disaster Relief Directors. Space is limited.
2013 SBDR Roundtable
This summer the SBDR Roundtable will be held at the Ponderosa Retreat and Conference Center in Larkspur, CO. The dates are August 12-15, 2013. Please contact your State Disaster Relief Director for more information.
In the News
Volunteers flock to Berkley to help storm victims
Carolyn Watson, volunteer from the Tennessee Baptist Disaster Relief along with the recovery team she is a part of helps in Berkley, MO. Watch video
Disaster relief group cooking 200,000 meals for storm victims
Help continues to pour in for storm victims and the Southern Baptist Disaster Relief group has focused on providing hot meals for people affected by the recent storm victims. Watch Video
Baptists train for disaster relief
Basically wherever there is a disaster we'll be there... >>
Florida DR trains volunteers in 4 languages before hurricane season
As hurricane season descends upon the state, Florida Baptist Disaster Relief volunteers...>>
University students learn to handle nails, saws and screw guns
The team was just one of many Southern Baptist Disaster Relief teams that have been a part of "Sandy Rebuild" >>
|
