Baptist and Reflector
MOUNT JULIET — An urgent need still exists for Tennessee volunteers to help flood victims, according to Wes Jones, Tennessee Baptist Disaster Relief specialist.
Volunteers with different gifts and skills are needed. “Almost anyone can help,” Jones added.
In West Virginia, anyone with some construction skills — whether or not they are a disaster relief volunteer — can help the many flood victims there get into their homes before winter comes.
In Louisiana, flood victims are still needing help clearing out their homes and treating them to prevent mold. Assessors and chaplains also are needed in Louisiana, he added.
Wes Jones
“People can make a difference to these flood victims,” said Jones.
In south Louisiana, 13 people died and 155,000-plus residences in 20 Louisiana parishes were flooded in the mid-August storms, Jones said. For Louisiana Baptists, 70 churches and 60 homes of Baptist pastors have been flooded.
In West Virginia, where Tennesseans have been working in the small mountain town of Rainelle, 15 people died in the floods which damaged 200 homes in early July. A total of 23 people died in the flooding.
Both efforts for Tennessee volunteers are being coordinated through Tennessee Baptist Disaster Relief, said Jones.
DR training will be held Saturday, Sept. 17, at Bellevue Baptist Church, Cordova, from 8 a.m.-noon.
To volunteer in Louisiana, contact him at 712-253-4408 or wjones@tnbaptist.org. To volunteer in West Virginia, contact Kaye Thomas at 865-207-9196. John and Kaye Thomas, DR volunteers of First Baptist Church, Sevierville, are coordinating the rebuild effort.
Current efforts
Currently, Tennessee Baptist Disaster Relief volunteers are serving in Louisiana by operating two shower/laundry trailers at First Baptist Church, Gonzalez, La., and Franklin, La. The trailers are owned and operated by Hermitage Hills Baptist Church, Hermitage, metropolitan Nashville, and Chilhowee Baptist Association, based in Alcoa. Both units began serving in August.
Two more teams from Tennessee are scheduled to serve — Central Baptist Church, Bearden, Knoxville, and Baptist Collegiate Ministry of the University of Tennessee at Knoxville assisted by some Knoxville area DR volunteers. The Central Baptist team will serve Sept. 17-23 and the UT team will serve Oct. 6-9. during their fall break.
Funding needs
A fund to support TBDR in this response has been set up and gifts can be given at tndisasterrelief.org to 2016 Louisiana Flooding Fund or by check made payable to the Tennessee Baptist Convention. To support the West Virginia effort, checks can be sent to TBC designated for Rainelle, WV. Send the check to TN Baptist Disaster Relief, P.O. Box 728, Brentwood, TN 37024. Write on check the nature of any designation.
