Hardwick
Who can forget the shock and sadness we felt as images, videos and stories began circulating about Hurricane Helene’s devastating destruction? Thousands of lives and dozens of communities in East Tennessee were forever impacted by the storm’s power and volume.
Yet on the heels of devastation came stories and scenes of mobilization, collaboration and generosity led by Tennessee Baptists and Baptists from surrounding states. I saw the devastation myself, and I also saw Tennessee Baptist Disaster Relief (TBDR) volunteers on the ground within hours, meeting needs and serving people. They brought the hope of Jesus to lives and communities in desperate need of hope.
A few observations come to mind as I reflect on what I’ve seen from Tennessee Baptists:
Tennessee Baptists ran in before floodwaters ran out. The mobilization strategy employed by Wes Jones, the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board’s disaster relief specialist, was impressive. Teams across the state were on alert before the storm arrived and mobilized when it hit.
Tennessee Baptists have given sacrificially. More than 1,700 churches have given through TBDR in response to Helene. Combined with the generosity of churches from surrounding states and sister state conventions, millions of dollars were given and faithfully stewarded to deliver help and hope to those who lost so much.
Tennessee Baptists stepped in to serve. Mudding out homes, removing debris, cleaning mold from underneath houses, distributing water, preparing meals and handing out clothes and supplies — no job was too big, too small, too dirty or too hard. Where there was a need, Tennessee Baptists were there to meet it.
Tennessee Baptists met spiritual needs while meeting physical needs. I was in Newport when one of our DR teams presented a Bible to the homeowner whose house they mudded out. The homeowner was not known to be a believer. She broke down in tears as the team leader shared the gospel, shared why they were there to work on her house, and presented the Bible with notes of encouragement and prayer from team members. This is a real-life picture of how God works through tragedy for His glory. That story has been repeated countless times across East Tennessee.
Tennessee Baptists have collaborated. In one area, I saw multiple associations, churches and even multiple state DR teams laboring together. It’s been said that nothing brings us together like a crisis, and the response to Helene proves it.
Tennessee Baptists will stay until the end. People and attention move on as the news cycle moves elsewhere. Not TBDR volunteers. Tennessee Baptists are still mobilizing, giving, serving, sharing and collaborating to support the “Arise and Build” initiative to rebuild East Tennessee. We’re in it for the long haul and could use you and your church until the job is completed.
As I reflect on the year since Helene slammed into our East Tennessee family, friends and neighbors, I think about Jesus and how he came to us during our time of need to rescue us from disaster and give us hope. Thank you, Tennessee Baptists, for modeling the love and hope of Christ by running toward those who need his love and hope in this disaster. B&R
