Telling the Story of Tennessee Baptists Since 1835
From B&R staff
FRANKLIN — Tennessee Baptist Disaster Relief teams are being asked to mobilize for relief work efforts in Connecticut after tornados swept through New England last week. [Read more…]
Compiled by B&R staff
Hawaii’s Kilauea volcano has destroyed 36 structures, including 26 houses, since it began releasing lava through vents May 3. Photo from USGS.gov
FRANKLIN — The Tennessee Baptist Mission Board has contributed $10,000 to the Hawaii Pacific Baptist Convention (HPBC) for disaster relief efforts following eruptions on Hawaii’s Big Island.
Since May 3, the Kilauea volcano has been releasing lava through vents in the ground, destroying 36 structures, including 26 homes, the Associated Press reported. Some 60,000 gallons of flammable liquids had to be removed from a geothermal power plant near the vents, according to CBS News.
Congregations on the island have banded together to pray, secure housing for some of the area’s 2,000 evacuees and, beginning the week of May 13, operate a mobile shower unit, according to Chris Martin, executive director of the HPBC.
“The main focus of our people so far,” Martin told Baptist Press, has been ministry “to the needs that are immediate. But our history and our practice has been a long-term presence with those that have been affected by disasters.”
“Stepping in to meet needs,” Martin added, will “open great doors” for gospel witness.
The TBMB wants to be a partner with the Hawaii convention in opening those doors, said Randy C. Davis, executive director-treasurer of the TBMB.
“It is the custom of the TBMB to share the generosity of Tennessee Baptists when disasters happen in places across the U.S. and around the globe from our Disaster Relief general fund,” David said.
He noted there are DR donations made that do not have a specific need attached with them. “After personally speaking with Dr. Chris Martin and watching the growing need in Hawaii, I knew that Tennessean Baptists would want to help,” Davis continued.
“Initially, we are offering a financial gift to be utilized by their convention’s Disaster Relief volunteers,” Davis said. “The dramatic and developing situation in Hawaii calls for our constant monitoring and constant prayers.”
Martin expressed appreciation for the TBMB gift. “We are continuing to respond to the eruptions on the Big Island and flooding on Kauai. This gift will be a true blessing to our DR teams,” he noted.
“We are very thankful for the networking of TBMB and the HPBC churches and entities,” Martin added.
Gifts designated for “Hawaii Volcano Disaster” can be sent to Tennessee Baptist Mission Board, P. O. Box 682789, Franklin, TN 37068 or online at www.tndisasterrelief.org. NOTE: This article contains reporting from Baptist Press and B&R editor Lonnie Wilkey.
By David Dawson
Baptist and Reflector
Upon entering the refugee simulation, the women were given a number and instructed to put all personal belongings in a trash bag.
GATLINBURG — According to recent data released by the UN Refugee Agency UNHCR, there are 65.6 million displaced individuals, or refugees, in the world today. It is the highest number in recorded history and is growing by hundreds of thousands each year.
Sadly, when hearing numbers like that, there is a tendency to forget that there are faces behind the figures. It almost becomes lost that these are real people, with real emotions and real families. And many of them are hurting.
In hopes of shining a light on these dark developments, national WMU has worked with several other organizations to create the “Refugee Simulation Experience” — an interactive, walk-through exhibit that enables participants to better grasp the hardships that many refugees are facing. [Read more…]
By Lonnie Wilkey
Editor, Baptist and Reflector
Volunteers Doug Morris, left, and Roger Nash of Tulip Grove Baptist Church work on a roof in the village of La Plaine, Dominica.
— Photo by Chuck Collins
LA PLAINE, Dominica — After three months of sending volunteers to help reroof homes in the village of La Plaine in Dominica, “the rough edges” are in the process of being smoothed out, said Phillip Hardee, a member of Bellevue Baptist Church, Cordova, who is coordinating volunteer teams for the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board.
Each team that has been to Dominica thus far has provided “positive feedback,” Hardee said. They have pointed out things that need attention such as on-site organization and supplies, he noted. “We are addressing those issues.”
Tennessee Baptist volunteers have come away saddened by the destruction caused by Hurricane Maria and subpar living conditions faced by the majority of Dominicans. Six months after the hurricane, the majority of the island’s residents have no electricity unless they have gasoline-powered generators. [Read more…]
By Lonnie Wilkey
Editor, Baptist and Reflector
Jeff Gilliam, left, of Tulip Grove Baptist Church, Old Hickory, visits with Pastor David Serrant of Deliverance Baptist Church in Goodwill, Dominica.
LA PLAINE, Dominica — Jeff Gilliam of Tulip Grove Baptist Church in Old Hickory is no stranger to Dominica. He has led five missions trips to the country since 2007.
In mid-March he led his sixth trip, although in a totally different role. His first five trips were basically with teams that led conferences and did evangelism projects with Deliverance Baptist Church in Goodwill, a suburb of Roseau, the captitol of Dominica. This time, he led a 10-member construction team to build roofs on homes in the village of La Plaine that were severely damaged by Hurricane Maria last September.
Gilliam would be the first to admit he’s not a “handyman” but he was more than willing to help by carrying boards and supplies as well as shuttling tools back and forth between team members. [Read more…]
By Lonnie Wilkey
Editor, Baptist and Reflector
Faces of Dominica.
— Photos by Lonnie Wilkey & Chuck Collins
Tennessee Baptists are once again living up to their reputation as residents of the Volunteer state. Since January, Tennessee Baptists have been hard at work on the tiny island of Dominica in the Caribbean. And, let’s be clear. Dominica is not the Dominican Republic. They are easy to confuse because of the similarity in name.
Last September, Hurricane Maria slammed Dominica hard. It took the brunt of Maria’s destruction. The small village of La Plaine especially was hit with massive force as Maria made landfall there.
Six months later, the village of La Plaine, as well as the island of Dominica, are still in the recovery stage. [Read more…]
By Lonnie Wilkey
Editor, Baptist and Reflector
Dominicans and Tennessee Baptists work together in the village of La Plaine to put a roof on a home damaged by Hurricane Maria last September.
LA PLAINE, Dominica — It’s been more than six months since Hurricane Maria hit shore in La Plaine, Dominica, leaving behind a trail of devastation and destruction.
Yet, not much has changed for the better for the majority of Dominicans.
Most of the homes in the country still do not have electricity. Those that do are dependent upon gas-powered generators. Many homes have no roofs or are only protected by tarpaulins (tarps). [Read more…]
By Diana Chandler
Baptist Press
As storms swept across the central-U.S. Feb. 24-25, tornadoes destroyed and damaged homes in two subdivisions in Clarksville, Tenn., where Southern Baptist Disaster Relief volunteers are already responding. (WSMV-TV video screengrab / Baptist Press)
CLARKSVILLE — Southern Baptist disaster relief volunteers are on the ground and others are on standby after weekend tornadoes and flooding killed five people and damaged homes in five states. [Read more…]
By Lonnie Wilkey
Editor, Baptist and Reflector
Editor’s Note: You can listen to Phillip Hardee discuss the rebuilding efforts of Tennessee Baptists on the island of Dominica during Episode 14 of Radio B&R, the official news podcast of the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board.
Hurricane Maria devastated Dominica last September, leaving many homes destroyed or heavily damaged.
FRANKLIN — The devastation caused by Hurricane Maria on the island of Dominica was “eye-opening and jaw-dropping,” said Phillip Hardee, a disaster relief volunteer from Bellevue Baptist Church in Cordova.
Hardee was part of an assessment team (along with Wes Jones, disaster relief specialist for the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board and Don Owen of First Baptist Church, Morristown) who visited the island in late November to assess the damage done by the Category 5 hurricane last September.
Tennessee Baptist Disaster Relief accepted the challenge to coordinate relief efforts on the island, specifically the village of La Plaine, and will provide relief materials and supplies throughout 2018. [Read more…]
Baptist and Reflector
FRANKLIN — Record gifts through the Golden Offering for Tennessee Missions and disaster relief responses were among the top news stories in 2017 throughout the Tennessee Baptist Convention
Tennessee Baptists gave $1,843,511.03 through the Golden Offering for Tennessee Missions for 2016-17, just barely falling short of the $1.85 million goal. It’s the largest amount in the 115-year history of the GOTM, reflecting a 7.6 percent increase over the previous year. GOTM offerings have increased more than 20 percent in four years.
Tennessee Baptist Disaster Relief volunteers responded to at least eight different disasters during the year, the most in recent memory. [Read more…]
