TBDR issues callouts for Indiana, Ohio
By Baptist and Reflector
FRANKLIN — Wes Jones, disaster relief specialist for the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board, issued two callouts Friday, announcing that DR teams and volunteers are needed in Indiana and Ohio after deadly flooding hit the region.
Jones said the response effort in Ohio is needing flood recovery teams, a chainsaw team and possibly a small cooking team. The flood recovery team will be needed for at least two weeks, possibly longer, beginning Aug. 24, while feeding unit will be needed Aug. 31-Sept. 4.
In Indiana, the callout is for chainsaw teams, shower/laundry teams and mass feeding teams, which are needed beginning Aug. 23.
Randy C. Davis, president and executive director of the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board, is encouraging Tennessee Baptists to be involved in the response efforts, either through prayer or with DR assistance.
“Our prayers are with the people of Ohio and Indiana,” Davis said. “The volume of devastation over the past week across the two states has been incredible. I know our Tennessee Baptist Disaster Relief teams will respond and do all they can to bring help and hope in this time of great need.
“We’ve experienced our own large-scale disaster following the Hurricane Helene flooding from which we are still recovering,” Davis said. “We valued the help and prayers of others who came to help us. Tennessee Baptists are people who respond, and we need to remember in prayer the thousands across these two states who have been impacted.”
Jones said those who are available to assist in Ohio can call John Heading at (937) 974-9265 for more information. Jones also issued the following reminders to all teams and volunteers:
• Please try to take a chaplain with your team each time you deploy.
• Be sure and use FormStack (roster and daily reports) each time you deploy.
• Everyone needs to be currently credentialed on the first teams in.
• Please do not self-deploy.
Jones also requested prayers for the victims of the storm and the DR volunteers. He is asking Tennessee Baptist to pray:
• That God will wrap his arms around those affected to comfort them.
• That those who do not know Christ would come to know Him.
• For all those who will be responding that equipment will work correctly, and everyone will be safe.
Those who are available to serve should contact Wes Jones (wjones@tnbaptist.org), Garry Maddox (gmaddox@tnbaptist.org) or Elizabeth Holmes (eholmes@tnbaptist.org) and let them know your unit type and when you are available to come. Once a team has committed to serve, details will be sent, Jones said. Donations to Tennessee Baptist Disaster Relief can be made online at tndisasterrelief.org/contributions.
