At least 20 people professed faith in Christ in 2021 as a result of contacts through Alabama Baptist Disaster Relief, contributing to the more than 2,000 salvations reported overall last year by Southern Baptist Disaster Relief.
Mark Wakefield, disaster relief strategist for the Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions, said Alabama volunteers recorded some 3,500 contacts with homeowners and others during disaster relief response situations. Those contacts resulted in about 150 gospel presentations and around 20 professions of faith in 2021, he said. Volunteer days totaled more than 2,500, with approximately 16,000 work hours completed.
“Kudos to the Alabama Baptist Disaster Relief volunteers who keep on going, keep on serving,” Wakefield said. “They are making a difference in people’s lives.”
Nationwide, Southern Baptist Disaster Relief reported a total of 2,133 salvation decisions and more than 10,000 gospel presentations as volunteers responded to natural disasters across the nation in 2021.
Volunteers distributed more than 83,000 meals and contributed more than 51,000 volunteer days, according to Mike Ebert, spokesperson for the North American Mission Board.
Disasters from coast to coast
Across the U.S., SBDR teams from many states responded to wildfires on the West Coast, damage from Hurricane Ida in Louisiana and numerous tornado events, including a devastating storm system on Dec. 10 that saw 61 confirmed tornadoes across eight states — Kentucky, Arkansas, Tennessee, Missouri, Illinois, Georgia, Ohio and Indiana.
Alabama Baptist Disaster Relief volunteers spent six weeks in the New Orleans area following Hurricane Ida. They also responded after a storm system on March 17, 2021, produced 25 tornadoes across Alabama and a week later when a March 25 system brought even more twisters; when wind damage and flooding in May occurred across parts of central Alabama; and following a flooding event that wreaked havoc in the Pelham/Helena area in October.
A team of chaplains from Alabama also spent 10 days in Kentucky following the Dec. 10 tornado outbreak, and throughout the year, local associational teams responded to needs in their local communities, Wakefield said.
He noted how volunteers serve in a variety of ways and take time to talk with homeowners and others affected by disaster. He also praised local churches who step up and go when a crisis arises.
‘Partners’ in ministry
“Churches and associations are our partners,” Wakefield said.
Sam Porter, national director for Southern Baptist Disaster Relief for Send Relief with the North American Mission Board, echoed Wakefield’s sentiments and said the unique service-based ministry of disaster relief provides the opportunity to provide hurting people with hope.
“I love this ministry,” Porter said. “In disaster relief we have the opportunity to go to people’s homes that have never darkened the door of a church at all. We’re able to bring hope in the form of work, service and food, but as we bring this hope, we then talk to them about real and eternal hope.
‘‘We’re thrilled we get to help people not only physically, but spiritually as well. That’s become the heartbeat of all Southern Baptist Disaster Relief.” (Baptist Press contributed)
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