Alabama Baptist Disaster Relief volunteers are providing flood recovery, laundry services and chaplain ministry in Elkhorn City, Kentucky, as the area copes with historic flooding.
The Alabama DR volunteers are part of a multistate effort in eastern Kentucky, where entire towns were submerged as heavy rains caused flash floods in the overnight hours of July 27. It’s the worst flooding the state has faced in its history.
“The destruction is absolutely catastrophic everywhere you look, and it’s very widespread,” said Ron Crow, Disaster Relief director for the Kentucky Baptist Convention. “It’s going to take months to recover from, if not years. … [This] is just indescribable.
“We have people on the ground, and we have chaplains coming who will be able to bring help, hope and healing to those affected.”
Multiple Southern Baptist state conventions are sending SBDR teams, including Kentucky, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Alabama with seven sites set up or planned as of Aug. 3.
‘Grateful’
“We are grateful to our SBDR network because we are receiving help from multiple states,” Crow said. “We are grateful for the cooperative network we have among our Baptist family.”
Send Relief, the compassion ministry arm of the Southern Baptist Convention, is providing resources for meals and flood relief supplies.
The storm has caused millions of dollars of damage and claimed 35 lives so far, with that total expected to increase as the flooding recedes and first responders continue their search and rescue efforts. The National Guard has saved hundreds of people through their high-water rescues.
To donate to relief efforts in Kentucky, go to sbdr.org and click the “Flood Relief” banner.
Donations also may be sent to: Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions, P.O. Box 681970, Prattville, AL 36068; for: Kentucky flooding. Online gifts may be made at sbdr.org/kentucky-flooding-relief.
EDITOR’S NOTE — This story was compiled from reports from The Alabama Baptist and Send Relief.
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