Alabama Baptist churches were the key first responders when a tornado ripped through Enterprise March 1, killing eight students when it hit the high school and one other person in another part of town.
Seven other tornados tore through the state that same day, claiming one other life in the Millers Ferry community of Wilcox County.
According to John Granger, director of missions (DOM) for Coffee Baptist Association, school had been dismissed when the tornado hit. “The students had already been let out to the buses and had to go back into the halls when it came,” he said.
Several of the students who died were members of local Alabama Baptist churches, and one was the grandson of former Coffee Association DOM Joel Jackson.
“The situation here resembles a site where bombs have been dropped,” said Rick Lance, executive director of the Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions (SBOM), who was on-site the next day with a disaster relief team from Vaughn Forest Baptist Church, Montgomery, in Montgomery Baptist Association. “Trees are downed. Houses are damaged and destroyed in significant numbers.”
But amid the tragedy and destruction, Alabama Baptists united to provide assistance to those most affected by the tornados.
Hillcrest Baptist Church, Enterprise, which is located directly across the parking lot from the school, served as an evacuation and triage area.
The Coffee Association church also had the “terrible duty” of notifying the parents of the deceased.
“The situation is dire with the total devastation of the high school,” said Hillcrest Pastor Billy Joy. “We were at the window and saw [the tornado] coming. I have never felt fear like that before.”
But Hillcrest Baptist came through with minor damage and according to Granger, was “able to respond and do some great ministry.”
He said the same of nearby First Baptist Church, Enterprise, in Coffee Association, which began responding to the area’s great need by serving as a shelter, as well as a staging area for American Red Cross workers and Alabama Baptist disaster relief teams.
“It’s been pretty devastating,” said Lance Hogan, pastor of First, Enterprise. “Nearly 80 stayed here [the night of the storm] (including) people … whose children were killed. We ask for prayers for these families.”
Lance noted that Hogan worked through the night, tending to various needs being handled by the church.
The only damage sustained at First, Enterprise, was a few missing shingles and a hand-sized hole in the glass in one of the sanctuary’s windows.
“We were very blessed in that way,” Hogan said.
Lee Street Baptist Church, Enterprise, in Coffee Association sustained the most damage with a corner of the sanctuary’s roof missing following the tornado.
Pastor Larry Doster’s nearby house lost most of its roof, according to church member Bill Bullington.
In the hard-hit area of Wilcox County, Riverview Baptist Church, Camden, in Pine Barren Baptist Association is serving as a staging point for relief work but did not receive damage.
As the storms moved across the nation, they claimed nine lives in Georgia and killed one young girl in Missouri, according to The Associated Press. President George W. Bush was expected to visit some of the storm-damaged areas in Alabama and Georgia March 3.
In Alabama, Gov. Bob Riley declared a state of emergency, authorizing the state’s National Guard to assist in recovery and security efforts. And as countless people across the state and country prayed for those affected by the tornados, many traveled to the area to assist in relief efforts.
“As soon as we heard, in a limited way, of the damage done in the hardest-hit area — which was Enterprise — we immediately put chain saw and assessment teams on standby to go serve within 24 hours,” said Tommy Puckett, state disaster relief coordinator through the SBOM.
Puckett also brought checks from the SBOM to assist the three churches there damaged by the storm.
At press time, disaster relief teams from Montgomery, Elmore, Columbia, Salem-Troy, Baldwin and Escambia Baptist associations had responded in Enterprise.
Teams from Birmingham and Bessemer Baptist associations traveled to Adamsville, which also sustained tornado damage.
In addition, 13 chaplains trained in critical incident stress management were dispatched to Enterprise, including the DOMs from Etowah, Randolph, Dale and Sardis Baptist associations, according to Joe Bob Mizzell, director of Christian ethics and chaplaincy ministries for the SBOM.
“I want to thank everyone for the kindness and the prayers. It is unbelievable how many are wanting to come and help,” Granger said.
To contribute to the convention’s disaster relief efforts, send checks to the SBOM at P.O. Box 11870, Montgomery, AL 36111. To find out how to assist in Coffee Association, call Kaye Clark at the associational office at 334-894-6411. (Erin W. Tunnell contributed)
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