Alabama Baptist churches were among the numerous American Red Cross shelters opened up in the state Aug. 29 to house some 12,000 New Orleans residents.
Evacuees began trickling into shelters Aug. 29, with the majority of them arriving Aug. 30. The shelters remained open as long as needed, with the last shelters closing the morning hours of Sept. 5.
Nichele Williams, along with her four-week-old, 11-month-old and friend Chandrell Lasalle, was happy to find the shelter at First Baptist Church, Irondale.
“We didn’t know where we were going,” Williams said. “We didn’t intend on Birmingham.” But she said she knew the church would be a safe and restful place to stay during the evacuation.
Ray Russell, minister of music and administration for First, Irondale, said groups of six to seven volunteers worked around the clock in eight-hour intervals.
“We feel very fortunate we’ve been able to minister to them,” he said. “[The evacuees] have been very receptive and that’s really what makes it all worthwhile.”
Along with housing the more than 140 evacuees, the church helped serve the food provided by Alabama Baptist feeding units, showed movies and provided activities for the children.
And for one young girl not allowed to bring her wheelchair with her, First, Irondale, provided a wheelchair for her to use during her stay at the church.
Back to the west of Birmingham in Bessemer, volunteers at Canaan Baptist Church also found ways to minister to the 125 evacuees housed at their facility Aug. 30–Sept. 2.
“Our church membership rose to the occasion,” said Charles Teague, journey pastor (similar to a minister of education and assimilation).
“With all the panic of carloads of people coming in and all the things that have to be done to register guests, our members still jumped right up there with an eagerness and willingness to serve,” he said.
Canaan volunteers provided three meals a day plus snacks, serving a total of about 900 meals.
“Some members also helped people with cars that were broken down,” Teague noted. “To put your hands around what has been done will blow your mind.”
In Shelby County, First Baptist Church, Columbiana, opened its kitchen for use to feed the evacuees at the local exhibition center.
“The Salvation Army used our kitchen to prepare meals,” said Pastor Mike Miller.
While most volunteers came from the churches’ memberships, several individuals and community groups also showed up to help.
Other churches across the state also served as shelters as did Shocco Springs Baptist Conference Center, unexpectedly. More than 150 members of Horeb Baptist Church, Gretna, La., not only stayed at Shocco but helped with odd jobs around the facility. (TAB)
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