The national and international news may have moved on to other topics, but Alabama continues to get a trickle of attention here and there with the steady stream of stars and sports figures visiting tornado-ravaged areas.
That’s one reason Frank Page, president and chief executive officer of the Southern Baptist Convention’s Executive Committee, visited Tuscaloosa on May 25. He wanted to ensure others outside Alabama don’t forget what happened.
“It is overwhelming. It is surreal,” Page said as he looked across the parking lot of Alberta Baptist Church, Tuscaloosa. “I’m hoping to encourage our Baptist partners across the nation to continue helping.”
And Page is not just bringing lip service to his plea for help. He’s going to model it.
As interim pastor of First Baptist Church, North Augusta, S.C., Page plans to challenge the congregation to pay for a mobile chapel for one of the damaged Alabama Baptist churches.
Several Alabama Baptist churches are in need of mobile chapels (see story, page 7) and one costs between $60,000 and $95,000 according to what is needed plus hookup and insurance fees, said Rick Lance, executive director of the Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions.
Lance and Page met with five Tuscaloosa-area church leaders and two associational representatives while at Alberta Baptist Church. Both spent time with the men encouraging them. Page also led the group in a time of prayer.
“I’ve been involved in disaster relief my whole ministry,” Page said. “It is exciting to see what God does to bring Romans 8:28 to fruition.”
“God is bringing good from bad, and it’s an opportunity to reshape a community for Christ,” he said.
“Baptists step up to the plate first and will stay the longest,” Page noted. “This is going to have a long-term impact.”
Gary Bonner, Tuscaloosa Association’s associate director for new work/missions, said, “It means everything for (leaders like Frank Page) to visit. We’ve had such great support from our state convention also.
“It lifts you up,” he said. “When you know someone loves you that much, it makes you want to do even more.
“It feels hopeless sometimes and it helps to know that he let go of what he was doing to let the people of Tuscaloosa know he cares,” Bonner said. “It means a lot.”
Other Southern Baptist leaders have expressed concern as well. And Kevin Ezell, president of the North American Mission Board, visited Tuscaloosa in mid-May.
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