Alabama Baptist Disaster Relief (DR) has answered the request from Louisiana for assistance after recent flooding impacted more than 40,000 homes, with about 75 percent of them being deemed a “total loss.” At least 13 people were reported dead as of Aug. 19 and President Barack Obama declared the historic flooding a major disaster.
Alabama DR sent two shower units to Baton Rouge from the DR relief center in Prattville on Aug. 19.
Columbia and Baldwin Baptist association mud-out crews made their way south Aug. 21 as did Tuskegee Lee Baptist Association’s mud-out crew Aug. 22. A laundry unit from Washington Baptist Association was on standby at press time.
But Alabama DR is not the only group going to the trenches, literally, to help those impacted by the torrential rains.
Four kitchen units (each with a capacity of 10,000 meals per day) sent by Southern Baptist DR were operational by Aug. 18 and staffed by volunteers from Louisiana, Missouri, Mississippi, Oklahoma and Southern Baptists of Texas Convention. At press time, Texas Baptist Men were scheduled to help in the Lake Arthur area.
According to David Melber, vice president for Send Relief of the North American Mission Board, “The four key meal preparation areas will be located at Baptist churches (in Baton Rouge, Hammond, Lafayette and Walker). Additionally we have 16 other Baptist churches set up as defined worksites.”
The Baptist Message reported that local Baptist churches also stepped up to assist the communities affected. Some, like The Bayou Church, Lafayette, Louisiana, hosted training events dealing with flooding (led by Louisiana Baptist Convention’s DR) where volunteers learned how to properly and safely assist flood relief efforts in homes.
Additional mud-out trainings were scheduled through Aug. 23 for local volunteers. Churches in Baton Rouge, New Iberia, Jennings and Lafayette hosted the trainings.
To give to the DR fund, visit sbdr.org/louisianafloodrelief/.
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