Between March 24-28, 45 tornadoes struck throughout the South, leaving behind a trail of destruction. Five people died when an EF3 tornado hit in Calhoun County on March 25.
Alabama Baptist Disaster Relief teams responded quickly, setting up command centers in key areas across the state.
“Alabama is no stranger to the wrath of Mother Nature,” said Gov. Kay Ivey in a press conference March 29 at Oak Bowery Baptist Church, Ohatchee. “It comes all too frequently.”
Quick response
Volunteers were assessing even as the rain continued after the tornado came through the area. Oak Bowery’s fellowship hall was full with people from the community waiting out the storm.
The Calhoun County EMA set up at the church to operate services for the community. Ohatchee Senior Center also used its space to provide supplies to those in need.
Five people were killed in Calhoun County: Joe Wayne Harris, 74; Barbara Harris, 69, Ebonique Harris, 38; James William Geno, 72; and Emily Myra Wilborn, 72.
The Harris’ were in a wood-frame structure in Ohatchee. The remaining two were in mobile homes in Ohatchee and Wellington.
A seventh-grader was injured in the Harris family home. She was taken to Children’s of Alabama.
“She had multiple injuries and is recovering,” said Jennifer Craig, a member of Hill Crest Baptist Church, Anniston, and Ohatchee High School counselor.
She spent Friday and the weekend on the phone trying to contact all the high school students — about 450 students. She was helping fill needs through the churches and local emergency officials.
‘Feeding’ the needs
Oak Bowery has offered three meals a day since the tornado came through. Some people come to the church for the meals, but others are taking those meals directly to those in need.
“Our ladies said, ‘We’ll feed until there is not a need,’” said Katie Fordham, of Oak Bowery.
Fordham’s husband, Sam, serves as the church’s pastor. She just had surgery on her brain eight weeks ago to address issues with Parkinson’s Disease, and she was making and receiving calls to try to fill and meet needs.
As of March 29, 179 houses had been damaged: 43 were destroyed; 54 suffered major damage; and 82 had minor damage.
“We’re made of grit, compassion and resiliency,” Ivey said. “We’re a state where neighbors help neighbors. It’s so important that we all work together.”
Hill Crest was the command center for ABDR. Assessors started work March 25 and continued working with chainsaw teams.
Shelby County response
Huffman Baptist Church hosted a chainsaw team from Limestone Association and cooks from Birmingham Metro Association. Chaplains from Limestone and Birmingham Metro were on scene as well.
Three teams were working in Helena the day after the tornadoes struck. While ABDR volunteers were setting up a command center at Indian Springs First, those teams were focused on a small neighborhood near Old Town Helena.
“We’ll be here as long as the work is needed,” said John Hayes, the ABDR white hat for the site and member of Adamsville Baptist Church.”
Power of prayer
Pastor Randy Keith, who just retired from Shiloh Baptist Church, Helena, rode out the storm with his wife, Sandy, in their storm pit.
“There weren’t a lot of thunder and lightning,” Keith said. “This was a calm monster.”
His go-to prayer for such times is out of Isaiah 54:17 — “There’s no weapon formed against me that’s going to prosper.”
The couple took shelter the week prior too. That tornado dissipated quickly after they took shelter.
The March 25 storm devastated neighbors across the road from him — trailer parks, horse farms. Horses and goats were killed, and two people were injured.
Keith has been sharing chicken feed with those affected by the storms. He owns Keefarosa Farm Feed in Wilsonville.
“You can’t just pick you a Scripture out of the Bible when you need it,” he said. “You need to be living it, living for the Lord.”
On March 30, Rick Lance, executive director of the Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions, and Mark Wakefield, SBOM lead disaster relief strategist, visited hard hit areas. Lance and Wakefield presented a check on behalf of Alabama Baptists to Shannon Allen, pastor of Ashby Baptist Church, Brierfield, in Bibb Association, whose church sustained damaged in a March 25 tornado.
Funds also were provided to Wellington First Baptist Church, in Calhoun Association, and Rainbow City First Baptist Church, in Etowah Association, which sustained damage in the March 25 tornado outbreak.
How to help
Those who wish to help residents of affected areas can give monetary donations at https://sbdr.org/donate/ or by mail to Alabama Baptist Disaster Relief, P.O. Box 681970, Prattville, Alabama 36068-1970. 100% of donations through ABDR go directly to help victims of tornadoes and other disasters. No funds are withheld for administration costs.
In past disasters, community officials have urged those wishing to help to purchase gift cards that can be distributed to those who live in tornado-affected areas.
Gift cards from home improvement stores like Lowe’s or Home Depot or retailers like Walmart or grocery stores in the affected areas are encouraged because they allow residents to purchase what they need.
Contact your church or association ABDR team to see what specific needs they have, Wakefield advised.
Alabama Baptist Disaster Relief has several upcoming training opportunities for volunteers wishing to become credentialed.
UPCOMING DISASTER RELIEF TRAINING
Birmingham Metro
Baptist Church at McAdory, 4954 Eastern Valley Rd., McCalla
April 15–17
Statewide
Alabama Baptist Disaster Relief Center, 118 Jesse Samuel Hunt Boulevard, Prattville
- April 8–10 — Chaplain
- April 9 — Cleanup and recovery
- April 9–10 — Chainsaw
- April 9–10 — Mass Feeding
Register and find more information at sbdr.org/events.
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