When scores of tornadoes traversed the state April 27, hitting 41 of 67 counties and killing more than 240 citizens, Alabama Baptists’ District 6 — which covers Butler, Conecuh, Covington, Crenshaw, Escambia, Monroe and Wilcox counties — received some wind damage.
So its people stepped up to meet needs in places that took a direct hit.
“They simply were focused on how they could go to their neighbors and help,” said Gary Swafford, director of the office of associational missions and church planting for the Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions (SBOM).
They sent volunteers, a shower unit, supplies and such to areas that had been affected by the storms, Swafford reported.
Very often, these efforts began not necessarily at the associational level but with churches that had connections in storm-damaged areas. “It was just a natural response,” Swafford explained.
The disaster relief efforts have provided tangible evidence of Christianity — people putting on work clothes, getting out in the communities and acting out what they believe, he said.
When Christians go into communities and demonstrate their faith, others come to know Jesus Christ as their Savior, Swafford said.
Alabama-Crenshaw Baptist Association
Volunteers from Alabama-Crenshaw Baptist Association did put on their work clothes and continue to do so.
The day after the tornadoes, several churches gathered needed items and delivered them to Elmore County, Director of Missions (DOM) Don Yancey said.
Volunteers from about five churches went to Hackleburg in Marion County, Franklin County and Tuscaloosa County to work in cleanup and recovery, Yancey said.
One chaplain from the association was dispatched to north Alabama, he added.
Many churches gave funds to the state disaster relief effort. Work gloves, safety glasses and masks also were given to the state convention to distribute to disaster relief volunteers, Yancey said.
In addition, a number of people in the association are involved in Campers for Christ and have worked through that organization to offer assistance, he said.
“Everybody wanted to do something,” Yancey observed.
Soon after the storms, SBOM asked unaffected associations to partner with affected associations to be certain no association needing help with rebuilding efforts would be overlooked. More than 40 partnerships have been formed, Swafford said. Some places — such as Marion, Tuscaloosa and Franklin counties — experienced so much damage that their associations require more than one partnership, he added.
Alabama-Crenshaw Association has partnered with Franklin Baptist Association.
“They’re building houses for needy people” who had insufficient insurance or no insurance, Yancey said.
Volunteers from South Luverne Baptist Church; First Baptist Church, Luverne; Highland Home Baptist Church; First Baptist Church, Rutledge; and Brantley Baptist Church spent a week in August and another in September constructing homes in Phil Campbell. First Baptist Church, Russellville, in Franklin Association housed the volunteers during their stay.
“A lot of churches gave money [for the endeavor], and we appreciated it very much,” Yancey said.
Moreover Alabama-Crenshaw Association has helped by purchasing some building materials, he said.
This summer, the association plans to sponsor two construction trips in an effort to give more people the opportunity to serve, Yancey said.
“We hope to keep going for the next two to five years,” so that homes can be built and people reached for Christ, he added.
Yancey noted that Alabama-Crenshaw Association is open to construction missions trips elsewhere as well.
Bethlehem/Pine Barren Baptist Associations
Monroe and Wilcox counties experienced some backlash from the tornadoes.
John Marks, DOM for Bethlehem and Pine Barren Baptist associations, reported that some trees were downed and roofs damaged.
“It was all taken care of by individuals, homeowners,” Marks noted.
Volunteers from the associations helped homeowners when needed. Some churches members also assisted with roofing issues, Marks said.
Teams from churches also volunteered in Phil Campbell, Rainsville and Tuscaloosa, he said.
“Helping others is what it’s all about,” Marks pointed out.
The people of Bethlehem and Pine Barren associations can understand what it is to hurt because of their experience with Hurricane Ivan in 2004, he said.
The April 27 tornadoes presented an opportunity for them to reciprocate the kindness and care they received after Hurricane Ivan, Marks said.
Butler Baptist Association
Even though Butler County escaped harm April 27, Danny Dean said there was loss of life within 30 minutes of the county.
“It still boggles my mind the level of storms and damage that came through that day,” said Dean, moderator of Butler Baptist Association and pastor of Spring Creek Baptist Church, Honoraville.
After the tornadoes struck, the people of Spring Creek Baptist went to Choctaw County to assist there, he said.
Other churches reached out in different ways. First Baptist Church and Southside Baptist Church, both in Greenville, gave funds, while Liberty Baptist Church, Greenville, provided some supplies for people in affected areas.
“We’re still trying to keep our finger on the needs for recovery. [We’re] trying to keep an eye out for what’s next,” Dean said of his association.
He said Butler Association is seeking opportunities for partnerships and construction missions trips.
Conecuh Baptist Association
Because Conecuh County was spared damage, its people felt their responsibility was to help those who did experience the ravages of the April 27 storms.
“All [churches] kind of stood up to the occasion,” said Joey Rodgers, DOM for Conecuh Baptist Association.
Rodgers noted that Evergreen Baptist Church gathered water, food and clothes and took them to Northport in Tuscaloosa County. A disaster relief volunteer delivered the association’s equipment to Cottondale in Tuscaloosa County so that it could be used there, he added.
During the summer, Bower Memorial Baptist Church, Evergreen, took a missions trip to work in the county, Rodgers said.
Churches also collected special offerings for disaster relief efforts, he said.
“I think they all responded well,” Rodgers said of the association’s churches, which tend to be rural with a significant number of elderly members.
The special offerings gave church members the chance to help others, even if they were not capable of volunteering, he pointed out. The funds helped purchase mobile chapels for churches that suffered much damage and provide resources for repairs at other churches. The money given by one church bought food items for preparing hot meals that were delivered in the Cottondale community.
Covington Baptist Association
“Baptists of Alabama have long appreciated the power of partnership,” said Larry Cummings, recently retired DOM for Covington Baptist Association.
Perhaps that’s why members of Covington Association churches were swift to respond to their fellow Alabamians.
Cummings said the association’s laundry unit was dispatched to Rainsville in DeKalb County to serve the community. Volunteers and churches — such as Westview Baptist, Opp — assisted with projects in Marshall County.
“A lot of collections went up that way” from Covington Association churches, he added.
Cummings said most of the association’s 54 churches helped in the aftermath of the storms by giving funds, supplies or volunteer hours.
Leroy Cole, disaster relief coordinator for Covington Association and disaster relief chaplain, served in Tuscaloosa right after the tornadoes.
Escambia Baptist Association
Chaplains from Escambia Baptist Association went to Pleasant Grove on two occasions after the April 27 tornadoes. The association’s chain saw team worked in Pratt City, DOM Pat Andrews reported.
Churches sent supplies and worked in the Henagar area twice. Some also donated funds.
First Baptist Church and Little Escambia Baptist Church, both in Flomaton, and Liberty Baptist Church, Brewton, were among the churches that assisted storm victims, Andrews said.
“These churches actually went and did work on-site,” he explained. “Liberty was very giving with supplies. They’re a small church. They have only 50–60 in Sunday School. They were very proactive.”
It was after Hurricane Ivan that Escambia Association became proactive in disaster relief. The association saw volunteers come to the area to help and churches and others give funds for disaster relief. That led it to develop a disaster relief team trained in mud-out, chain saw, chaplaincy and food service to be ready to minister to others, Andrews said.
Sardis Baptist Association
The region encompassed by Sardis Baptist Association was not in the path of the April 27 tornadoes.
“We were spared,” reported James Preachers, DOM for Sardis Association and pastor of Mount Carmel Baptist Church, Coffee Springs.
So in the storms’ aftermath, Preachers served a couple of days as a disaster relief chaplain in Tuscaloosa.
Though the association has only 11 rural churches, its goal is to have a disaster relief team. “I want to have them ready by the next time,” Preachers said.
The endeavor to form a disaster relief team actually was under way prior to April 27, he said.
A disaster relief volunteer for more than 20 years, Preachers has witnessed the benefit of such a ministry. Through disaster relief, he said he has seen sadness turn to smiles and despair turn to hope.
“It gives people a lot of hope, a new zeal after the trauma they’ve been through,” Preachers said. “It puts them on the road to healing. It’s a great ministry.”
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