As Linda Hunt and her family made the nearly 350-mile trek to Bessemer to escape the storm threatening their home in Metairie, La., thoughts of Hurricane Katrina filled her mind.
She could not bear the idea of their home experiencing the destruction it had in 2005 again.
“It strikes such fear,” Hunt explained as she pondered returning home. “You don’t know what you’ll find when you go back. It is just as terrifying as the hurricane coming.”
Hunt, her husband and her mother arrived at the Country Inn & Suites in Bessemer Aug. 29.
Though Hunt was hesitant about her three grown children staying behind, she was grateful to learn they all weathered the storm fine and that her home was not harmed.
Hunt knew she had been blessed with her home’s survival and family’s safety, “but not everyone here can say that,” she said as she looked around the room filled with New Orleans-area evacuees.
It was for those hurting people that members of Union Hill Baptist Church, Bessemer, came Sept. 3, bearing encouragement and food.
With tears streaming down her cheeks, Hunt said, “This was just a very loving act, very loving. And it’s really showing you there are great people in this world.”
Sharing their love and concern for evacuees was exactly what Pastor Mickey Bell and his Mud Creek Baptist Association church hoped to accomplish after learning some of them were skipping meals in order to save gas money for the trip home. In less than 12 hours, a team prepared to serve a meal to nearly 400 people residing in four Bessemer hotels on Academy Drive. It also prepared toys and activities for the children.
Nearly 75 Union Hill Baptist volunteers ministered at the hotels, while the rest of the church body gathered at the church for a prayer service directly targeted at the outreach ministry.
Although there was a smaller number of evacuees present than anticipated — only about 50 people at each location — when they arrived with the food, the volunteers were not discouraged.
“Our job is to provide [ministry],” Bell said. “We did what we were supposed to do and we’re happy with that.”
He added, “If we made an impact on three people, it’s worth the work, but we’ve impacted a lot more than that. And we’ve been able to share the gospel.”
One of those impacted was Shelia Trout, who, along with her husband and two young children, is currently stationed in New Orleans with the U.S. Navy.
As Trout’s children played with volunteers from Union Hill, she said, “Everyone has been very friendly; I can definitely say that.”
Hunt, who comes from a Catholic background, said, “The Baptists always care for their people.
“It is very touching,” she said. “They always have a hand out to help.”
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