Covington Association showcases state’s first laundry trailer

When Hurricane Ivan slammed into Alabama Sept. 16, 2004, it caused more than death and destruction. It caused the people of Covington Baptist Association to look at Southern Baptist disaster relief in a new light.
   
And the result was on display at the April 21–22 state disaster relief training held at Shocco Springs Baptist Conference Center in Talladega. Those attending were able to tour Alabama’s first laundry trailer and envision the ministry opportunities for the newest member of the state’s disaster relief family.
   
Equipped with washers and dryers, the trailer provides those affected by natural disasters a place to clean their clothes and give volunteers another place to intentionally minister to survivors’ physical and spiritual needs. “Whether you have a full wardrobe or very limited wardrobe, the idea of being clean helps one’s self-image,” said Tommy Puckett, director of the office of men’s ministries and director of disaster relief for the Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions (SBOM). “We thank the Lord for the vision that Covington had in expanding and looking at [the options] from a long-term standpoint.”
   
Covington Association is excited about the opportunities the trailer offers, said Director of Missions Larry Cummings. “We felt that would be a unique opportunity and chance to have a positive impact on people’s lives,” he noted. “[The SBOM] did a good job in making us aware that needs were there and that we could be involved.”
   
Cummings said a feeding team that responded to needs after Ivan revived the association’s interest in disaster relief. “We’ve seen the direct effect of what disaster relief can do to help people in their time of need.”
   
That new awareness sparked interest in disaster relief in a major way, said Leroy Cole, the association’s church and community ministries director. Up to that point, a few individuals had received disaster relief training but there were no established church or associational teams. Now associational mud-out and cleanup/recovery teams are being formed, laypersons and pastors are training to serve as chaplains and the seeds for an even bigger disaster relief ministry are sown.
   
Some individuals donated money to the association for disaster relief after Ivan hit, Cole said. He and Cummings discussed with Puckett the best way to use that money, and Puckett mentioned the need for a laundry trailer, which very few states have.
   
Based on plans from the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina and built by people from the Covington Association, the trailer was fully stocked with items either donated or bought with donated money, Cole said.
   
It has two electric washers that can run off a plug or the trailer’s generator and four gas dryers that will run off two propane tanks included in the trailer. It will take a team of two to six people to set up and maintain the trailer, and a trained chaplain will go out with it whenever it is deployed, Cole said. “While their clothes are washing, we can talk with them about personal and spiritual needs.”
   
The first training session for the trailer should be held by early June, Cole noted. “I want us to be ready to respond whenever the first hurricane hits.”
   
Puckett said he and Cole have discussed offering statewide training for the trailer in case there is another long-term response like Hurricane Katrina caused. “We want this to be a special ministry for Covington, but we also wanted to have people trained so that we could carry out a long-term response,” Puckett said. Having other teams trained in using the trailer would continue its ministry beyond the manpower that Covington Association alone could provide, he explained.
   
“I’m looking forward to it opening doors of opportunities to build relationships with people to be able to share Jesus Christ with them,” Cummings added.