A month after the devastating April 27 tornadoes, the role of volunteers is slowly changing from relief to recovery. Feeding units are being closed down. Shower and laundry units are being deactivated. There are still lots of trees to be cut and debris to be moved to the side of the road where it can be picked up and hauled away. But increasingly, attention is turning to recovery and rebuilding.
Alabama Baptists played a vital role in responding to the needs immediately following the tornadoes. Some of that response was channeled through the Alabama Baptist State Convention disaster relief program, which can document more than 11,000 days of volunteer service during the past month. A great deal of response came from concerned Alabama Baptists who saw a need and responded immediately.
Southern Baptists have the third largest disaster relief response network in the nation — behind the Red Cross and The Salvation Army. In the days immediately after the tornadoes, Alabama Baptist feeding units cooked nearly a quarter of a million meals, most of which were distributed through the Red Cross. Through an agreement worked out by the Southern Baptist Convention’s North American Mission Board, the Red Cross provides the food Southern Baptist feeding units prepare. Then the Red Cross distributes the food to disaster survivors and first responders. Frequently those receiving the food have no idea of the role Southern Baptists played in providing it, but our Lord knows the way Southern Baptists reach out to those in need.
By being a part of the response plan for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and working with the Red Cross, Southern Baptists are among the first responders providing trained volunteers through chain saw crews, cleanup crews, child care teams, chaplains and many other services. These volunteers proudly wear the yellow shirts signifying they are part of a trained response effort provided by Southern Baptists. Nearly 6,000 people have gone through Alabama Baptist disaster relief training, and about half of those are currently actively involved.
But being a part of a national response strategy also has limitations. Response must be coordinated through FEMA and the Red Cross. Every partner must fulfill its assigned role. Immediate or independent action is limited.
That is one reason a lot of Alabama Baptists simply acted in response to the needs around them April 27 and continue to do so.
In St. Clair County, Ron Warren, who coordinates Alabama Baptists’ cleanup/recovery/chain saw teams, had a group of trained volunteers to call on to help him work through the night cutting trees to clear a path for emergency volunteers trying to reach survivors in Shoal Creek Valley.
But in places like Hackleburg and Phil Campbell, church members just grabbed their chain saws and started cutting trees to get to survivors trapped in damaged homes and other places. Such scenes were repeated in countless sites across the state April 27 and the days following.
When power went out, numerous Alabama Baptist churches rounded up grills and began cooking hot dogs and hamburgers for people who had no food. Some churches made sandwiches. Before long, stores without power began donating food in danger of spoiling so it could be used to feed people before going bad. Because Alabama Baptist churches took the initiative to reach out to people in need, others joined in and ministries grew.
After the tornadoes struck, a number of churches gathered up volunteers and headed to the areas of need. They were ready for whatever they would find. Church members knew people were in need and were going to be the “presence of Christ” in the midst of trouble. They were there to pull people from the rubble, hug the hurting and pray for those in need.
Alabama Baptist churches became drop-off centers, Red Cross shelters and much more. Volunteers sorted what others donated. Some supervised distribution. Others listened to the stories of those spending their nights in the shelters.
And the efforts continue. Birmingham Baptist Association, for example, worked with the Jefferson County Commission to coordinate two Saturdays of work during which churches were asked to be responsible for helping families in designated areas. More than 850 volunteers ran chain saws, pulled brush and provided other services to help families in need.
In these instances, Alabama Baptist volunteers did not wait to get permission to minister. They simply saw a need and responded as best they could. Did they make mistakes? Probably. One pastor shared that when he did disaster relief training, he recognized how many mistakes he had made before. When the tornadoes struck this time, he knew what to do and how to do it in the best way. Training is always important.
Few of these local efforts will ever show up in statistics about Alabama Baptists’ response to the tornadoes. Some volunteer efforts will be known by those on the receiving side. Some will be known only by God. But recognition is not the reason Alabama Baptists volunteer. We volunteer in order to demonstrate God’s love for all people in every situation.
Alabama Baptists are indebted to the men and women who wear the yellow shirts, are trained and form a valuable resource by being prepared to respond to great need in a moment’s notice. We are indebted to their skills and knowledge that help limited resources make maximum impact. Being a major partner in the nation’s disaster relief program is an appreciated contribution.
Alabama Baptists also are indebted to the countless Alabama Baptists who simply allowed Christ’s compassion to overflow through them and reached out in immediate ways to help hurting people around them.
One way is not necessarily better or worse than the other. The ways are just different. After all, those receiving the volunteer’s ministry seldom know if he or she is trained or not. Most are simply grateful for the help.
A huge “well done good and faithful servant” is due all Alabama Baptist volunteers for the selfless service provided during the past month. Thank you and God bless.
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