PERRY, Fla. – When Hurricane Helene made landfall in Florida’s Big Bend region, it was the third storm to hit in 13 months, following 2023’s Hurricane Idalia and Hurricane Debby earlier this year.
“As the storm track tightened and it became clear that landfall would be in our area for the third time,” said Steven Ruff, pastor of First Baptist Church, Perry, “I remember thinking, ‘Are we ready to do this again?’”
The Big Bend was just the first region where Helene would throw a punch as it pounded the Southeast, claiming the lives of at least 215 people. Valdosta, Georgia, also endured Idalia in 2023, and Helene arrived with greater force.
“As soon as it came, you could hear far more falling trees and wind than ever before,” said Robby Foster, pastor of Northside Baptist Church in Valdosta. “And the bad thing was, Idalia came in the morning through about 12:30 in the afternoon. This one came at night at 12:30 for about two hours or so. It was just awful.”
Bryant Wright, president of Send Relief – Southern Baptists’ compassion and crisis response ministry – visited Perry and Valdosta to encourage pastors, Southern Baptist Disaster Relief (SBDR) volunteers and residents who had been impacted by the storm.
“Helene is now the deadliest storm to make landfall on the U.S. mainland since Hurricane Katrina in 2005,” Wright said. “The shocking nature of this storm has been how widespread it’s been. A storm that made landfall on Florida’s Gulf Coast left a scar stretching across the Southeast and brought catastrophe to western North Carolina.”
SBDR established 28 response sites throughout all six impacted states: Florida, Georgia, the Carolinas, Tennessee and Virginia. SBDR volunteers from 18 different state convention teams have served so far, providing more than 250,000 meals and completing more than 300 recovery jobs.
FBC Perry and Northside Baptist have hosted two of those SBDR response sites as volunteers fanned out into surrounding communities to aid storm survivors.
“Our community sees teams of people from around the state and beyond taking time away from their own families to help put their lives back together,” Ruff said. “That goes a long way in the recovery effort. This also allows FBC Perry the opportunity for future ministry once the hurricane response is over.”
For Foster and Northside, this is the second time their church has hosted a site in the last year, after a Georgia SBDR team set up their headquarters following Hurricane Idalia. With Helene creating so much more havoc, this time around they are hosting volunteers from Kentucky and Arkansas as well as Georgia.
“This is the power of Southern Baptists working together,” Foster said. “This is what we should be about. This is what makes our denomination so wonderful and Southern Baptists so wonderful. We don’t hear all these great stories about teams working together, helping communities, rebuilding lives, giving hope, letting people know there is hope. They share the Gospel so well with people.”
Valdosta resident George Pett had the entrance to his home cut off when a large tree fell across his front yard. An SBDR chainsaw team from Arkansas went to work.
“I prayed, ‘Lord we know the storm is going to be bad. Just don’t let my roof get crushed, and don’t let the vehicles get crushed,’” Pett said.
The tree fell on the house and covered up a vehicle but did not seriously damage his property.
“I can’t say enough about this crew of people who have come by to help us, both spiritually and emotionally,” Pett said. “They’ve been so encouraging. I thank God for that.”
Send Relief’s ministry center in Valdosta has been cooking and providing thousands of meals out of its campus.
“We’re feeding between 2,500 and 3,000 a day here. Multiple churches have come to help us, serving together,” said Jay Watkins, the ministry center director. “We’re right at 11,000 meals since the storm. We’re so thankful for those churches. That’s how we’re feeding the thousands. Seeing the spirit of the Cooperative Program, us working together, is fascinating. It’s a great dynamic.”
Even a week later, portions of western North Carolina remained cut off due to mudslides and road washouts.
As President Joe Biden visited North Carolina, he and Gov. Roy Cooper met briefly with North Carolina SBDR director Tom Beam to hear a report on the response efforts Southern Baptists have been conducting in and around Asheville, North Carolina, which suffered historic flooding and has been the region where Helene claimed the most lives. (See related story here.)
“He said, ‘I appreciate what you are doing,’” Beam said. “Then he gave me a fist bump, shook my hand and patted me on the shoulder. It was my duty and an honor to be able to share with the President of the United States what Baptists on Mission is all about and what we do.”
Southern Baptists will be serving for weeks, if not months, to come.
“Southern Baptist Disaster Relief volunteers are on the ground assisting hundreds of homeowners as they recover from this tragic storm, but so many people still need help,” said Wright. “This recovery is going to take a long time. The needs are so great. Please pray and give to Send Relief to help these many hurting people.”
Send Relief has provided resources, flood recovery supplies, temporary roofing and other materials to aid SBDR in its response, with semi-trucks traveling throughout the Southeast to deliver needed materials.
To donate and learn more about Send Relief’s response to Hurricane Helene, visit SendRelief.org/hurricane. To learn more about what each state convention’s SBDR teams are doing and how to get involved, visit SendRelief.org/sbdr.
Chad Austin with the Biblical Recorder contributed to this report.
