ROAN MOUNTAIN, Tenn. – The raging flood waters trapped one of Geren Street’s neighbors as he tried to escape in his truck. First responders were able to quickly answer the neighbor’s distress call and freed him from the vehicle as the force of the water pinned the truck door closed.
In the days following that storm, Street housed the man at First Baptist Church of Roan Mountain along with several other families who lost everything when Hurricane Helene’s rainfall sent historic flood waters cascading through the Appalachian region.
The church, situated on a hill, did not have significant damage from the storm and was one of the few buildings that had power. Overnight, the facility transformed into a response center for those who survived the flooding that swept through their small town. Sunday school rooms were transformed into temporary living spaces for several families.
“We have families that have been with us since the storm hit and have no place to go back to,” Street said. “We have room here available for them, and we’re trying to meet a need and love on them until there’s a place for them to go.”
Generous people filled their sanctuary and church facility with donations to support those in need. The church cooked thousands of hot meals out of its kitchen, and Southern Baptist Disaster Relief (SBDR) set up a laundry unit and shower trailer for the church to utilize for people in need.
Long term, however, the community will continue needing recovery assistance.
“I know we’re still needing trees cut off of houses. I know that we have people that need mud taken out of their houses, cleaned out from the flood,” Street said. “I know that there’s roadwork, driveway work that needs to be done. There’s some temporary roof assistance that needs to be done in the area. We have a wide array of work just in trying to recover from the devastation of Helene.”
In Jonesborough, Cherry Grove Baptist Church similarly became a hub of response activity as people brought supplies to the church and survivors visited campus to track down necessities.
“People are broken. They’re devastated. There’s been loss of life, and what a need to pray and come together as community,” said Pastor Tommy Clark. “I just am blown away at people coming in and helping and donating and the organizations coming to assist us.”
Volunteers offered several “God stories” for how specific needs were met before their eyes.
One resident arrived needing oxygen, and as church leaders began their search, the very next vehicle pulled up with two supplies of oxygen to share.
In another instance, a family arrived in need of bread, but the church had run through its supply. Again, the next car to pull up contained a tray full of bread to share.
“The Father in heaven has been working mightily here,” Clark said.
The work of these churches represents a portrait of what thousands of Southern Baptist volunteers are doing throughout the Southeast through local churches as well as trained SBDR volunteers who mobilized to cook meals and remove debris and mud from damaged properties.
As of Monday, Oct. 21, SBDR has prepared nearly 800,000 meals and completed more than 2,250 recovery jobs in response to Hurricane Helene, and 185 people have made professions in Christ because of their work.
To learn more about the hurricane response, visit SendRelief.org.
