MCGEHEE, Ark. – Arkansas Baptist Disaster Relief (ABDR) recently deployed to McGehee to assist with the recovery of homes flooded on April 5 following torrential rainfall across the state.
Mike Taylor, leader of the Washington/Madison feeding unit, was one of the volunteers on the ground in McGehee. He said they met with city officials on April 28 and received a briefing and a list of 41 homeowners that had requested assistance.
“Arkansas Baptists were the first organization to deploy and provide actual recovery work for these homeowners,” Taylor said.
Eighty-one homes suffered some damage during the flood event, but 40 were recovered by the homeowner or with help from friends and family. Taylor said the remaining 41 were the most impacted with up to 3 feet of water being recorded in some of the affected areas.
“Upon the initial assessments that our assessment and chaplain teams completed it was very evident that extensive damage with mold and wet wallboard and flooring still existed,” he said. “Our recovery, flood recovery and box ministry teams began arriving on Wednesday, April 30, and immediately began assisting the homeowners.”
ABDR volunteers Howard and Ernestine Moose were in McGehee with the Clarksville First Baptist Church disaster relief team. Volunteers with their box ministry assisted in packing up four homes affected by the flood. “Ministry is about sharing the gospel face to face,” Howard said, and being the hands and feet of Jesus. He said to “see someone light up when you share the gospel” is a blessing.
Additionally, Taylor said the shower and laundry trailer deployed from Mountain Home and was “a very welcome addition to the recovery efforts.”
The recovery teams completed work on 39 homes, including removing wallboard, insulation, flooring, and household items saturated with water. Treatment was then applied to the homes to kill and help prevent any further mold from occurring.
Over the two weeks they were deployed, Taylor said the neighborhoods in the impacted area saw the “yellow shirt army working hard long hours, praying with and for the families, hugging on them, and providing hope and help.”
In a Facebook post on April 29, homeowner Jamie Mcmahan Smith shared, “2 gentleman from this organization just visited with us and inspected the house for moisture in our walls. They were so precious and did a very thorough job. At the end of the visit, one told me ‘We don’t charge because HE (pointing to Heaven) already paid for it all!’ Then they prayed for us and I prayed for them! I’m moved to tears at the generous servant’s hearts of these men and this organization!!”
As a result of ABDR’s efforts in McGehee, four individuals made professions of faith.
Taylor said their host, First Baptist Church in McGehee, was outstanding by offering many spaces for the team to work, sleep, and eat.
“We felt like part of the community. A huge thank you to their staff and members,” he said. Other churches, including the Methodist and Catholic Church, also opened their arms and facilities to ABDR teams, “which was greatly appreciated.”
June 1 designated Disaster Relief Sunday
Sunday, June 1, has been designated on the Southern Baptist Convention calendar as a special day to recognize and raise awareness of Disaster Relief ministries.
According to the ABDR website, Disaster Relief is a ministry of the heart – caring people going to people in crisis to offer the help, healing, and hope of Jesus Christ.
For more information about ABDR and how to get involved, visit abscdisasterrelief.org.