Bear one another's burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ. - Galatians 6:2
Our minds never need to reach too far back in time to recall memories of natural disasters. In the 3rd District we have fresh memories of tornados ripping paths of damage, and the potential for severe ice storms arises every other winter it seems. Disaster preparedness is a priority in my family, and given our climate and location (particularly relative to the New Madrid Fault line) it should be at the top of your family's priority list too.
Thankfully, there are always neighbors and strangers willing to drop everything to lend a hand to those in need of shelter, food and water, clothing and other necessities. The American Red Cross is always one of the first groups that come to mind, but another team of volunteers has been working to help our community, and other communities all over the world, when natural disasters strike. The Kentucky Baptist Convention, in coordination with the Southern Baptist Convention, have responded to locations the world over. From Ground Zero in New York City serving meals, to West Liberty, Kentucky providing meals and a shower trailer. From mud-out work in hurricane damaged homes on the gulf to providing communication services where not even first responders' radio systems and cell phones will work. Teams have gone from North Christian County to the Republic of Georgia and Zimbabwe serving those in need and showing Christ's love with every drop of sweat.
BY THE NUMBERS - 2012 Kentucky Baptist DR Report
- 5022 Volunteer Hours
- 203 Mud-Out Jobs
- 350 Chainsaw Jobs
- 1864 Showers
- 316 Loads of Laundry
- 451,732 Meals Prepared
- 859 Chaplaincy Ministry Contacts
- 3153 Ministry Contacts
- 373 Gospel Presentations
- 40 Decisions for Christ!
But this is where you come in! There is always a need for volunteers to respond to disasters across Kentucky and beyond. There are always places for folks to plug in, and this weekend can be your first step into the rewarding servant world of Disaster Relief! On Saturday, April 27th, 2013, at 8:00am (CST), the Christian County Baptist Association will be running a preliminary training and demonstration of the various DR Units that the Kentucky Baptist DR teams have at their disposal.* You can see a brief overview of the shower, child care, communication and water purification units that are often called into action.
Christian County Baptist Association
Saturday, April 27, 2013 - 8:00 AM (CST)
905 North Drive, Hopkinsville, KY, 42240
Call: (270) 885-8777 or Email: christiancountyb@bellsouth.net
Here are some other regional DR training dates.
* I am particularly proud of the Southern Baptist DR units. My father designed and/or built shower, communication, child care and water purification units for the KBC DR crews. He obtained a special Ham Radio handle for the KBC DR Comm. unit. He also prepared a child care "protocol" including security measures. These few lines about his contributions to the DR Community hardly do him justice. I love my dad, and miss him every day.