PORTSMOUTH — Rob Edwards, pastor of Cradock Baptist in Portsmouth, admits a recent mission project that resulted in the collection of over 750 stuffed animals began in an unconventional way — only possible by today’s technology.
Children from Cradock Baptist with some of the stuffed animals collected for the children in Atlanta.
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During the week of Sep. 21, parts of the metro Atlanta area received over 20 inches of rain, creating flash flooding with thousands of people losing their homes and their possessions. While Edwards knew his congregation would not be able to send a mission team to the area, he knew members would be eager to respond and bring hope to flood victims there.
Through a social network media campaign, Pastor Edwards had followed the launch of the Courageous Church in downtown Atlanta. Although he had never met him, he knew Shaun King, pastor of this contemporary congregation, through his blog posts and Twitter feeds. Several days after the flood he saw King was posting immediate needs during recovery efforts there.
Stuff toys fill the front of Cradock's sanctuary.
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One posting that stuck with Edwards was over 2,000 children had lost all of their toys in the flood. “I called Shaun to find out if anyone else had picked that specific need,” he says. And no one had.
So Edwards began to spread the word. He twittered, put it on his blog and the church’s website. He sent emails to the Portsmouth and Norfolk Baptist associations to share the need with other churches. And he called a friend who operates a shipping store and he agreed to get the toys to Atlanta.
In just over a week over 750 stuffed toys were collected and sent to the Courageous Church and HopeATL, an organization assisting flood victims.