ATLANTA (ABP) — The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship is preparing to handle both financial contributions and volunteer requests in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, even before damage assessments have been made, said David Harding, CBF's international coordinator for emergency response.
The Fellowship has already made $5,000 in emergency assistance available to each of the CBF organizations in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama after all three states were hit by Katrina.
“We have been in touch with CBF state leadership and are in stand-by mode awaiting first assessments of what has happened in CBF communities in these states,” Harding said.
Although the Fellowship will accept donations of relevant in-kind resources, financial contributions are the best way to provide materials for rebuilding and clean-up, Harding said.
“By giving disaster funds generally, rather than designated for a particular state or purpose, we have the flexibility to use the money where it is most needed,” Harding said. “We have to be careful in how we manage donated materials,” he said. “Sometimes it is a lot cheaper and easier for us to buy materials as close as possible to the work site rather than pay high transportation costs to bring donated supplies from another state. We are also in a better position to provide exactly what is needed with cash.”
Volunteers who want to help were encouraged to register with the Fellowship now. Timothy Wood, CBF's Volunteer Missions program manager in Dallas, maintains the volunteer database.
“We are already prescreening volunteers, sending out volunteer forms and insurance information,” Wood said.
Wood said it is anticipated that both skilled and unskilled volunteers will be needed. Needed skilled labor includes chainsaw crews, roofers, plumbers and electricians. Unskilled people who are in good health, can stand the heat, can lift heavy objects, and have good mobility are also expected to be needed to remove debris from houses and yards.
As needs are determined, qualified volunteers will be matched with appropriate jobs, Wood said.
Information about hurricane damage came in slowly over the first two days.
Philip Reynolds, pastor of University Baptist Church in Hattiesburg, Miss., was reached by phone during the storm Aug. 29, just as the eye wall was passing.
“It's really been tough,” he said. “I'm at my house and haven't been able to get to the church. We have trees down everywhere and I will have to get my chainsaw to get out of my driveway. There is quite a bit of damage.”
Reynolds said he talked by phone with some of his church members during the day and, as far as he knows, all are safe.
Elsewhere in Mississippi, CBF of Mississippi Coordinator Steve Street said CBF churches in Hattiesburg and Meridian are close to the storm's center, and he was waiting for reports.
“CBF friends all over the country have called since Sunday offering their prayers and their help,” Street said. “And we're going to need help.”
In Louisiana, state CBF Coordinator Lynn Hawkins was at his office in Ruston watching weather reports and trying to contact churches. One CBF church close to the storm's center is St. Charles Avenue in New Orleans. Hawkins said he had had no report from anyone at the church.
Hawkins said he has had an e-mail from First Baptist Church, Shreveport, saying that the church has organized work crews who are standing by to offer immediate help as soon as the danger has passed.
In Alabama, state Coordinator Mart Gray was waiting to hear from CBF churches in that state, especially those in the Mobile area where downtown flooding was prevalent. “I talked with staff members at First Baptist Church in Mobile, and they had not yet been to the church so they don't know what damage, if any, it sustained,” he said.
In Baton Rouge, La., Broadmoor Baptist Church offered shelter to residents of a nearby nursing home should evacuation from that facility be necessary.
In the Mississippi Delta, Harvest Fellowship in Greenville, Miss., opened its dormitory as a shelter.
In Alexandria, La., Emmanuel Baptist Church was prepared to open its doors as a Red Cross shelter.
“We are thankful to be spared the worst here, but are very concerned about the hundreds of thousands of people who are suffering,” said Larry Taylor, pastor of the church for the past 21 years.
The national Cooperative Baptist Fellowship has established a relief fund for Hurricane Katrina. Information about volunteer opportunities and donations is available on the Fellowship's website, www.thefellowship.info.
— Sue Poss is a free-lance writer and newsletter editor for the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of South Carolina.