RICHMOND, Va. — Plans to send Virginia Baptist disaster relief teams to Georgia in the wake of devastating floods have been put on hold while assessment of needs continues, a leader in the effort said Sept. 28.
Terry Raines, disaster relief coordinator for the Virginia Baptist Mission Board, had called Sept. 25 for volunteers to help with clean up recovery, or “mud out,” in parts of Georgia hit by once-every-500-years flooding the week of Sept. 20. He had anticipated at least one team leaving Sept. 28.
Clay Road Baptist Church in Austell, Ga., sits in a sea of water after heavy rains in the Atlanta area. (BP Photo by Adam Miller)
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But those volunteers are being asked to “remain on standby for likely activation later this week,” said Raines.
“The reason for the delay is the wide area flooded resulted in a longer assessment and operation set up time than was initially anticipated,” he said. “The waters must recede. The roads must be cleared. Housing, feeding and showers for volunteers must be in place. Homes of families requesting assistance must be assessed and work orders created before teams can begin work. When the jobs are ready, additional teams will likely be activated.”
Raines said two Virginia Baptist disaster relief assessors – Paul McDaniel of Roanoke and Patrick Johnson of Nickelsville – have left for Douglasville, Ga., just west of Atlanta. Douglasville is the site of the disaster operations center set up by the network of Baptist disaster relief organizations, which includes the Southern Baptist Convention’s North American Mission Board, based in Alpharetta, Ga.
McDaniel is a member of Lynn Haven Baptist Church in Vinton, Johnson of Moores Memorial Baptist Church in Nickelsville.
“Paul and Patrick and the disaster operations center … will keep us informed as the situation develops,” said Raines.
“Many thanks to all who volunteered to go today,” he added. “And thanks, too for your patience. Though changes in plans can be frustrating, the frustration of arriving before work is ready is greater!”
Additional information is available on the Virginia Baptist Mission Board's web site, from Virginia Baptists’ disaster relief hotline at (804) 545-1212 or from mobilization assistant Nichole Bulls at [email protected].
At least 10 people died in the floods and Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue has declared a state of emergency in 17 flood-stricken counties, which have sustained an estimated $250 million in losses.
Both the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship and the Southern Baptist Convention are evaluating ways they can assist flood victims.
“The folks in Atlanta who are hurting are hurting now, and they will be hurting for a long time,” said Charles Ray, the Fellowship’s national disaster response coordinator in a press release. “CBF’s strength is our commitment to come alongside those hurting folks long after the first responders have left. We will be right there with them for the long term.”
Ray and other CBF disaster response team members will be assessing damage on Sept. 29, evaluating which areas would be the best for a long-term response. So far, the CBF has worked closely with the CBF of Georgia in gathering information on potential areas in which to work and victims who have specific needs.
Baptist Press reported that the NAMB is coordinating its assessments with the Georgia Baptist Convention.
“We’re working with Georgia Baptists to identify sites and pockets of need across north Georgia,” said Mickey Caison, the NAMB’s team leader for adult volunteer mobilization. “Once again Southern Baptist disaster relief volunteers are stepping up to provide effective disaster response in cooperation with our state partners.”
Assisting the NAMB and the Georgia convention with need assessment is a team from the Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions, reported BP.
Robert Dilday is managing editor of the Religious Herald.