The recently-formed BR-KC Disaster Relief Team is off to a busy start.

In just a little over a year, the team has spent time in Missouri, Iowa and Louisiana, When disaster strikes, people are fearful, traumatized and vulnerable. The following is a snapshot of just a few people who have been helped by our team:

People like an elderly couple in St. Joseph, Missouri. He is a Veteran, a lifetime of military service. Now, he can barely walk. A flood had filled his basement. He could not make the countless trips up and down the stairs required to rid his basement of the soggy carpet, waterlogged warped furniture, a lifetime of accumulations, the layer of mud and debris flood waters left behind. He could not check to see if precious mementos were salvageable. He was distraught with concern. A team Chaplain brought assurance and calmness. Prized possessions were located and accounted for. The door opened for a spiritual conversation. Decisions were made long ago to follow Jesus. There was a love and appreciation for Him. The days of church attendance had long passed due to health issues. A reminder, a refocus of perspective from the things seen to the eternal unseen things brought the peace that was lacking.

People like an elderly man in Iowa recovering from major ankle surgery. A huge tree crashed down on his back porch and yard. It was difficult for him to watch, feeling helpless as the team went to work.  Upon presenting him with a Large Print Bible signed by the team he was told of the love God has for him, of the value he has. He was told God has a purpose for him. “Even with a body messed up this much?” He asked as he pointed to his bandaged ankle. “Yes”, we assured him.  He was asked “Is there a time in your life when you decided to follow Jesus?”  He replied “No. But, I think that is something I need to do. I have been thinking of that a lot lately. Even before this storm. Even before this. (pointing at his ankle). I have been thinking of it a whole lot!”   The storm brought with it a bridge to the gift of God which was shared simply. He gladly took the offer to have someone from the local church connect with him, to share more with him.

 People like a man in Louisiana who came into the Incident Command Center not knowing how to express his real need.  Each time he began to speak, the words stuck in his throat. The reality was his house was beyond repair. A multi-generational family home. The night before there had been a hard, driving rain. He went to the upper floor to try to salvage some things as water poured in through the hole from a tree laying on the roof.  He searched to find anything he could save that was his mothers. Some decorative dolls crumbled in his hands. The old floors could not stand up to the massive amounts of water brought during and after Hurricane Laura. His leg went through the floor.  It was hopeless.  Everyone in his family always looked to him for the answers, how to fix things, what to do. This was beyond him. He couldn’t “fix” this. He was in tears.  The house served as a bridge for a much-needed conversation that led to two of us sitting with him on the front row in the church sanctuary with beautiful stained glass before us.  He talked, we listened. He came into that building weighed down by all the cares of the world pressing in on him. He laid them at the feet of Jesus. He walked out with a spring in his step, a smile on his face, and a determination to get back into fellowship with a body of believers, no longer letting the “busyness” of life separate him from a relationship with the Lord.

It is about more than statistics. It is about bringing help, hope, and healing in the name of Jesus. 

One more important mention is that of the opportunity of the summer College Intern team. In our association we are blessed to have a few who have served in this capacity. Maddy Atwell has a college degree in Disaster Relief. She is the leader of these teams. Evan Allen has been an internship participant.

One of us had the blessing of working alongside Maddy as the White Hat (Incident Command leader) and Evan, along with another internship participant on the IC team in DeRidder, LA. Another participant served as an Assessor that week. A few of us have also had the pleasure of working alongside Evan on a chainsaw team in Iowa and in DeRidder, LA. They all served with skill and excellence.  We wholeheartedly recommend this opportunity for young people to take part in the summer College Intern program. This is an amazing way to equip and enable young people to become involved in DR ministry. They are highly effective and energetic. They are our future.  One does not know what one is capable of unless someone gives them the opportunity. It is a Biblical responsibility of the older generation to teach the younger.  Why would a church not want to share this opportunity with their students? Go to https://mobaptist.org/dr/dr-internships for more information.

DR team activity:

–   Aug 1,2019 Gregg Boll picked up DR Trailer from Claycomo Baptist Church
–   Aug 20-23, 2019 Team to Mound City MO – flood recovery
–   September 26, 2019 DR meeting held at First Baptist Church Blue Springs
–   March 2020 Training held at Connection Point in Raytown MO
–   May 7, 2020 Team to Kamp Kersey in Amsterdam MO to clean up wind damage. 12 team members
–   May 29, 2020 Checked flooding damage in Buckner MO
–   Late July – early August Team of 4 to St. Joseph for a day of flood recovery. One team member  joined a Clay-Platte team to serve in St. Joe for two days and another for three days
–   August 25-30, 2020 Team of 4 to Cedar Rapids Iowa
–   September 2-10, 2020 Team of 3 to DeRidder LA to serve on the Incident Command team for Hurri cane Laura
–   Sept 4-9, 2020 Individual to DeRidder LA for Mass Care feeding
–   September 17-26, 2020 Chainsaw Team of 13 to DeRidder LA

The COVID-19 epidemic has definitely affected our participation this year. We are thankful for a core team that continue to serve our Lord Jesus. We are thankful for the prayers of many.  If you would like to support this ministry, donations designated for Disaster Relief can be sent to the Blue River – Kansas City association office.