Hurricane Helene made landfall on the night of September 26, 2024, as a Category 4 hurricane with sustained winds of 140mph. It struck the panhandle of Florida in the “Big Bend” area, southeast of Tallahassee. This made it the strongest hurricane on record to strike that area. Helene followed a path that brought it through northern Florida and into Georgia, continuing through South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia. The storm caused widespread damage, including power outages, flash flooding, and tornados, particularly in Georgia. The storm’s impact was severe, with millions losing power and extreme property damage across multiple states. Scores of people have lost everything. As of this writing, some 2.5 million people are without power, and hundreds of people are missing. Immediate needs include basic necessities of water, food, shelter and power restoration. Long-term needs will involve debris removal and the rebuilding of towns, homes, roads, schools and businesses.  

What can we do as a local church?

The answer comes through our partnerships, in particular the Baptist General Association of Virginia (BGAV). Disaster Response (DR) is one of the most needed and mobilized ministries through the BGAV, which is funded through our gifts to the Alma Hunt Missions Offering. Starting Tuesday, October 1, the BGAV will provide 150,000 meals per day through its mobile feeding units. That’s “boots-on-the-ground” ministry. If you scroll down in today’s Milepost, you will see the call for HRBC volunteers to serve later in October.

What are some ways we can help?

We can pray fervently. We can give. We can go. Wilton and Caroline Johns, Mission Group leaders here at HRBC, are working with BGAV leaders and ready to help us to serve. If we are unable to physically go, we can pray. And we can give. Just go to our website and click “Give Online” and designate to “Alma Hunt State Missions” or you can go to Alma Hunt and designate to “Active Disaster Response (Helene)”.  

How do your gifts make an impact?

Here’s what the BGAV DR leaders say: 

Over the past two years, Impact Disaster Response has been part of two long-term rebuild operations from storms in Buchanan County in Virginia and Fort Myers in Florida. These responses were possible because volunteers from all over Virginia were able to support local volunteers who were the backbone of each response. As both of those responses have ended, we prepare for wherever future storms may take us.  

One blessing that has come out of the responses is the number of local volunteers in those communities who have committed to responding the next time a disaster happens elsewhere. As recovery continued, they said they wanted to train not just to respond at home better, but to be able to serve the next community that needs help like they did. Those partnerships, which include training, equipment, and volunteer deployment, are made possible because people pray constantly for the work to be done, give to support it, and go when called. Pray for all who serve and are served in Disaster Response ministry. 

HRBC, thank you for being part of the greater Baptist family through the BGAV. You have served faithfully for many years when disaster has struck. Many of you served after Hurricane Katrina and still talk about how God changed your lives as you served. May that same spirit (and Spirit) guide us as we respond for such a time as this! (Esther 4:14) 

In Christ’s love,