Before the devastating winds of Hurricane Helene had completely calmed, and after raging floods left thick layers of mud, news came that all Baptist Children’s Homes’ residents and staff in the mountains of Western North Carolina were safe. Within hours, phones began to ring. North Carolina Baptists’ minds and hearts turned to helping, and preparations began. Tree and debris removal was the first order of business. Churches were on-site helping within days.
Residents from three homes for intellectually/developmentally disabled adults were evacuated due to power and water outages. The Alverta Bolick Home residents from Asheville sheltered at Broyhill Home in Clyde. (The western campus sustained only minor damage.) The residents from BCH’s two Joy Cove homes north of Boone were safely evacuated to Mills Home in Thomasville. They returned to their Zionville homes after it was assessed as safe and the power was restored. It will be much longer before our Asheville Home residents will be able to return due to municipal water and sewage issues.
Homebase ministry at Western Carolina University in Cullowhee served as a hub, providing support for displaced students. Several of our staff in the west and their families did sustain major damage to their homes. Please remember them in prayer as they face the weeks and months ahead.
Immediately, NCBAM Call Center staff began contacting Baptist churches and Associations in the west to let them know that NCBAM was ready to serve aging adults impacted by the storm. Call Center Specialists are still actively reaching out to clients to check on them and encourage them. Staff are also reaching out to western area volunteers to partner with NCBAM as a possible resource for needy clients. The Call Center has also received many calls from aging adults in affected areas. These callers are typically referred to specific Baptists on Mission’s Disaster Relief posts that are set up to serve in particular areas.
NCBAM Call Center Specialist Shirley Carlson, along with her husband Roger, have traveled to Marion twice as volunteers with Baptists on Mission Disaster Relief teams. Roger volunteers as a trained Disaster Relief “assessor” and Shirley is there to encourage and pray with people on some of the toughest days of their lives. The Carlsons have also served in Alaska and in Louisiana in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Hearts are grateful for Baptists on Mission and God’s people mobilizing to offer help and share hope in the midst of this crisis.
Greater Vision Outreach in Thomasville, with community and BCH staff support, is holding an ongoing drive to collect cleaning supplies and hygiene items. Also, coats are being collected as winter approaches. The outreach delivered four pallets of hand antibacterial wipes to help in the aftermath. For more information on how to participate, call 336-474-1214.
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