While hurting people in Cocke County and other counties in northeast Tennessee welcomed Tennessee Baptist Disaster Relief volunteers, not as much help was needed because members of local churches already were helping each other and their neighbors.
“It is amazing what the Lord has done through our churches,” said Mike Hensley, director of missions for East Tennessee Baptist Association.
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Every one of the association’s 38 churches (of which the large majority is 100 members or less) ministered in one way or another, whether it was donating food and water, volunteering to assist others and just doing whatever needed to be done, Hensley said.
“You don’t have to be a large church to meet needs in your community,” he observed.
Hensley said that some church members have worked 70–80 hours a week to meet needs since the storms ended. “Our people have really worked hard,” he affirmed.
The former pastor of Swannsylvania Baptist Church in Dandridge and lifelong resident of Cocke County noted the flood was of historic proportions.
Though three rivers in the county all flooded causing extensive damage to homes and local churches and accounting for two known deaths, it could have been catastrophic, Hensley added.
“The dam in nearby Waterville held. If it had collapsed, the town (Newport) would have been destroyed,” he maintained. “It’s a miracle that it didn’t.
“Jesus is the hero. He kept that dam from breaking and He has worked through His people and He will continue to do so,” he added.
‘Survival mode’
Similar stories occurred throughout the region. Mountain City was one of the hardest hit areas in Johnson County.
Pastor Jamie Bodiford of First Baptist Church Mountain City noted that the first stage of response was “survival mode.” Church members began providing water, food and shelter just to help people survive, he said.
“They began helping neighbors. They knew what to do and they responded,” Bodiford said.
The church then moved to help people in the area to clear trees and do general cleanup. First Baptist took requests for help and partnered with Roan Creek Baptist Church who used their fellowship hall to house and feed chainsaw teams.
‘Praying for God to lead us’
“It has been a good partnership,” affirmed Roan Creek pastor David Hankal. “Jamie has contacted me daily about needs. It’s been a good relationship and partnership as we work together.”
Bodiford said the church will move to a rebuilding stage in the days ahead. A lot of folks did not have flood insurance because they never saw the water get that high, he noted.
“We are praying for God to lead us in the right response. We want to do whatever we can to help.”
EDITOR’S NOTE — This story was written by Lonnie Wilkey and originally published by Baptist and Reflector.
