Volusia County (Holly Hill/Daytona Beach) 2009 Flood Relief
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I received a phone call from Brother Charles from DIRT Ministries, asking me if I
was planning on responding to Daytona Beach for the flooding. I asked him,
"What flooding?" I, like most of the rest of Florida and the world, had no idea
that there was any flooding going on. Before I could get off the phone with him,
Brother Frank from Whosoever Ministries was calling me asking the same
question. Charles lives in NC and was thinking about coming down, but Frank
lives in Daytona Beach and needed some help!
I told them that we'd pray about responding, and honestly, I wasn't sure what was
going on. As soon as I got home I got busy on the computer trying to find out all I
could about the flood. Volusia County had already received over twenty inches of
rain which had produced flash flooding, and they were expecting a lot more before
the storm was over. Some areas ended up with thirty inches of rain by the time a
few days had passed and the sun came out.
The flooding didn't last long, but it had done it's damage. Over one thousand
homes had been damaged, over seven hundred of them severely. We decided that
the Lord wanted us to respond for Memorial Day weekend and quickly put a team
together from our church. Frank had secured the United Brethren In Christ
Church in Holly Hill (UBIC) for our headquarters. This church used to have an
assisted-living facility, so we stayed in nice, hotel-type rooms, each with it's own
bathroom! There was a small kitchen in the living area and a large commercial
kitchen next to it. The church told us whatever we needed, it was ours! Pastor
Chuck and his church were awesome servants, full of hospitality! What an
enormous blessing for us!
Three of us left on Saturday as the rains didn't stop until Friday evening. When
we got in we took a tour of the area and figured out where we would start the next
morning. Two more from our church drove up the next day to join us and we
immediately got busy. A couple of locals joined in the efforts and we had a good
crew. Monday, we had more work orders and more locals to help us. We did what
we could in the time we had and were able to help do some small things for three
different homes and begin major debris removal and muck-outs in two others.
Our son was graduating from high school and my mom was coming into town, so
we had to head home, but promised to return if they needed us the following week.
The week came and went and meanwhile, Samaritan's Purse (SP) headed into the
area. We decided to back off and see how much help they were going to bring in
and when so as not to duplicate the efforts.
I was also monitoring the state and local conference calls, keeping tabs on what all
was going on. By the Tuesday after Nick's graduation, VIND, Volusia
Interfaiths/Agencies Networking in Disaster, the local ESF-15 that handles the
disaster relief response in the area, had contacted us about coming up again while
SP was gearing up. We agreed to come up for another weekend and quickly put
together another team. Ten of us left on Friday night, seven headed back
Saturday night and two more joined us on Sunday. We were also joined by a
family of four from Michigan who attend a sister church of UBIC, and two more
local ladies as well as one of the guys who worked with us the last time we were in
town.
SP was great. They fed us and gave us some supplies, t-shirts and hats. We
participated in the devos and share time. UBIC, as we experienced last time,
continued to shower us with Christ-like hospitality!! Thanks to all!
We worked on three different houses that weekend. One job was to tarp an entire
roof, another was removing all of the household goods to the street, and the other
was a complete muck out. We managed to finish all three jobs!
It was a great team and everyone worked hard and together. As our devo on
Sunday morning was about grumbling and complaining, there was none!
SP will be in town for at least a couple of weeks and we will continue to monitor all
that is going on over there. At this time we haven't set any plans to return, but
will do so as the Lord leads, but more than likely not until after SP and their
volunteers have left. Then we'll see what else we can get into!
We were able to share the Gospel with a Hispanic couple, and the Billy Graham
Chaplains were able to lead one lady to the Lord. Everyone was a great witness of
the Love of Jesus in all they did and said. God continues to amaze me as He leads
us in different areas, doing different things, with and for different people and
groups!
We'll keep you posted on what is going on and if you wish to respond, just contact
us and we'll see what we can do to get you involved!!
was planning on responding to Daytona Beach for the flooding. I asked him,
"What flooding?" I, like most of the rest of Florida and the world, had no idea
that there was any flooding going on. Before I could get off the phone with him,
Brother Frank from Whosoever Ministries was calling me asking the same
question. Charles lives in NC and was thinking about coming down, but Frank
lives in Daytona Beach and needed some help!
I told them that we'd pray about responding, and honestly, I wasn't sure what was
going on. As soon as I got home I got busy on the computer trying to find out all I
could about the flood. Volusia County had already received over twenty inches of
rain which had produced flash flooding, and they were expecting a lot more before
the storm was over. Some areas ended up with thirty inches of rain by the time a
few days had passed and the sun came out.
The flooding didn't last long, but it had done it's damage. Over one thousand
homes had been damaged, over seven hundred of them severely. We decided that
the Lord wanted us to respond for Memorial Day weekend and quickly put a team
together from our church. Frank had secured the United Brethren In Christ
Church in Holly Hill (UBIC) for our headquarters. This church used to have an
assisted-living facility, so we stayed in nice, hotel-type rooms, each with it's own
bathroom! There was a small kitchen in the living area and a large commercial
kitchen next to it. The church told us whatever we needed, it was ours! Pastor
Chuck and his church were awesome servants, full of hospitality! What an
enormous blessing for us!
Three of us left on Saturday as the rains didn't stop until Friday evening. When
we got in we took a tour of the area and figured out where we would start the next
morning. Two more from our church drove up the next day to join us and we
immediately got busy. A couple of locals joined in the efforts and we had a good
crew. Monday, we had more work orders and more locals to help us. We did what
we could in the time we had and were able to help do some small things for three
different homes and begin major debris removal and muck-outs in two others.
Our son was graduating from high school and my mom was coming into town, so
we had to head home, but promised to return if they needed us the following week.
The week came and went and meanwhile, Samaritan's Purse (SP) headed into the
area. We decided to back off and see how much help they were going to bring in
and when so as not to duplicate the efforts.
I was also monitoring the state and local conference calls, keeping tabs on what all
was going on. By the Tuesday after Nick's graduation, VIND, Volusia
Interfaiths/Agencies Networking in Disaster, the local ESF-15 that handles the
disaster relief response in the area, had contacted us about coming up again while
SP was gearing up. We agreed to come up for another weekend and quickly put
together another team. Ten of us left on Friday night, seven headed back
Saturday night and two more joined us on Sunday. We were also joined by a
family of four from Michigan who attend a sister church of UBIC, and two more
local ladies as well as one of the guys who worked with us the last time we were in
town.
SP was great. They fed us and gave us some supplies, t-shirts and hats. We
participated in the devos and share time. UBIC, as we experienced last time,
continued to shower us with Christ-like hospitality!! Thanks to all!
We worked on three different houses that weekend. One job was to tarp an entire
roof, another was removing all of the household goods to the street, and the other
was a complete muck out. We managed to finish all three jobs!
It was a great team and everyone worked hard and together. As our devo on
Sunday morning was about grumbling and complaining, there was none!
SP will be in town for at least a couple of weeks and we will continue to monitor all
that is going on over there. At this time we haven't set any plans to return, but
will do so as the Lord leads, but more than likely not until after SP and their
volunteers have left. Then we'll see what else we can get into!
We were able to share the Gospel with a Hispanic couple, and the Billy Graham
Chaplains were able to lead one lady to the Lord. Everyone was a great witness of
the Love of Jesus in all they did and said. God continues to amaze me as He leads
us in different areas, doing different things, with and for different people and
groups!
We'll keep you posted on what is going on and if you wish to respond, just contact
us and we'll see what we can do to get you involved!!
and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the
darkness, and your night will become like the noonday. Isaiah 58:10
darkness, and your night will become like the noonday. Isaiah 58:10
