By Baptist Message staff MANSURA, La. (LBM) – Multiple Louisiana Baptist Disaster Relief teams have deployed to help those impacted by Tropical Storm Arthur in Avoyelles Parish. According to LBDR State Director Stan Statham, since June 19 a feeding team has served 239 meals at Life Point Community Church, Mansura, and another has provided 135 meals at an American Red Cross shelter, Opelousas. A mud-out team from First Baptist Church, Covington, will begin work in the area today and later this week a mud-out team from First Baptist Church, Lafayette, is scheduled to join them. Chaplains and assessors continue to work in Avoyelles Parish. Additionally, Hessmer Baptist Church is hosting Samaritan’s Purse International Relief workers and Point of Life Community Church, Plaucheville, has opened its doors to distribute supplies to families. Arthur made landfall June 17, northeast of Matagorda Bay, Texas. While rain totals varied, the highest report was more than two feet in Avoyelles Parish, which prompted numerous evacuations and flooded 200 homes. The storm also was responsible for nine tornadoes throughout the state, the National Weather Service confirmed. Donations are needed to fund DR operations in … [Read more...]

By Baptist Message staff AVOYELLES PARISH, La. (LBM) - The first Louisiana Baptist Disaster Relief teams have been activated for a response to Tropical Storm Arthur. LBDR State Director Stan Statham told the Baptist Message that a feeding team served 64 evacuees and first responders on Thursday at Cochon De Lait Center in Mansura, which is serving as an American Red Cross shelter Mud-out teams are expected to clean up homes for the next several weeks throughout Avoyelles Parish Additionally, a chainsaw team from First Baptist Church, Slidell, cleared debris from homes in their community on Thursday. Damage reports from churches include leaking roof at First Baptist Church, Avondale, six inches of water inside the education building at St. Rose Baptist Church. Flooding also was reported in the home of Carlos Gomez, pastor with Iglesia Bautista La Vina, Westwego. “Pray for the water to go down,” Statham told the Baptist Message. “Pray for the folks who have a lot of material loss. And pray for the first responders, who have damage in their own homes as they try to take care of the own parish.” Arthur made landfall Wednesday morning, northeast of Matagorda Bay, Texas. While rain totals varied, the highest report … [Read more...]

By Louisiana Right to Life CARENCRO, La. (LRTL) – Louisiana Right to Life expressed devastation after learning of reports that a 17-year-old Carencro girl was given abortion drugs against her will, resulting in the premature delivery of her child at just 23-weeks gestation. The baby was born alive weighing approximately one pound and remains hospitalized, requiring extensive medical care. Erica Inzina, policy director for Louisiana Right to Life, issued the following statement: “Our hearts break for this young mother and her baby. This 17-year-old girl was allegedly poisoned with abortion drugs by her own father, a shocking violation of her dignity and her right to protect both herself and her unborn child. “This tragedy reinforces a crisis in our state and nation that the abortion industry and its allies would rather ignore: abortion drugs are being used as a weapon against women and girls. When these substances are freely available and deliberately detached from medical oversight, they become tools for abusers, traffickers, and predators seeking to exert control over the vulnerable. “Thankfully, both victims, the girl and her unborn child, survived. Her baby was born alive at just 23 weeks gestation, weighing only … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer ORLANDO, Fla. (LBM) – Louisiana Baptists placed first in multiple national Royal Ambassador Pinewood Derby races, held June 8-9 prior to the Southern Baptist Convention Annual Meeting. Winning their respective races were Campbell Hodge, a fourth grader from Temple Baptist Church in Ruston, RA division; Louisiana Baptist Women’s Missions and Ministry Strategist Christine Gill, state Baptist WMU director division; and Rob Richardson, an RA leader from First Baptist Church, Lafayette, RA leader division. Hodge, whose win was the third year in a row for a Louisiana Baptist RA, expressed excitement about the three-peat. “It felt great to win the national race,” Hodge told the Baptist Message. “I was happy to represent my church, Temple Baptist, and the state of Louisiana. I’m thankful for our RA program for teaching me more about Jesus and how it gives me extra time to spend with my dad (Sam).” Gill, who won her race for the second year in a row, said she was grateful to have defended her title. “Winning the RA Derby car race for the second year in a row was a lot of fun, but what made it most meaningful was the attention it brought to Royal Ambassadors and the mission of … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer ALEXANDRIA (LBM) – With hurricane season almost here, Louisiana Baptist Disaster Relief State Director Stan Statham said churches and residents must not delay preparations for the next big storm. “The forecast is for a slower season, but everybody has got to remember that it just takes one storm to be a bad season,” Statham told the Baptist Message. “Don't be lulled to sleep just because we didn’t have a hurricane here last season or the forecast is to be a slower season. Louisiana must be prepared.” The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is predicting a below-normal hurricane season, which runs June 1-Nov. 30. The agency is forecasting 8-14 named storms. Of those, three to six are forecast to become hurricanes, including one to three major hurricanes. Meanwhile, Colorado State University estimates 13 named storms will develop in the Atlantic basin, including six hurricanes and two major hurricanes that are Category 3 or higher. PLAN AHEAD Statham said residents should create a plan, stay inormed and put together a storm readiness kit. “We always think about hurricanes, but what if there’s a train derailment near your home and you had the police … [Read more...]