By Baptist Message staff
SLIDELL, La. (LBM) – A week after powerful storms knocked out power to thousands and produced significant damage to homes and businesses, Southern Baptist Disaster Relief teams have been extremely busy with cleanup to those impacted.
Disaster relief teams from four Louisiana Baptist and one Mississippi Baptist association have worked in Slidell since April 10. Additionally, a team from Beauregard and Carey Baptist associations spent a day cleaning out a home that flooded in Merryville.
Through April 15, a feeding team from First Baptist Church, Slidell, has provided 10,000 meals that have been distributed to area residents. The American Red Cross provided the majority of the funds for the food from April 10 until lunchtime on April 13, and FBC Slidell, Louisiana Baptist Disaster Relief through the Georgia Barnette Louisiana Missions Offering and Louisiana Baptist Hunger Relief Fund have been used to purchase food and drinks from supper time on April 13 through April 16.
Additionally, teams from CENLA, Eastern Louisiana, Northshore and Baptist Associations of Southeast Louisiana associations and a DR team from Mississippi, have completed 42 of 68 chainsaw jobs that have been requested by individuals in the Slidell area.
Louisiana Baptist Disaster Relief Associate and Volunteer Mobilizer Mark Morelock said he is proud of the cooperative spirit among the teams.
“This has been a well, organized effort by all those involved,” Morelock said. “The storm came through on (April 10) and the next day we had chainsaw crews out working. Neighbor was helping neighbor and Disaster Relief and Louisiana Baptists really showed up. It was a perfect picture of cooperation. I also can’t thank the staff and members of First Baptist Church Slidell for opening up their church for our incident command center and to house volunteers.”
To contribute to LBDR efforts in Slidell and other future responses, visit https://louisianabaptists.org/about/teams/missions-ministry/disaster-relief/donate/
