By Message Staff
RUSTON (LBM) — A day after a devastating EF3 tornado significantly damaged homes and businesses in Ruston, an army of volunteers has rapidly descended on the Northeast Louisiana town in amazing show of support and assistance.
Thirty Louisiana Baptist Disaster Relief volunteers were on the ground Friday, April 26, to help with clean-up efforts. Ten additional volunteers are cooking food and organizing disaster relief donations for distribution to first responders, volunteers and individuals impacted by the storm. More than 1,500 meals have been prepared since Thursday.
The Louisiana Baptist Disaster Relief volunteers were assisted by volunteers from the Cajun Navy, National Guard, Louisiana Tech athletic department and students from Louisiana Tech, Northwestern State University, and Grambling State University, the Food Bank of Northeast Louisiana and numerous churches and high schools.
John Hebert, missions and ministries director for Louisiana Baptists, said he has been amazed by the level of support and comradery between Louisianans.
“Our disaster relief system is working and we have crews coming from Lake Charles, Bogalusa, north Louisiana and east Texas,” Hebert said. “To compliment the incoming help, the community is doing a lot of the work on its own. It’s refreshing to see so many people drop everything and come to the aid of their neighbors.”
John Cowling, director of ministries for Rolling Hills, said he is grateful for the support of the volunteers and also the Louisiana Baptist Convention, which has provided funding for the meals.
“Everyone has been a tremendous blessing,” Cowling said. “Everybody is working together. One of the biggest assets here are the number of young people who are serving. It’s made the clean-up and recovery quicker … weeks ahead of what we thought … and we’re going to press forward to continue serving our community.”
The National Weather Service confirmed seven tornadoes in Louisiana and another in Texas from the late evening hours April 24 through early morning April 25. All of the tornadoes, except one that happened in Mooringsport, were produced by the same supercell over a total path length of about 150 miles.
One EF3 tornado touched down in Ruston, an EF2 was confirmed in San Augustine, Texas, and five EF1 tornadoes rolled through the Toledo Bend-Converse-Pelican community, Lucky, Walsh, Mooringsport and southeast of Marion. The eighth tornado that was confirmed in Searcy-Summerville will be surveyed over the weekend by the National Weather Service.
The storms can be blamed for at least five deaths, two in Louisiana and three in Texas.
Kendra Butler and her son, Remington, died after a tree crashed onto their home near the Pizza Hut restaurant in Ruston Thursday. Hours earlier, Maria Ramirez and her two children died after their car they were in was swept away in a creek in Erath County, Texas. Ramirez was found dead inside the vehicle, and the bodies of the 3 and 7 year old children were found downstream.
Damaged Louisiana Baptist churches included Summerville Baptist Church, whose steeple was blown off its worship center. The family life center also had some of its trim damaged.
LaSalle Baptist Association Director of Missions Buddy Willis said 15 people from several area churches helped clean up the area, and the congregation will be able to worship this Sunday in its worship building.
“It was just like teamwork,” Willis said. “That’s the way God’s people are supposed to do it.”
Several trees fell on the campus of Larto Baptist Church in Jonesville, but the church’s facilities and sign with three crosses atop were unhdarmed. Pastor Kenny Smith said he is thankful they were spared from structural damage.
“God really blessed us,” Smith said.
To donate to the disaster relief effort, visit louisianabaptists.org/donatedr.
