JACKSON, Miss. (Special) – Specially trained teams from Mississippi Baptist Disaster Relief (MBDR) will depart August 9 for Hazard, Ky., to assist in the response to recent deadly flooding in the eastern part of that state.
“MBDR, responding to a request from Kentucky Baptist Disaster Relief, will deploy a Site Management/Area Coordination Team and Assessment/Chaplaincy Teams to Big Creek Baptist Church [in] Hazard,” reported Hubert Yates, director of disaster relief at the Mississippi Baptist Convention Board.
“The 15-person Incident Management Team/Site Team, composed of credentialed volunteers from Mississippi Baptist churches, will be responsible for supporting flood recovery operations in the Hazard area of southeast Kentucky,” Yates said. “The site is expected to support disaster relief flood recovery/mudout teams from Mississippi, Florida, and West Virginia over the next four to six weeks.
“As part of their activities, these MBDR volunteers will be assessing work/assistance requests from affected homeowners; providing spiritual and emotional care to those affected; coordinating the flood recovery/mudout teams; and supporting those teams with housing, shower, laundry, and feeding services.
“Mudout teams will be assisting homeowners with recovering salvageable items from their homes; cleaning mud, debris, and damaged materials from affected homes; and removing damaged building/structural materials in anticipation of repairs,” Yates said.
State convention disaster response teams and units are being supported by SEND Relief, the Southern Baptist compassion ministry jointly administered by the International Mission Board and North American Mission Board (https://www.sendrelief.org/ ).
Credentialed and available MBDR volunteers should contact the MBDR office for scheduling and service opportunities. Mississippi Baptist Convention-affiliated churches and associations that are interested in providing cleanup teams/volunteers are encouraged to reach out to the MBDR office at (601) 292-3335, or dvail@mbcb.org, for training and scheduling opportunities.
“Please remember to pray for these teams as they serve those in need in eastern Kentucky,” Yates said. “If you desire to financially support the efforts to minister to those in need in eastern Kentucky with a designated offering, individuals may give online at www.mbcb.org/giving, or by mail at MBCB, P.O. Box 530, Jackson, MS 39205-0530.
“Please designate your check or online offering to ‘MS Baptist Disaster Relief.’ Miss. Baptist Convention-affiliated churches may give utilizing the Offering Designation Form (Pink Sheet) indicating the same designation,” Yates said.
Mississippi Baptist Disaster Relief is supported by gifts to the Mississippi Cooperative Program, Margaret Lackey Offering for State Missions, and designated donations.
