DRUSA Update: WV & SC #3

Going into the 4th of July weekend, DRUSA and the Mobile Kitchen, located in White Sulphur Springs, were facing a large decrease in the number of team members. The plan was to bring in a new team beginning on Friday morning, however, we had not received any commitments.

All of that changed at 3:00 pm this afternoon when the DRUSA office received three phone calls, one right after the other. We now have 16 additional volunteer coming in from the Celebration Center in Belpre, Ohio; Buena Vista Pentecostal Holiness Church in Buena Vista, Virginia; and Trinity United Methodist Church in King, NC. With these volunteers, the kitchen will be well staffed throughout the weekend.

This team came together because of the efforts of wonderful leaders. A big thank you to Cara Clegg from Celebration Center, Al Bashlor at Buena Vista, and Neil Pressley from the Cornerstone Conference.

Report from North Carolina Conference DRUSA Coordinator, Gordon Knox

The North Carolina Mobile Feeding Kitchen spent its fourth day serving 1200 meals. Nearly 500 of these meals had to be prepared for delivery and serving in the devastated areas.

We are thankful to all of the volunteers who bring their personal vehicles to assist with the delivery of meals. At the Kitchen site, a large tent has been set up with table and chairs for those who come through the serving lines.

Gordon Knox, the DRUSA Coordinator for North Carolina wanted to say thank you to all of the volunteers who are currently serving as well as the ones who will be arriving on Friday and serving throughout the weekend. Thank you so much for your assistance!

Time and again, in the midst of disaster, we always hear stories during a disaster deployment that continues to affirm that DRUSA is a ministry being used in many ways to touch the lives of people in need. Let me share one such story…

Earlier today, the DRUSA office received a call from the Presbyterian Disaster Assistance. A man by the name of Phillip Darby shared with me some of the work their group was doing in Caldwell, West Virginia for a Pentecostal congregation that suffered enormous damage. While assisting this congregation, one of the members mentioned that all of their pew Bibles and hymnals had been destroyed by the flooding. During lunch this afternoon, Darby saw our name on the side of the Kitchen and contacted us explaining this congregation’s need for Bibles and hymnals. This is one need that we are committed to meeting.

It is amazing how the Lord brings various partners together in a time of need. In the words of Hannibal Smith, “I love it when a plan comes together…!”