Missouri Missions Offering

If you think you were hot and sweaty here in Missouri over the past couple of weeks, imagine yourself wading through dirty water and cleaning mud out of someone else’s house. That’s just what one of your Missouri Baptist Disaster Relief teams has been doing. Here are some new photos from our Disaster Relief work at Big Lake Baptist Church, located in northwest Missouri (about 50 miles north of St. Joseph). Jim Griffey and his team went there in late July and early August and did several mud out jobs. Here’s a report from Jim…

“July 26th was the Clay Platte Disaster relief teams first call out. We were able to respond with eight people on the 29th and worked on two different homes. We were able to share and pray with people. We left a Bible signed by everyone at the last home we worked on because the lady was not there when we finished.

We returned on the third of August and worked at four different locations. At two of the homes the owners were there and we got to talk to them and pray with them. All the people we talked to were thrilled to have us help and could not thank us enough.

On the last trip August 11th we were going to work on two houses but before we arrived they determined the houses could not be saved. We went instead to the First Baptist Church of Big Lake to mud out the basement. It was the hardest job yet. Everything had to be carried up steps and then out to the curb. The stench was everywhere and the moldy, rancid water turned into a slick black mud that made it hard to stand up. We worked all day at the job and were getting discouraged when the neighbors next door showed up. They were members at the church and they said it was a real encouragement to them to have us help clean it up. Their pastor had resigned just before the flood and their membership was down to about 20 people. They were very discouraged having to clean up their own houses they did not want to think about the church. They thanked us for our hard work and said it really encouraged them to continue on.”

—Jim Griffey

Thank you, Missouri Baptists for your help. The Missouri Baptist Disaster Relief operating budget is funded entirely from gifts given through the Missouri Missions Offering. In 2011, plans are to provide $40,000 of MMO funds to support Disaster Relief. The purpose of our Disaster Relief effort is to provide training of Disaster Relief workers in the areas of mass care, shower trailer, chainsaw, child care, mud out, assessment, blue hat & chaplains. Funds are also provided for the upkeep on equipment and the state training facility located at Marshall, Missouri.

Click here to get more Disaster Relief information.

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