Disaster Relief Testimony
By Christine Thomas
October 2011
On June 23rd the Souris River flooded Minot, ND damaging or destroying over 4,000 homes, businesses and schools. It took a few weeks for the water to recede. Floodwaters reached the ceiling in most homes and remained for nearly a month. Over 11,000 flood victims were forced to seek shelter wherever they could. Southern Baptist Disaster Relief teams from Kansas/Nebraska were alerted and prepared to move into action.
Two showers and one laundry trailer led deployments. At the request of the Salvation Army, KNCSB’s field kitchen No. 1 was deployed on 13 July, 2011 and, with the help of Arkansas Baptist State Convention disaster relief personnel has maintained a weekly rotation of 25 volunteers preparing over 2200 meals a day. The Salvation Army and Red Cross volunteers deliver the food to victims and volunteers working in the previously flooded areas. The kitchen also prepares food for approximately 100 people living in a nearby shelter.
On 18 August I traveled with my husband, Larry Thomas, to serve as a Southern Baptist Disaster Relief Volunteer. Since it is 930 miles one-way from our home in Wichita, KS we took two days to drive it. Upon arrival we were assigned quarters and jobs. My duties were to disinfect the shower trailer daily (four shower stalls) and keep the towels supplied from the laundry trailer. I also helped in the laundry trailer. Two washers and three dryers were running 14 hours a day washing kitchen towels, aprons, volunteer’s laundry and towels. Basically, I helped support and encourage the volunteers.
Prior to going most people asked me, “Why are you going to Minot?” With all the other disasters this year the flooding in Minot was overshadowed. The slogan up there was “Why not, Minot?” As soon as I could I wanted to get out and see the disaster area. Driving through the flooded area you can see shells of homes. Sheet rock, carpet, cabinets, refrigerators and toilets are piled up on the curbs for blocks and blocks.
The Baptist and Lutheran churches in Minot are working together to help with housing the volunteers on cots in Sunday school classrooms. Southern Baptist Mud-Out teams from several states also came and are still coming to work tearing out sheet rock, etc and then power washing and spraying “Shockwave” to kill mold.
About sixty mud-out volunteers a week have been helping to complete cleanouts of over 110 homes. Some homes take weeks to complete. But that is just the first step for the victims. Rebuilding the homes will take many months if not years to complete.
The volunteer operation will be shutting down in late September due to the coming winter weather. There’s still a lot of work to be done.
It was a blessing to see so many volunteers driving from as far as California, Texas, and North Carolina that came to help. The average age of the volunteers is over sixty. There IS something significant to do after you retire!
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