NTC churches respond to devastating floods

BY DR. JOAN GRAY LABARR
Editor

The early morning hours of June 18 brought widespread flooding to Cooke and Grayson Counties. Five persons, including a grandmother and two pre-school children from one family, lost their lives. Fast-moving waters that swept through low-lying areas damaged more than 300 homes and 75 businesses.

Two persons died and some 400 homes sustained damage and 53 were destroyed 30 miles to the west in Sherman.

First UMC, Gainesville, pastor Rev. Don Yeager, got up early to drive to nearby Denton where a church member was scheduled to undergo surgery. When he discovered that I-35 was blocked, Rev. Yeager drove to the church in downtown Gainesville. He noticed water beginning to come into the education building. As he began to move equipment out of harm's way, the water rose quickly, flooding the newly remodeled education and office building and the family life center. The church’s historic 115-year-old sanctuary escaped damage.

Because he was on the scene so early, Rev. Yeager was able to get important equipment and recently purchased choir robes out of harm's way. By the end of the day, restoration crews were ripping out damaged carpet, drying out walls and furniture, and beginning the clean up and sanitizing process.

Vacation Bible School, scheduled to begin Monday morning, was cancelled.

Across town, Whaley UMC was designated as one of two Red Cross shelters in the community. Pastor Rev. Rob Spencer and some 50 church volunteers converted the family life center into a shelter, working with emergency responders to make sure flood victims were safe and cared for.

One of the most poignant moments came when a Red Cross worker, tears streaming down her face, told Rev. Spencer that photos of one of the deceased children had been located and brought to the church. The children’s mother was going to be staying at the shelter after her release from a local hospital. The young woman, who lost her two daughters and mother when the flood swept their mobile home down Pecan Creek, would at least have the precious photos.

There were some happier endings. Rev. Spencer described how a grandmother discovered her family had been rescued. As she came into the shelter, the big video screens displayed CNN coverage.

Camera crews in a helicopter zeroed in on a young woman and children on a rooftop. It was the woman’s daughter and grandchildren. They watched rescuers pull the family into a boat. Less than a half hour later the family was reunited at Whaley UMC.

Rev. Spencer explained that the church has been making preparations to respond in emergency situations. After assisting with evacuees from Hurricane Katrina in 2005, the congregation committed to training as responders.

"One of our goals for the family life building was for it to be a shelter, a place where people can come," Rev. Spencer says. He added that the structure was also reinforced to sustain the impact of an F-5 tornado.

One of the realities of working in a shelter filled with victims of natural disaster is that every individual has experienced loss and the human need is overwhelming. NTC Associate Director of Connectional Ministries Rev. Marji Bishir, who traveled to Gainesville to help coordinate the conference response, says that one of the most important ways churches can help is through financial assistance. Many of the flood victims have no insurance and are going to face enormous difficulties getting their lives back on track.