Responding to Columbia

You do not need me to tell you about the trouble our state capital is having from the rain and flooding. There are a few things that I would like to ask you to consider in the next 24-36 hours as we respond in love and service to the THOUSANDS of people who are now without home, clothing, food, water, and vehicles.

1 - Please pray for this area of our state. Devastation is a light word to be used. We are very fortunate here that it did not get as bad as it could have and as we have seen that it did in Columbia and other areas of our state. Yesterday's dam breach in Forest Acres forced 9,000 people to evacuate. You have seen images and read news articles. Prayer is our first response as we plead God's mercy for these people. Our prayer is also for those whose boots are already on the ground serving and helping. 

2 - We must give. I have spoken with a couple of people on the ground in Columbia and with Randy Creamer, the director of the South Carolina Baptist Convention Disaster Relief (Website). There are shelters set up for the refugees of the flood, but the supply to sustain these families is not there. There is need for non perishable food items, clothing, and most definitely WATER. Right now there are trucks being brought to places like the University of South Carolina where people can refill their water bottles, but that only scratches the surface of the need. I do not know what you have available or what you can bring, but I would like to encourage any and everyone of you to bring something with you to church tomorrow. Maybe it's bottled water or canned goods. Maybe you were planning a yard sale, but realize those clothes would be best suited for these families that no longer have clothing. Maybe it's diapers for the babies in Columbia that realistically could have been wearing the same diaper for a day or two. This is why we start with prayer. Pray and ask God where He would have you give.

3 - Serve. I know that most of us have little time to spare. However, if you are able and willing, there is a great need for serving in Columbia. Immediately, the need is help in some of the shelters. Imagine if 500 people all of the sudden showed up to our church gym needing a place to sleep at night. You can see the need we would have for people to help out. Well, that is happening all over Columbia right now. Maybe you have a day that you can get to Columbia to help. Please do. According to Randy and the SC Baptist Disaster Relief, in the coming days there will be need for mudout teams. These are teams of men and women who literally go into the flooded homes and shovel the mud out of the homes and rip out sheet rock. As the time line for this becomes a little clearer (since it is determined by the water subsiding), I will be working on getting a team from our church together to go to Columbia for a day or two to help out. Maybe it means 3 or 4 of these trips, I don't know right now.

Here is what I do know...we are blessed and we are able. We serve a God who loves us and loves Columbia. We have a state and a city that need help. Year after year, disaster after disaster the Southern Baptists are the ones that roll up their sleeves and love the people hurt the most. Let us join in that cause. Let us love Columbia with the love of Jesus Christ and serve as He has served us. Bring your goods on Wednesday. See you then!