SBTC DR offers update on April flood response in Southeast Texas

KIRBYVILLE—As soon as the April 10 torrential storms ceased after inundating Kirbyville with nearly 18 inches of rain, Southern Baptists of Texas Convention Disaster Relief teams deployed to the area with other Southern Baptist DR crews and first responders to assist survivors. An incident management team based at First Baptist Church in Kirbyville became operational almost immediately, SBTC DR Director Scottie Stice said. By April 11, an SBTC DR feeding team supporting volunteers set up and began preparing and serving meals. Shower and laundry crews also established support operations, as did a communications team. SBTC DR volunteers began cleanup efforts at Kirbyville on April 15. Only five residential cleanup requests remained as of April 29, Stice said. To date, SBTC DR volunteers have contributed the following in Southeast Texas in response to April flooding:

• 12 professions of faith reported by volunteers;
• Nearly 1,200 meals prepared and served in Kirbyville and in support of a Red Cross shelter in Port Arthur;
• 136 loads of laundry done for DR volunteers in Kirbyville;
• 2 recovery units deployed to clean up flooded homes;
• 80 communications fielded; and
• 3,870 SBTC DR volunteer hours performed in Kirbyville and Port Arthur.

“We praise God for the 12 professions of faith reported by our volunteers,” Stice said. “Pray with me and ask the Lord of the harvest for more workers in His field.”