SBTC churches aid family via DR Care ministry

Wildfires raging through Bastrop and Montgomery counties in September 2011 ravaged nearly 50,000 acres and more than 1,000 homes, displacing thousands. Rebuilding has been steady, aided in no small part by volunteers from Southern Baptists of Texas Convention churches.

Among the most recent recipients of assistance are Vietnam veteran Roger Ward and his wife, Linda, who have a new wheelchair ramp through the combined efforts of First Baptist Church of Pflugerville, an SBTC ministry called DR Care (Disaster Relief Church Adoption and Restoration Effort) and Bastrop-area churches.

“We heard about the Wards through Rick Head of DR Care,” said Mike Northen, associate pastor of education and church administration at FBC Pflugerville. Head learned of the Wards through Harold Welch, pastor of Bastrop’s Primera Iglesia Bautista, whose congregation has been ministering to the family.

“We always try to work through a local church so that when all the volunteers have gone, that local church will continue to have a ministry,” Northen explained. “With DR Care, we want to link what we do with a church in the community.”

Roger and Linda Ward had lost their mobile home, wheelchair and ramp in the fire. Insurance money was sufficient to replace the home but not the wheelchair or ramp. 

When Northen and company visited the Ward home they also discovered the site needed a retaining wall to address drainage issues, which was beyond the scope of the church’s ability to help. “They still have a need,” Northen said.

However, the Wards no longer need a wheelchair or ramp.

Ramp construction is complex, requiring knowledge of extensive regulations and building codes. Northen, after an unsuccessful search for a Bastrop contractor, finally asked FBC Pflugerville member and contractor David Kehrer to construct the Wards’ ramp. Kehrer is also a North American Mission Board trustee.

The Ward project exceeded $7,000, but Kehrer’s involvement helped control expenses. “Otherwise it would have cost a whole lot more money,” Northen said.

“Not all the money came from our church,” said Northen, who insisted that the TEXAN downplay his church’s involvement. “First Baptist Lamesa also contributed, as did other churches in their association. Bro. Welch’s church provided about a thousand dollars.”

As for Ward’s replacement electric wheelchair, FBC Pflugerville had two on hand, but both were being used by a fifth-grader at the church who suffered from temporary partial paralysis. The boy used one wheelchair at school and another at church. Northen was already looking for a third wheelchair for a disabled pastor in Mexico when he heard of Roger Ward’s need.

“For some reason, I did not publicize the need for a donation of two more wheelchairs,” said Northen, who noted that he regularly emails information about needs and available resources to a network of church members. Individuals donate useful items—from clothing to furniture and appliances to riding lawnmowers—through FBC Pflugerville for distribution to those in need.

“We already had two wheelchairs. Surely God would heal the boy and we could use those chairs,” Northen said.

The Lord did even more.

“Even without a public request, two different people donated electric wheelchairs the Sunday after I heard about Roger Ward’s need,” Northen said. The fifth-grader did recover and the church now uses the original wheelchairs in other ways.

Months before, another member had donated a new wheelchair lift also.

“Because of limited storage, we do not normally keep items very long. It was obvious why we kept the lift awhile. The lift was meant for Roger Ward,” Northen said. “God supplied the need before it was known to us.”

Such instances have occurred many times through the giving and receiving network established at FBC Pflugerville. Creating a network of helps is worth the effort, Northen said.

Northen also highly recommends working through the SBTC’s DR Care network. More than 130 members of FBC Pflugerville have received training in disaster relief through the SBTC.

“Disaster relief is one of the purest forms of evangelism and missions that you can do,” Northen said. “People are looking for hope in those times and that is what we bring.”

“Churches shouldn’t limit themselves. It doesn’t matter how big churches are, they can help through DR Care,” Northen said. “Because of DR Care’s networking, we were ready to respond.”

Northen said he is happy to speak with anyone interested in more information on wheelchair ramp construction, ways to create a network of helps to serve the community, or to talk about the DR Care ministry. His email is mike@fbcpville.org.

—Rick Head contributed to this story.