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Waco—Thunderstorms and high winds blasted Waco the evening of Oct. 2, uprooting trees, cutting electricity, collapsing roofs and setting homes ablaze, the Waco Tribune reported. Even as the storm struck Waco, SBTC DR volunteers actively monitored the weather event and deployed to the city immediately.
“We were watching the news and I called (Temporary Interim SBTC Disaster Relief Director) Scottie Stice. We decided some volunteers needed to get there quickly to assess the situation,” said Jim Howard, pastor of West Side Baptist Church of Atlanta, Texas. Howard and another DR volunteer left for Waco that same night.
They arrived in Waco armed with chainsaws and worked in neighborhoods north and south of Valley Mills Road and Bosque Blvd. on Friday and Saturday before returning home on Oct. 4. The turnaround proved quick for Howard, who led a five-man SBTC DR chainsaw team back to the area on Monday, Oct. 6.
SBTC chainsaw teams worked on 10 houses, removing fallen trees, clearing debris and touching lives for eternity.
“One young man I spoke with had never seriously considered the gospel,” said Howard, describing an encounter with a homeowner. “He had heard it [the gospel] several times but had just blown it off. I shared my experience, and he said he would consider it.”
Others encountered by the teams faced far more challenging situations than downed trees and damaged roofs. One storm victim suffered from ovarian cancer; her husband was out of work and looking for a job.
“We worked at this couple’s property quite awhile. Trees covered a guest house in their back yard. We were able to pray with her and her husband,” Howard said. “They were very grateful.”
SBTC DR chainsaw team members returned home on Oct. 6.
