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Debby Nichols, a Southern Baptists of Texas Disaster Relief volunteer, has always called Bowie County home. Born and raised in Texarkana, she attended college there and taught in elementary schools, first working with the handicapped in special education and later teaching pre-kindergarten children. She and her husband, Bill—also a credentialed SBTC DR volunteer—live in DeKalb. Debby recently spoke with the Texan while serving with SBTC DR in Bridgeport following late April’s Wise County tornadoes.
How did you get involved with SBTC DR? Why did you commit to this particular ministry?
Debby Nichols: I had been a volunteer with a fire department and emergency management in my county for many years. Great experiences, but I was looking for a faith-based organization in which to serve. My church [First Baptist Church in Redwater] sponsored a training that included the Introduction to DR and training in shower and laundry. I had gone to a similar training in Vidor before Hurricane Harvey, but didn’t get called to serve. Three years later when I heard about the training at Redwater, I thought I would go get recertified and see what happened. The rest is history.
You’ve surpassed 100 deployments, a milestone. Where all have you served?
DN: In the United States, I have been from Pennsylvania to California and many states in between in addition to Texas: North and South Carolina, Florida, Missouri, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Arkansas, New Mexico, Colorado—12 states total. Internationally, I also went to Romania with Send Relief to work with Ukrainian refugees from the Russian invasion in 2022.
What volunteer jobs have you undertaken for SBTC DR?
DN: My deployments range from cooking thousands of meals for people in shelters, cooking for our teams in church kitchens, cooking for first responders, and providing shower and laundry services for DR volunteers, Texas Task Force workers, and utility linemen. I have assessed property damage. I have done chaplaincy in some places [where there were] hard tragedies.
What was your training like? Did you have any mentors along the way?
DN: SBTC DR training consists of several phases. The first, Phase I, is an overview or introduction. Then you can pursue specialized instruction in each ministry area. I prefer in-person training, but online training is available.
I have been blessed with great teachers and mentors. The teacher/mentor and friend that I had the privilege to work for most was Ralph Britt, who recently passed away. Ralph served faithfully alongside his wife and fellow SBTC DR volunteer, Debra. Years ago, on my first mass feeding deployment, Ralph moved me up to become the lead cook. I didn’t really even know what that meant, but he was there guiding, directing, and encouraging me along the way. He saw something in me I didn’t know was there. I have tried to lead and teach as I was taught by the best.
What were some of your most memorable deployments and why?
DN: There are memorable moments in every deployment. Spruce Pine, N.C., was hard, following massive flooding in 2024. So much destruction and heartache, but we provided a drive-thru food line in the Walmart parking lot. We had so many opportunities to listen to the survivors’ stories. There were so many hugs, tears, and prayers. I pray we provided more than hot meals. I pray we left them with hope, help, and healing through Christ. On a more somber note, I will never forget the smells of decay and decomposition at Spruce Pine from animal carcasses in the ravine beside the Walmart. People told us of rescuing their loved ones, digging them out of mudslides.
I was a chaplain at the Sutherland Springs church shooting in 2017. We worked alongside other faith-based organizations to minister to and pray with community members. What I remember is standing with my dear friend and fellow DR volunteer, Linda Mitter, next to all the crosses and flowers spread along the highway by mourners. People came from other towns, other states. All of these people came to pay their respects. We prayed with them. Local Department of Public Safety officers were everywhere. I remember they had lost one of their own in a traffic accident in Dallas the day before the shooting. We had the opportunity to pray with them for their loss, too. They said they were exactly where their deceased brother would have wanted them to be. [I remember] the lady in the convenience store where the shooter was before he went to the church. We went to comfort them, but the faith of the people was so strong. They blessed us. They comforted us. It was pretty amazing. We went to bless them and ended up being blessed.
On July 4, 2025, the Guadalupe River flooded historically. SBTC DR sent a quick response kitchen to Kerrville to provide meals for the first responders. The responders doing the searches would not leave the river areas, so we found ways to get the meals to them. We listened to their stories and prayed with them. They faced the unthinkable task of recovering bodies.
Why do you keep going?
DN: “Whom will I send?” I answered that call years ago. As long as I am able, I will do my best to provide however I can to meet the needs of the people affected by disasters. I have selfish reasons, also, because whatever I do on deployment, I believe I receive more blessings than anyone. It may sound cliché that we are being the hands and feet of Jesus, but to be chosen to deliver the love of Jesus, hope in Him, and healing to hurting people, is an awesome blessing.
