Baptist students with South Carolina ties are among many who lost part or all of their possessions and living accommodations when a tornado ripped through the Union University campus in Jackson, Tenn., on Feb. 5.
Six students from the Baptist school are children of IMB missionaries and consider South Carolina their home state.
The South Carolina Baptist Convention is giving $12,000 through the WMU (SBC) Heart Fund to assist those and other displaced students. Individual South Carolina Baptists may also make donations through the WMU (SBC) Heart Fund (www.wmufoundation.com, 205-408-5501).
In addition, the Tennessee Baptist Convention has set up a “Union University Tornado Response” fund. All funds designated for Union will be sent directly to Union’s administration “to assist students with personal needs, and the college in its response” to the damage caused by the tornadoes. Checks should be made payable to Tennessee Baptist Convention, P.O. Box 728, Brentwood, Tenn., 37024-0728.
On Feb. 8, Frank Page, president of the Southern Baptist Convention, asked Southern Baptists to support the university with their prayers and with a special offering.
“I am calling on Southern Baptists to prayerfully consider giving a love offering to this dear institution,” he said. “I pray that we would give sacrificially and lovingly to a part of our family – which needs our assistance.”
Page said although the university is insured, it may take months or even a year before a settlement is complete.