Columbia Metro Baptist Association churches are “right in the middle” of the work with approximately 1,500 persons displaced by Hurricane Katrina who were relocated to Columbia, said director of missions Bill Dieckmann in a Sept. 22 letter to pastors in the association.
“We are so engaged that the mayor has made comments like the next time the area needs help, they will call the Baptists first,” Dieckmann wrote. “The Baptists did not set out to impress people, but it is the result of our willingness to respond to the needs in our communities with the love of Jesus,” he added.
Columbia Metro churches have cooked food, provided transportation, ministered to children, helped families reunite, serviced the needs of displaced people staying in area hotels, and were ready to provide shelters if needed, Dieckmann noted.
“I have no doubt that many acts of kindness have been done in the name of Jesus by many Baptists in the Midlands,” he affirmed.
The association immediately helped with expenses in sending a water truck unit from Cedar Creek Baptist Church, and has since sent four truckloads of water to the hurricane-stricken area.
When the need arose for mobile shower trailers, Dieckmann noted that the association worked with several individuals and North Columbia Baptist Church to build one. “We stepped out on faith to build this much-needed unit,” he said, estimating its cost at about $10,000.
In other related Katrina relief efforts, Billy Mew, director of missions, reported that Barnwell-Bamberg Baptists have sent a truckload of water to Alabama and two with food, cleaning supplies and water to Mississippi and Louisiana, and anticipate sending two more. They also have sent more than 400 ministry kits.
And in Edisto Association, Jim Smithwick reported that truckloads of milk, water and other items were sent to Louisiana by Pleasant Hill Baptist Church; and Wagener, Salley, Perry, New Holland and Bethcar Baptists collected bottled water. Bethcar, he noted, also gave all of one Sunday’s offerings.