Meals prepared by Baptist hit historic high

From wire and staff reports

ALPHARETTA, Ga. - Meals prepared for victims of hurricanes Katrina and Rita by Southern Baptist Disaster Relief volunteers surpassed 6 million Oct. 5.

Since Katrina's landfall in late August and Hurricane Rita's in September, 6,000 disaster relief volunteers from 40 states have prepared 6.09 million meals for residents and relief workers. Previously, the most meals prepared in a Southern Baptist Disaster Relief response were 2.5 million during Hurricane Andrew in 1992.

As of Oct. 7, N.C. Baptists have served more than 495,842 of the meals for hurricane victims and volunteers. Volunteers working through N.C. Baptist Men have worked 19,835 volunteer days and sent 25 tractor-trailer loads of supplies to storm victims.

N.C. Baptists have provided about 13,114 showers, washed more than 2,349 loads of laundry, completed more than 1,600 recovery jobs and cared for more than 292 children.

Most disaster relief units are owned and operated by state conventions and associations. Southern Baptist officials usually coordinate responses.

More than half of all mobile Southern Baptist Disaster Relief units have been involved in Katrina/Rita response, said Jim Burton, director of volunteer mobilization at the North American Mission Board (NAMB).

"Southern Baptist Disaster Relief ministries continues to exceed all previous expectations," Burton said. "There is no way that we can fully know today the extent of ministry that has taken place. Beyond people being fed physically and spiritually, I believe that God will bless the faithfulness of Southern Baptists in this response to further grow this ministry."

Burton said disaster relief response is serving as a "rallying point" for Southern Baptists residing inside and outside affected regions.

"Is it possible that God will use this disaster as an awakening among Southern Baptists to re-discover our cooperative ministry roots while being proactive to meet real needs in our churches' communities?" Burton asked. "I believe that God will use this to draw us together as a denomination united to share Christ with every American."

As meal preparation slows in upcoming weeks, long-term cleanup and recovery efforts will grow and more volunteers will be needed, he said. "The number of damaged homes and churches is overwhelming. Volunteers will be needed for years to assist in the long-term recovery efforts."

Southern Baptist volunteers prepare most of the meals distributed by the American Red Cross and provide cleanup and recovery, communications, childcare and other vital disaster services. Southern Baptists are the third-largest disaster relief operation in the country behind the American Red Cross and The Salvation Army, with more than 30,000 trained volunteers on call for local, state and national emergencies.