Blessing the People in Mullins, South Carolina

Thanks to All of You for Praying

After an exhausting week in Mullins and surrounding towns in South Carolina, the Cincinnati Area Baptist Association Mudout Unit returned home late Sunday.  The Ohio Team consisted of seven volunteers. The lead chaplain was from Urbancrest Baptist Church. In addition to ministering to the physical needs left behind by the devastation of Hurricane Matthew, there were many spiritual needs in the area. In my opinion it was not a coincidence God sent a team with three trained chaplains and an entire team of compassionate people to the area.  Both chaplains and team members were able to spend time listening to flood survivor’s stories. Since there wasn't a Disaster Relief Feeding Team preparing meals, the pastor of the church whose parsonage we were staying in had arranged for us to attend an association WMU meeting for our Monday evening meal. At that meeting we were invited to a Church, someone's home or a restaurant through Saturday night, except Friday night and the association director brought a large crock pot full of chili on Friday night.  Although the waitresses were Christians, they needed someone to talk with them. One waitress I spoke with as I was leaving, with tears in her eyes thanked me for sharing and caring.  Homeowners needed someone to talk to and listen to them.  One lady that was helping the homeowner move some of his belongings told me she had a tree fall on her house when I ask her how she was doing. Then she proceeded to tell me she was surviving, but it had been hard.  After our conversation the expression on her face appeared to soften from the hard expression I'd observed all morning. The lead chaplain was able to spend time with Johnny, one of the homeowners.  Johnny was not a Christian, but was clearly touched and said he wanted to start going to church and learn more about the Bible.  Johnny promised the chaplain he would think about a relationship with Christ. Our waitress at Cracker Barrel in Virginia on Sunday night as we traveled to South Carolina surrendered her life to Jesus when presented the gospel. When the chaplain asked her if she had ever heard the story about Jesus before, responded yes, that although they didn't go to church, her mother used to tell them Bibles stories.  When she indicated she wanted to receive Christ as her Savior, I'd ask if she'd prayed to receive Christ before, she told me no, although her grandpa and uncle were preachers.

The two women spent a considerable amount of time with Nancy while we worked on her house. You could tell Nancy needed to talk and she greatly benefited from us being there. Then there was the supervisor at Walmart standing out front of the checkout area, while the chaplain was checking out.  I simply asked if she was good at directions. When she asked where I needed directions to, I said, "Heaven".  She immediately said, "you was sent here".  I shared the EvangeCube, and she wanted to accept Christ, but upon questioning she was already saved, so she rededicated her life. The team finished the week with one salvation, two rededications and many people being encouraged. The  team has been on many trips where more decisions for Christ were made, but I really believe we may have ministered to more people, most being believers, in this devastated area than most trips we've ever been on.

Thanks again for praying.