God Provides Comfort for Storm Survivors

The following report was submitted by Pauletta Sears with the Mudout and Chaplain team serving as part of the Ohio SBDR flood recovery team in North Carolina. Pauletta and Linda were asked upon arrival to do assessments while Mick Lovely served as on site chaplain. Ohio Disaster Relief Flood Relief team (Mudout) ministered in Warsaw, North Carolina following Hurricane Florence.

On September 30, the 9 member mud out team (which included 3 chaplains) left for Warsaw, North Carolina.  After we arrived Linda Humston and I were assigned to doing assessments.  

We talked to people who had suffered extensive loss.  Some who had lost everything.  We were told over and over, "We don't want to do anything until we talk to FEMA."  We talked to some who had heard from FEMA, only to find out they would not receive any assistance.  Their hopes had vanished, left with knowing they would be homeless.  One lady who had breathing problems, a sick husband, and total monthly income of $500 was living in a home with mold and a leaking roof.  She was told by FEMA she would get $200 for all of her personal belongings and $2000 to repair the home.  Many people had other storms besides the floods they were dealing with like loved ones with cancer.  While talking to people that said they knew the Lord they said, "We are blessed", even though they had lost everything.  I read yesterday in my Bible about God the Comforter.  In Ps 69:20 David moaned, "Reproach has broken my heart, and I am full of heaviness:  I looked for someone to take pity, but there was none;   and for comforters, but I found none".  In the people around him he could find no solace; but near the end of his song, his tune changed:  "And you who seek God, your hearts shall live, for the Lord hears the poor...."
Psalm 69: 32, 33.

We all have storms in our life, but we should not wait for FEMA, we should contact the one who is really in charge.

The Assessment Team had:

       60 job assessments
       65 contacts
       34 prayers 
       3 Gospel Presentations 
       1 Bible given
       2 Grief consultations
       1 salvation (mudout)