Ohio Baptists Return from Louisiana Floods

The following report came to me via e-mail from a couple of our Chaplain/Assessors who deployed to Louisiana for service.  Read it and you will see why and how God is blessing the Disaster Relief ministry effort.

 -- Sam

Prior to our trip a 90 year old woman had given my partner 300 of her collection of beanie babies to distribute on our trip.  On the trip there we stopped for lunch where we met our waitress Samantha.  When I asked her if she had any prayer request her eyes filled with tears and said "Yes pray that I will have patience with my daughter." When I questioned her about her daughter I found out that she had special needs.  The one chaplain went to the car to get beanie babies for her children and I began to pray with her.  When she returned with a red bird and presented to Samantha she cried and said that was her grandmother’s favorite and she was very close to her. 

That evening we were provided with lodging and food by her brother. Sunday morning we attended church with her brother. 

The next day as we continued our journey we stopped at the visitor’s center and talked to some ladies who suggested a restaurant for us to eat at.  We stopped at that restaurant.  When the waiter approached I asked him if he had anything that he would like us to pray for.  He said yes but wait and I will come back and pray with you.  Upon his return he knelt beside our table and we shared in prayer.  After we prayed another couple approached us and told us that they too were members of the Southern Baptist Disaster Relief Team in their state and were going to Baton Rouge next week. When we ask for the check to pay for our meal the waiter brought us a note saying thanks for the prayer and no charge. 

During the week we met with a man who stood about 6' 8".  When I told him that we had come there to assure him that God had not forgotten about him.  He got tears in his eyes and had to bend at the waist just to hug us.  Most of the people we met seemed to just want to know that someone cared what they were going through. 

My favorite story was the little 8 year old girl who when asked what she thought about the flood she said that her mommy took her on vacation.  First they got to ride in a boat, then they got to ride in a helicopter, then they spent the night in a motel room and after that they went to stay in a big room with lots of people and other kids for her to play with. 

During the week we did 51 assessment jobs.  We had 79 contacts.  We did 2 devotions.  Did 7 Gospel Presentations.  We gave out 4 bibles and gave away 300 beanie babies.   Most important we had 1 salvation on our team and 4 overall salvations.

Truly blessed by this trip