How do you prepare for a hurricane, let alone multiple hurricanes? Two to four major hurricanes were predicted for the 2004 Atlantic hurricane season. And arrive they did—with a fury that hadn’t been seen or felt for many years. Slamming through the Caribbean and criss-crossing the South, Hurricanes Charley, Frances, Ivan, and Jeanne left marks on the homes and hearts of those brushed by their force. Awakening to a different reality after the storms, hurricane victims turned to outside sources for relief and support.

Adventist Community Services disaster response teams made a huge impact. In Florida, conference teams distributed over 80,000 meals, 2,664 tarps, 38 semi-truck loads of paper and food goods, 23 semi-trucks of ice and water, and donated $20,000 in roofing material and $25,000 of fresh food.

But they couldn’t assist all the cries for help, and neither could local agencies attempting to meet the needs of residents in the South and throughout the Caribbean. Individuals far and wide took action in a variety of ways as S.O.S. calls were heard from effected areas. Some Lake Union Conference members heard the distress calls and quickly responded.

Illinois Crew Assists Florida Victims

On September 14, 2004, Springfield (Illinois) Adventist Church member Ed Skinner, his son, his father, and two of Ed’s employees from Midwest Pallet in Beardstown, Illinois, headed for Florida with two telehandlers, a semi-truck with a dump trailer, and their camper, to help with clean-up efforts following the Pensacola-area hurricane disasters.

Ed's business builds and repairs pallets; irreparable pallets are ground up in huge wood grinders for mulch, then bagged and sold at home improvement centers. Ed knew the wood grinders would be helpful with clean-up of downed trees, so they were also included.

When the group arrived mid-afternoon in Crestview, Florida, they were welcomed and put directly to work. No time was wasted getting accustomed to the twelve-hour daily ritual!

With no local accommodations, no electricity, and no drinking water, the 35-foot, fifth wheel camper was home to the five-man crew. They were thankful to have been forewarned—others were sleeping in their trucks and bathing in ditches!

For over seven weeks they assisted with county clean-up efforts, fifty miles east of Pensacola. The devastation in the area was unbelievable. Sand had blown into town and was piled up in six-feet-high dunes—mimicking snowdrifts.

The crews hauled away brush, debris from the flooding, furniture, carpet, and whatever no-longer-valuable belongings were piled by the street.

The population in the area is mainly retirement age; therefore, construction crews—stretched thin by more work than they could handle in a timely manner—had to be hired. Crews unfamiliar with the area had trouble locating the correct work areas, since many highway signs were blown away by high winds.

Through all this, many hurricane victims remained unbelievably positive. “Thank You” and “God Bless You” signs lined the roadways, reminding the hard-working crews they were appreciated for all they were doing to help! Many residents rushed out to the streets to thank the operators and offered bottled water, soda, fresh cookies, fried chicken, etc.

Help is still needed throughout the area—money, materials, or household items—and work crews to help rebuild would be welcome. To make donations for hurricane victims, contact the Florida Conference at (407) 644-5000.

Grenada Hurricane Victims Receive Unexpected Support from Michigan

Excitement was in the air at the 110-member Marshall (Michigan) Adventist Church in October. Ciprian Bolah, who previously attended the Marshall Church while studying in the United States, and his wife, Velma, had finally arrived from Grenada for a visit. Hurricane Ivan delayed their arrival, but the extra time provided an opportunity for the Bolahs to assess the small island’s damages. Marshall members were eager to respond.

Besides the tremendous personal needs of Grenada’s 93,000 residents who found 90% of their homes destroyed, the storm destroyed the nutmeg trees that produced the island’s largest export income. Island residents were rendered destitute by the destruction of the nutmeg trees.

Not only was the agricultural island’s food supply destroyed, but looters soon cleaned out inventory in local markets. Residents of Grenada were forced to depend on outside help until a new crop could be raised.

The Bolahs’ short weekend visit to Marshall gave little time for members to round up supplies to help Grenada residents, but everyone was spurred into action on Sabbath morning. A list of needed items was placed in the church bulletin, and Kelly Kinsley, Marshall head elder, rallied members to the cause during the home missionary period.

Armed with lists of needed supplies, which included dry foods, health care needs, seeds, and hardware, everyone soon set to work to acquire the various items before the Bolahs’ departure. High priority items included chain saws (which had to be new to be cleared for shipment), hammers, roofing nails, and flashlights with extra batteries.

Cash gifts covered shipping costs, and the church members' supplies were augmented by the donations of local businesses. When the daughter of a Marshall member approached a Farm Bureau supervisor about the cause, he remarked, “This is a wonderful time. We’d be glad to donate all the bulk seeds on our shelves.” Dry food products were also donated by the Apple Valley Market.

The home of Mike and Phyllis Chucta served as collection center for the donated goods, where they were packaged for the 21-day boat trip to Grenada.

The gifts made a huge impact on the lives of members in the Samaritan and Belmont Seventh-day Adventist Churches. Needs assessments were coordinated by Ciprian, who attempted “to reach members and non-Adventist individuals in remote villages who hadn’t received relief from other agencies.”

Ciprian remarked, “This [the donations by Marshall members] is extremely touching! It was really amazing and unbelievable to see the way they rallied together so quickly. The most touching of all was seeing the way they did it with such joy and enthusiasm.” He continued, “This will go a long way to help us cope with the disaster. When you know your brothers and sisters are standing up with you, it really helps you cope.”

Next time you hear a distress call—take action, and discover the blessings in store for you.

Diane Thurber is the Lake Union Herald managing editor; written with contributions from Joi Avante, Illinois Conference news writer, Phyllis Chucta, of Marshall, Michigan, and Debbie Skinner, of Springfield, Illinois.