October 1, 2026
MOREAUVILLE, La. — Georgia Baptist Disaster Relief volunteers have deployed to southern Louisiana after Tropical Storm Arthur dumped heavy rain across the region, flooding communities and leaving residents facing the difficult work of recovery.
In the last few days of June, Arthur dropped feet of rain across parts of southern Louisiana, prompting Louisiana Baptist Disaster Relief to request flood recovery assistance from other Southern Baptist Disaster Relief teams. Georgia Baptist Disaster Relief answered the call, sending volunteers and a recovery unit to serve alongside Southern Baptists of Texas Disaster Relief in Moreauville.
Dwain Carter, director of disaster relief for the Georgia Baptist Mission Board, said Georgia volunteers answered with “our yes on the table.”
Georgia sent recovery unit 37R from the Southside Baptist Network, based in McDonough, along with volunteers from across the state. Carter said Georgia Baptist Disaster Relief has four weeks of volunteers scheduled for the deployment.
The work is physically demanding. Flood recovery includes removing contaminated furniture, floor coverings, wallboard, and insulation, Volunteers also clean out mud and debris left by floodwaters, power wash the interiors of homes, and apply ShockWave to reduce the possibility of mold regrowth.
“As you can imagine, this is not easy work,” Carter said. “It is hot, smelly, dirty and in some cases just plain gross, but our volunteers will say that they are God’s hands and feet to help others see the love of Jesus.”
The deployment came after Louisiana Baptist Disaster Relief asked several states for Southern Baptist Disaster Relief flood recovery assistance to help residents affected by the storm. Georgia is part of SBDR Region 4C, which includes Florida, South Carolina, Alabama, and Mississippi. Louisiana is part of Region 4A, which includes Missouri, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and both Texas conventions.
Carter said Georgia is often called first to assist states in its own region, but when needs arise elsewhere, Georgia Baptists may be asked to help other regions and their disaster relief teams.
For this deployment, Georgia Baptist Disaster Relief was asked to assist Southern Baptists of Texas Disaster Relief with a recovery unit and volunteers. Because volunteer housing space is limited, Carter said Georgia was asked to provide one recovery unit and several weeks of volunteers.
For the Georgia team, the work is not only about removing flood damage. It is also about bringing help, hope, and healing in the name of Christ.
Jason Annis, one of the Georgia Baptist volunteers serving in Louisiana, wrote on Facebook on July 6 that Tropical Storm Arthur had brought catastrophic rainfall to the state, including more than 29 inches in 24 hours, and had led to a major federal disaster declaration.
“Georgia Baptist Disaster Relief is here to provide Help, Hope, and Healing,” Annis wrote. “Our work begins tomorrow morning, but tonight we pray for opportunities to share the Gospel to everyone we encounter this week.”
A day later, Annis shared how that prayer shaped the team’s work. “We pray for divine appointments and God delivered today,” he wrote.
The team had been assigned six work orders that day, but only three homes had anyone present when volunteers arrived. At the first home, family members were staying in the house and asked the team to return later in the week. The next two jobs were simple and were completed in under an hour each.
The team was preparing to return to the church for more work orders when a man flagged down one of the volunteers. He told the team he had seen volunteer organizations helping in the area, but none had stopped at his home.
The volunteers explained the process for submitting work orders through the host church, but because they were already there, the team assessed the home and went to work.
After the job was finished, the team prayed with the couple.
“Immediately after we said Amen, they started to pray for us, for our safety and travel mercies,” Annis wrote. “I love when that happens!”
For Annis, the moment was a reminder of how disaster relief often opens doors for ministry as volunteers meet people in some of their most difficult days.
“Thank you Lord for allowing us to serve right alongside fellow Christians today,” he wrote.
Carter asked Georgia Baptists to pray for the volunteers as they continue serving in Louisiana.
“Please pray that GBDR will have safe deployment and helpful experiences as they bring a small glimpse of the very practical Gospel, Love Your Neighbors,” Carter said, pointing to Matthew 22:37-39.
For Georgia Baptist Disaster Relief, the Louisiana deployment is another opportunity to live out that command in practical ways, one flooded home, one prayer, and one conversation at a time.
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