September 27, 2024
The damage caused by Hurricane Helene when it tore through southern Georgia early Friday morning was widespread and indiscriminate. Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp said that the death toll in the state stands at 11, with one of those being a first responder. Dozens more are still trapped, he said, and millions are without power.
Initial reports show that Georgia Baptist churches did not escape the fury of Helene’s high winds and heavy rain.
Pastor Brad Waters reported that First Baptist Church Hazlehurst, built in 2017, lost its steeple. He explained that when the church was built, members wrote Bible verses in the steeple in permanent marker, and that those verses are visible in the fallen structure. “It’s going to be tough,” he said, “but we’ll pick up and go forward.”
In Valdosta, Greenwood Baptist Church was damaged by falling trees, and Pastor Mike Nelligan says several branches penetrated the sanctuary roof. “All of our people seem to be fine,” he said, “but there was a lot of damage to property.” Nelligan says they are waiting to remove the trees and tarp the roof to be able to begin repairs.
At a prayer service Wednesday evening, Nelligan recalled telling the congregation, “Now don’t pray that God sends the storm to go beat up someone else. Pray that we represent Him well if it hits us.”
Chuck Owens, pastor of First Baptist Valdosta, said in the 10 years he’s been there, “I’ve never seen wind like last night.” He reported that the chimney in the old sanctuary, erected in the early 1900s, came through the roof and severely damaged the church’s Pilcher organ. “This is devastating for our people,” Owens said, “but the Lord is in charge and He will see us through.”
In the northern half of the state, Helene’s rains caused more damage than its winds. New Canaan Baptist Church in Rome, Ga., reported flooding in its sanctuary.
Pinnacle Retreat Center in Clayton, Ga., reported several trees down across the property, including one that fell on one of the homes there. The center also lost power and had some minor flooding in the gym.
As the widespread impact of the storm becomes more clear, Georgia Baptist Disaster Relief will coordinate its response with other states as well as government, national, and regional entities to serve communities across the state.
Helene has produced one of the most widespread disasters the state has ever experienced, said Dwain Carter, director of GBDR. The center of the storm shifted east, away from its originally projected path and delivered high winds and severe flooding throughout the state.
“The whole southeast third of the state, from just west of Valdosta, up to Dublin and all the way over to Augusta and to the coast has had storm damage,” said Carter. “We have shifted our plan for where we are going to set up kitchens. We will have two feeding sites and several recovery sites set up in the next day or so.”
Waters, who had traveled to Athens for the birth of his grandchild, is making plans to return to Hazlehurst as soon as possible. “We have a great church, with great people and a great mission for the gospel,” he said. “That mission will continue.”
