In September 2008, Hurricane Gustav ripped through the great state of Louisiana leaving behind a tremendous path of debris and destruction. Strong winds, rain and tornados destroyed many homes and businesses, uprooted trees and knocked down power lines, leaving millions without electricity and running water. Our community was in tremendous need and oh, how our prayers were answered when the Southern Baptist disaster relief teams arrived to assist us in the recovery efforts.

We were amazed by all of the volunteers who so selflessly left their homes, families and loved ones to donate their time and resources to help our community, never once asking for anything in return. They not only provided physical support to thousands in our community such as shelter, meals, recovery and chainsaw services but also, spiritual support such as prayer, ministry contacts and Gospel presentations. I have heard numerous stories of volunteers cutting and removing trees and debris from homes and then just stopping and praying with homeowners in the midst of their devastated yards. The impact these teams left on our community will never be forgotten. They left our community with the magnificent gifts of hope and the spirit of helping others; many members of my community and my family were inspired to get certified to start their own chainsaw team and months later, you can still witness inspired acts of neighbors helping neighbors.

The IC (Incident Command) team set up their headquarters at Fellowship church in Prairieville, Louisiana. My uncle is a member of this church and was asked by the Pastor to provide meals for the IC team as they were staying far away from their feeding units. Being from south Louisiana, one of my greatest passions in life is cooking so I eagerly volunteered to help my uncle to prepare their meals. Meeting these volunteers has turned out to be one of the most life changing times of my life. Over the course of several weeks, we had the privilege and honor of getting to personally know many of the IC team members. Every day we would look forward to eating, talking and having fellowship time with them.

Their heroic and selfless acts of kindness and their testimonies of such great faith in our Lord has uplifted, and empowered me. Even after their departure from Prairieville, some volunteers have stayed in close personal contact with me mentoring me an encouraging me in my walk with Christ. They inspired me to join the family of Fellowship Church, get connected in the women's life group and teach children's Sunday school. They have also encouraged me to publicly profess my faith and last weekend, I was deeply honored to have two of the volunteers drive over 12 hours to return to Fellowship Church and support me as I was baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Since I have joined fellowship church, I have met several other people who have joined our Church because of the assistance they received from the disaster relief teams and 4 of us have since been baptized. I believe God puts us in certain situations for a reason and I know it was part of His plan for our paths to cross and to become friends. I am amazed when I sit back and think about the odds of these people being sent to a small speck on the map called Prairieville, Louisiana and the chances of me going to a church I didn?t even belong to, hearing them speak of their great love of our Lord and later becoming a member of that very church where I would be baptized. This could only be the work of Our Lord...He is so amazing! Yes, by the grace of God, the impact that these volunteers have made on my life is far greater than that of any category 4 hurricane!

Submitted by: Donna, Louisiana 
Photograph: Donna's Baptism at Fellowship Baptist Church, Prairieville, LA