In the weeks after tornadoes hit Shawnee, Okla., and the surrounding area, the city has increasingly taken on a Texan drawl.
Texas Baptist Men has flooded the area with disaster relief volunteers, especially chainsaw and heavy equipment teams that have removed fallen trees and limbs for nearly a month. Early in the response, they were accompanied by chaplains and a box unit.
The volunteers have served more than 2,300 hours since the April 19 storms hit with winds as high as 135 mph. The tornadoes damaged many homes, as well as caused extensive damage to Oklahoma Baptist University.
“God has shown up in a big way here in Oklahoma,” said Wendell Romans, who coordinates TBM chainsaw teams. “He brought Texas to Oklahoma. Texas has been able to do several jobs that otherwise would have gone undone. We have the tools and the knowledge to remove trees from homes that others had to pass up.”
Cutting trees and limbs helps people with the physical obstacles after the tornado. Visiting with them helps lift the stressful emotional burdens. People share what they went through, and they often shed tears.
Emotions bubbled over when TBM volunteers met a woman who rode out the storm on her couch. And again when a man shared the story of his brother attempting suicide two years ago.
Each day, TBM volunteers have seen God open doors to allow them to minister. One day, a lift broke, putting the team’s future work in jeopardy. But the woman they were serving said her son could fix it. The team didn’t miss a day of work.
Weather also has been a challenge, with rain falling off and on throughout the deployment. Still, the timing of the precipitation wasn’t an issue.
“Probably the biggest way we’ve seen God’s presence is in allowing us to work, even though there has been a lot of rain,” said Jerry Hall of Cedar Hill. “His timing has been perfect—rain at night, but it dries quickly.”
Sign up for our weekly edition and get all our headlines in your inbox on Thursdays
This year has been difficult for Oklahomans who have suffered repeatedly from tornadoes and wildfires. TBM volunteers have stepped up to deliver help, hope and healing.
“Our ministry in Oklahoma has been a powerful testimony of our teams’ willingness to help our neighbors. One team from Amarillo has deployed on three different deployments there this year,” said David Wells, TBM disaster relief director.
“When needs arise, God has called us to respond in his name. That’s exactly what has happened in Oklahoma.”
We seek to connect God’s story and God’s people around the world. To learn more about God’s story, click here.
Send comments and feedback to Eric Black, our editor. For comments to be published, please specify “letter to the editor.” Maximum length for publication is 300 words.