Opinion: Bastrop County survivors forge forward, one year after fire

Even before its flames were extinguished, Bastrop County residents were determined they would not be victims of the largest wildfire in Texas history. They were survivors, and survivors push forward no matter how trying the circumstances.

Marla Bearden

People like Ruth Rodgers began distributing donated items within days of the fire’s start. Primera Baptist Church in Bastrop almost instantly opened its doors, began serving meals, handing out supplies and housing people in its sanctuary.

Sept. 4  marks the anniversary of the fire, and the scar it left on the county is clear. The fire destroyed 1,691 homes and 38 businesses and scorched more than 34,000 acres. About 276 of the homes destroyed had no insurance. Fifty-two percent of all homes destroyed were underinsured. More than 700 of these homes are considered low income.

Yet those sobering statistics tell only part of the story. In many ways, the fire cleared the way to more clearly see residents’ spirit of cooperation, determination and trust in God to provide.

Ruth now runs the large Bastrop County Fire Relief Center off Childers Street in Bastrop. Volunteers continue blessing survivors with donations such as furniture, appliances, dog food and clothes. Ruth, a fire survivor herself, has had many trials in her own life over the past year, but her passion for helping, especially those who don’t fit the traditional mold of government assistance, has helped pull her through.

Ruth and Primera’s Pastor Harold Welch have teamed up to minister to some of those who have had no assistance from other areas. One lady lost her home and has no insurance. Her property is large but covered in burned trees. Another family is living in a storage building and an old travel trailer that was donated to them. Pastor Welch and Ruth are working to help this family.

Pastor Gordon Friday of Timberline Baptist Church in Paige, who lost his retirement home, office and workshop, has continued to minister with a saw mill ministry made possible by the help of Texas Baptist Disaster Recovery and Texas Baptist Men. He also is working to help a single lady with small children rebuild her home.  

Pastor J.R. Hopson of Ridgeway Baptist Church in Paige has partnered with Charles Caroll of First Baptist Church in Comanche to build three homes for fire survivors who would not have been helped if it had not been for this wonderful group of folks.

Then there are J.R. and Gloria Matthews, who are faithful Texas Baptist volunteers who have been managing the Faith Village Volunteer Center – an ecumenical effort supported by Texas Baptists at First Baptist Church in Smithville – since May. The couple faithfully organizes up to 40 volunteers a week. Gloria provides wonderful meals for the volunteers, while J.R. visits with each homeowner receiving help from volunteers. He listens. He offers a word from the Lord. And a prayer. They truly are the presence of Christ in the midst of trying times.

The stories go on and on. Families are waiting on funds and volunteer builders, but they are keeping hope in their hearts. Over and over again I hear, “I am a better person than I was before the fire.” This is truly a testament as to how God can turn something bad into something good.  

The one-year anniversary offers a time to realize all the wonderful work that that has been done and a time to look to the future. God has been faithful.

Marla Bearden serves as Texas Baptists’ disaster recovery specialist and is a member of the Bastrop County Long Term Recovery Team. The Baptist convention has provided assistance to Bastrop County Long Term Recovery Team, churches and survivors of last year’s fire. It also has directed numerous volunteer groups to serve in the area and continues to do so. For more information about volunteer opportunities in Bastrop, visit www.texasbaptists.org/disaster.