After storms rolled across Texas, Oklahoma and other parts of the country in recent days, Texans on Mission disaster relief teams responded.
The devastating tornado that hit Sulphur, Okla., has attracted much media attention, and Texans on Mission—formerly Texas Baptist Men—is deploying two chainsaw teams, a temporary roof team, man lift and heavy machinery, said Wendell Romans, state chainsaw coordinator.
A Collin County team will leave Texas Sunday and begin work Monday. A Denton team will deploy, as well. Romans expects the work to take about two weeks. Texans on Mission is also sending a temporary roof team from Georgetown.
“My guess is this is only the tip of the iceberg, and more teams from Texas will be needed,” Romans said.
Texans on Mission chainsaw volunteers already completed five jobs in the Pittsburg area, and they served in Fort Worth, where lightning split a tree on church property.
David Wells, state disaster relief director, said: “We’re always ready to serve because we know God will provide” through our network of support.
“We have the tools we need, the fuel required and a cloud of angels who are praying for protection and guidance for us. That helps us have an impact for Christ everywhere we go,” Wells said.
Meanwhile, multiple Texans on Mission teams are responding in their local areas.
“On Friday, 10 tornadoes hit Texas as part of a wave of storms that swept across the state,” said Mickey Lenamon, executive director/CEO of Texans on Mission. “Within hours, Texans on Mission volunteers had visited the site of every one of them. Thankfully, most of them hit sparsely populated land.”
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Four disaster relief teams are deployed in Southeast Texas because of recent flooding in Kirbyville and a tornado in Port Arthur. Texans on Mission already logged more than 700 volunteer work hours, and more crews are heading to Port Arthur this week.
Lenamon sent a thank you note to supporters of Texans on Mission disaster relief.
“This kind of quick response is possible because of your prayer and financial support,” he wrote. “You are there with every team who responds, whether they are serving in Texas or around the world.”
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