Update, 6/24/19: This week a unit from Ashley River Baptist Church, Charleston and a team from the Greenville Baptist Association are serving in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. Pray for protection of these volunteers from the contaminants that are present in flooded areas. Last week’s assessor reported: “It is really nasty. The team says they’ve never seen mud like this. It’s even hard to wash off.”

Update, 6/20/19: The mud-out unit from Utica Baptist Church, Seneca, SC plus an assessor from Wagener, SC are on site this week in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. They write: “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. There are almost 40 work orders and we are the only team thus far.”

Update, 6/12/19: SC has six units scheduled to respond in Arkansas. The first two units will deploy on Father’s Day, with others planning to go in the weeks to follow. Most units could use more volunteers, so if you are available, please contact the state convention DR office for help in joining a unit.

5/30/19: Mud-out units are needed to respond to severe flood events in several states in the Midwest. SC mud-out Unit Leaders are asked to contact the state DR office if you are available now or any week during the next six weeks. Mud-out volunteers should let their Unit Leaders know of their availability.

Arkansas and Oklahoma Disaster Relief leaders have requested that other states send flood recovery (mud-out) units. It is expected that additional states will need help as well. The flood events are ongoing as floodwaters make their way down the rivers to affect more states.

As always, where mud-out units are working, there is a need for assessors and chaplains to accompany those teams. SC chaplains and assessors should contact Unit Leaders with whom you have worked in the past. Any who are not connected to a mud-out unit but are available to serve should contact the state DR office for possible assignments.

Although there have been many tornadoes in the Midwest, most states’ Disaster Relief networks are taking care of their own needs in the tornado areas. In some cases a neighboring state is assisting, but there have been no requests for chainsaw or other teams from distant states.