By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer
Two feet of water is now inside a church north of Monroe due to the heavy rainfall in the area but its members are looking for ways to show Christ’s love even in a bleak situation.
“The building is flooded but the church is fine,” said Chad Merrell, pastor of First West Fairbanks. “The church is serving our community and loving people like Jesus. Pray that we have opportunities to serve and share the hope of Jesus with people whom we never would’ve met had water not risen.”
Some of his members along with those from its parent church, First West Monroe, are helping evacuate homes, feed volunteers and fill and deliver sandbags, Merrell said. He expects many more opportunities to be available in the coming days and weeks ahead to minister to others affected by the storm.
“Pray for first responders and volunteers,” he said. “Pray for families who have been evacuated. Pray the rain will stop.”
Since Tuesday, torrential rainfall has caused massive flooding throughout Louisiana. Nearly two feet of rain has fallen in some areas and the rain may not move out of the state until sometime Sunday, according to long-range forecasts.
Gov. John Bel Edwards declared a state of emergency Wednesday for the parishes of Acadia, Bienville, Bossier, Caddo, Claiborne, Desoto, East Carroll, Grant, Lincoln, Morehouse, Ouachita, Red River, Richland, Union, Webster and West Carroll. A number of state offices, schools, colleges and businesses also closed due to the weather.
Floodwaters also closed roadways including a portion of Interstate 20 and Interstate 49 and forced water rescues by the National Guard, sheriffs’ offices and local police in affected areas.
In Bossier Parish, images of homes nearly covered by floodwaters were commonplace. Homeowners in nine subdivisions were issued a mandatory evacuation Wednesday.
Floodwaters had yet to come into the building that houses South Bossier Baptist Church as of the morning hours of March 10. Photo by Chris Young
Lane Moore, director of missions for Northwest Louisiana Baptist Association, said two churches in his association were affected by the flooding.
A small amount of water was seeping through the flooring at Ford Park Baptist Church in Shreveport, though Moore said a retaining wall built 20 years ago is protecting the building from water inundating the facility. Water also was seen surrounding South Bossier Baptist Church in Bossier City, though no water had reached the building as of Thursday morning, Moore said.
Just to the east in Haughton, 30 homes were flooded. Part of the Meadowview Health and Rehab Center building in Haughton was evacuated. The floodwaters also forced residents from 12 homes in the adjacent town of Minden to evacuate.
In Monroe, residents in several neighborhoods were urged to evacuate. The city’s police, fire and transit departments helped more than 100 residents evacuate by Wednesday evening, according to the Monroe News Star newspaper.
The Louisiana Baptist Children’s Home in Monroe reported some standing water had reached its campus but there was no flooding in any cottages housing children.
“Pray for those whose homes which were flooded,” said Perry Hancock, president and CEO of the Children’s Home. “We were blessed not to have damage. Pray for some churches which were flooded.”
Two Baptist associational camps were praying floodwaters would not damage their facilities. Camp Bethany, which is just south of Greenwood in northwest Louisiana, reported their property was draining well and they were “wet but safe.”
At Clara Springs Baptist Camp in Pelican, a levee nearby was holding, and protecting the camp from any flooding.
“Pray that the levees hold and the camp will be protected from the storm,” said Clara Springs Baptist Camp Director Bubba Mills.
At least two churches are serving as shelters during the storm – First Baptist Church in Logansport and First Baptist Church in Minden.
First Baptist Church in Haughton and North Monroe Baptist Church will serve as an incident command center for Louisiana Baptist Disaster Relief operations beginning Monday. Once the waters recede and the situation is assessed, teams will then be activated, said LBC State Disaster Relief Director Gibbie McMillan. He added that some Baptist Collegiate Ministry students are postponing their planned spring break trip and will instead participate in disaster relief work.
Anyone not yet trained in disaster relief can register for training, scheduled for March 19 at Temple Baptist Church in Ruston. To register, rollinghills33@bellsouth.net or call 318.251.0065.
Donations for disaster relief are accepted at https://louisianabaptists.org/donateDR.
“I am asking Louisiana Baptists to join me in praying for the peace of God to overwhelm the thousands of families who have been displaced because of the flood,” said Louisiana Baptist Convention President Gevan Spinney. “Many of these people have lost their homes and property.
“There will be opportunities for us as Louisiana Baptists to take part in this long and important process,” said Spinney, who also is pastor of First Baptist Haughton. “The flood while devastating, gives us as the body of Christ the opportunity to respond with the love of Jesus.”
