By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer
PORT ARTHUR, Texas – Surveying the estimated $300,000 worth of damage Hurricane Harvey caused his church facilities, Pastor Rick Erwin maintained an attitude of gratitude as he thought about the army of volunteers, including two Louisiana Baptist churches, sent to help Proctor Baptist Church in Port Arthur, Texas, begin its path to recovery.
“Had it not been for the volunteers that came in and helped us, I think we would have had to close the doors,” Erwin told the Baptist Message. “This is tremendously hard work. We’ve stepped up and said God is with us, this is His church and not ours. There is no measure of thanks we can express to Christians who came and helped us..”
Searcy Baptist Church in Trout and United Baptist Church in Jena sent a team of eight people to the church Sept. 12 and 13. While there, they removed damp carpet, cut out tiles and carried debris to the street. The team also brought cleaning supplies and $1,500 worth of monetary donations they gifted the church.
Reid Terry, pastor of Searcy Baptist Church, said from the onset of news reports that large areas of Texas were flooded, his congregation asked how they could make a difference. When Terry learned from Erwin, who also is his uncle, Proctor Baptist had received several feet of water inside its facilities; he knew this was the project his congregation should tackle.
Terry called long-time friend Johnnie Phillips, pastor of United Baptist, the evening of Sept. 9 to discuss putting together a team. During the Sunday morning services the next day at both churches donations were given and volunteers signed up to take part in the short-notice relief trip the following day.
The response by his church was not surprising to Terry.
Currently, Searcy Baptist is nearing the end of construction for a new 14,000-sq.-ft. facility. When the project is complete within a couple of months, they plan to relocate not far down the road from their current 8,000-sq.-ft. buildings.
During the construction, his congregation has watched as volunteers from Alabama, Georgia and Louisiana have given up vacation time and self-funded their trip to help build the new campus.
“We were the recipients of people coming to help us and it opened the eyes of our people,” Terry said. “It encouraged us to do the same when the opportunity arose.
“The Lord has blessed us and the people have embraced the need to find for ways to minister to our community and be in the places where the church isn’t,” he continued. “That was the challenge they heard and they responded, including this time in Texas.”
BLESSINGS ALONGSIDE OTHER BROTHERS
In addition to helping out a church in need, the team received another blessing through working alongside one another during the two-day trip.
“This was two pastors who are friends that talk together and decided to partner our churches up for something like this,” Terry said. “Our men really enjoyed spending time with men from other churches and I expect we will do so again.”
Phillips called the experience among the most rewarding things he has done.
“The entire situation is just sad, but yet that church let us know they have hope,” Philips said. “To be able to join another church in sharing hope with them was a taste of the family of God.
“Even though it’s tough work, it’s fulfilling Christ’s commandment to love your neighbor as yourself,” he continued. “It takes time away from what you could be doing back home and costs money, but those things are temporary. These are permanent things we did at Proctor Baptist that will last a lifetime.”
This debris pile was commonplace outside Proctor Baptist Church, as volunteers carried out items damaged by Hurricane Harvey. Searcy Baptist Church Facebook photo
Joining the Louisiana team was James Gunnels, pastor of Victory Baptist Church in Centerville, Texas. He felt an instant bond shortly after arriving on scene.
“After seeing a plea for help on Facebook, I came down there and happened to walk onto the Louisiana side,” Gunnels said, noting there was a group of from Corsicana, Texas, working on another side of the facility. “Because that team was from a small community like myself, we had a ball together. Anytime you can work alongside fellow brothers in Christ to make a difference leaves you with a humble feeling of doing something special. For me to play a part in some way, it left me with an experience I’ll never forget.”
NEXT STEPS FOR PROCTOR
Erwin realizes his church faces a long road.
Since the church did not have flood insurance, they must replace more than $100,000 worth of equipment lost during the flood. They also must pay for costs to repair most of their facilities.
But as difficult as it may seem, Erwin is encouraged about the future of Proctor Baptist, thanks to the selfless attitude of an army of believers from Louisiana and beyond.
“It was a heartbreaker seeing our furniture, computers and baby beds all pulled out to the street to be thrown away,” said Erwin, a graduate of Louisiana College. “But God is good. We serve a purpose and are determined to continue on, knowing that we are here for what God has called us to do.”
To help with recovery efforts at Proctor Baptist, contact Erwin at 409.350.0053.
