Bill Terry Food is essential to life
I am a big fan of Chick-fil-A and its founder, S. Truett Cathy. Mr. Cathy said, “Food is essential to life, therefore make it good.” I assume this statement was dear to his heart because if you walk into one of their stores today, you will see it posted somewhere on the wall.
I begin this update with that statement because of our Kitchen Teams that serve during a disaster. Over the course of time, when the Mobile Feeding Kitchen is stationed in a disaster area, we earn the noble reputation of serving good, hot meals. It is a distinct honor that I know our volunteers take to heart. I remember when the Kitchen was stationed in Moore, Oklahoma in 2013. A little over one week into the deployment, we began to receive reports that people in the disaster area would specifically wait for our vehicles to come by to eat a meal. When you consider all that these individuals are going through, this is truly a humbling thought.
I mention this because as I review the numbers that Warren Matthews (South Carolina Conference DRUSA Coordinator) has shared with me of meals we have served over the last 4 days, I know our team has been faithful to the standards they have set. According to Matthews, the number of hot meals served from our Mass Care Mobile Kitchen continue to increase with each passing day…
Thursday – 250
Friday – 750
Saturday – 1,300
Sunday – 1,300
The Lord continues to bless the deployment effort in Kingstree, South Carolina. A Margaret Holmes cannery in Effingham donated a full pallet of vegetables. Matthews reported that we are in good shape with vegetables, however other needs are arising. We are running low on individually packaged canned puddings and/or fruit. In addition, we are in desperate need of perishable items such as poultry, beef, pork and all other types of meats. If you have any association with individuals in the grocery industry, please contact them to see if they would be willing to assist us.
On another note, this morning, reinforcements came from the Cornerstone Conference. Nine additional volunteers arrived from the Stanley and Peniel Pentecostal Holiness Churches to staff the Mobile Feeding Kitchen. Matthews remarked, "We were short on volunteer staff, so their arrival was like a breath of fresh air." The North Carolina Conference will arrive this weekend to continue our efforts.
Finally, Bishop Greg Amos informed the DRUSA staff that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has asked and been granted permission to set-up on the grounds of the South Carolina Conference to work with victims of the flood who are seeking assistance.
I will arrive at the disaster area this Wednesday, October 14. At that time, I will begin providing first-hand reports via video as well as continued written updates. In addition, I will try to log some service hours on the Mobile Feeding Kitchen. Hopefully Warren will not run me off.
Please continue to pray for DRUSA, all of the volunteers and the current needs that we are facing. The need in South Carolina is great, and Disaster Relief USA is there to make a difference. If you would like to partner with us and make a financial contribution to DRUSA,here is the web link, http://donations.iphc.org/discipleship/disaster-relief-usa, Disaster Relief USA. If you are close enough and would like to bring a team of volunteers, we would love to have you join the team. Please contact Sherrie Taylor at the DRUSA office by phone at 405.792.7131 or via email.
Thank you to everyone for all that you are doing. In His service,
Bill Terry
National Coordinator
I am a big fan of Chick-fil-A and its founder, S. Truett Cathy. Mr. Cathy said, “Food is essential to life, therefore make it good.” I assume this statement was dear to his heart because if you walk into one of their stores today, you will see it posted somewhere on the wall.
I begin this update with that statement because of our Kitchen Teams that serve during a disaster. Over the course of time, when the Mobile Feeding Kitchen is stationed in a disaster area, we earn the noble reputation of serving good, hot meals. It is a distinct honor that I know our volunteers take to heart. I remember when the Kitchen was stationed in Moore, Oklahoma in 2013. A little over one week into the deployment, we began to receive reports that people in the disaster area would specifically wait for our vehicles to come by to eat a meal. When you consider all that these individuals are going through, this is truly a humbling thought.
I mention this because as I review the numbers that Warren Matthews (South Carolina Conference DRUSA Coordinator) has shared with me of meals we have served over the last 4 days, I know our team has been faithful to the standards they have set. According to Matthews, the number of hot meals served from our Mass Care Mobile Kitchen continue to increase with each passing day…
Thursday – 250
Friday – 750
Saturday – 1,300
Sunday – 1,300
The Lord continues to bless the deployment effort in Kingstree, South Carolina. A Margaret Holmes cannery in Effingham donated a full pallet of vegetables. Matthews reported that we are in good shape with vegetables, however other needs are arising. We are running low on individually packaged canned puddings and/or fruit. In addition, we are in desperate need of perishable items such as poultry, beef, pork and all other types of meats. If you have any association with individuals in the grocery industry, please contact them to see if they would be willing to assist us.
On another note, this morning, reinforcements came from the Cornerstone Conference. Nine additional volunteers arrived from the Stanley and Peniel Pentecostal Holiness Churches to staff the Mobile Feeding Kitchen. Matthews remarked, "We were short on volunteer staff, so their arrival was like a breath of fresh air." The North Carolina Conference will arrive this weekend to continue our efforts.
Finally, Bishop Greg Amos informed the DRUSA staff that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has asked and been granted permission to set-up on the grounds of the South Carolina Conference to work with victims of the flood who are seeking assistance.
I will arrive at the disaster area this Wednesday, October 14. At that time, I will begin providing first-hand reports via video as well as continued written updates. In addition, I will try to log some service hours on the Mobile Feeding Kitchen. Hopefully Warren will not run me off.
Please continue to pray for DRUSA, all of the volunteers and the current needs that we are facing. The need in South Carolina is great, and Disaster Relief USA is there to make a difference. If you would like to partner with us and make a financial contribution to DRUSA,here is the web link, http://donations.iphc.org/discipleship/disaster-relief-usa, Disaster Relief USA. If you are close enough and would like to bring a team of volunteers, we would love to have you join the team. Please contact Sherrie Taylor at the DRUSA office by phone at 405.792.7131 or via email.
Thank you to everyone for all that you are doing. In His service,
Bill Terry
National Coordinator