Disaster Relief Ministry

Helping Those in Need

Disaster Relief volunteers from Greene County Baptist Churches are committed to serving by ministering to people in times of crisis. Our team is coordinated by the Greene County Baptist Association (GCBA). All members of our team have completed Disaster Relief (DR) Training Classes and/or have personally been on a mission trip to a disaster area. Our main focus is Missouri, but we go where our services are needed. GCBA DR has a flood recovery equipment and chain saw unit to provide help to those who have experienced damage from natural disasters such as tornadoes, flooding, hurricanes, and ice storms.

OUR MISSION: to bring hope, help, and healing as we witness for Christ - to insure the safety of our team - to satisfy homeowner needs.

The Greene County Disaster Relief Ministry was established in 2005 following hurricane Katrina. The first deployment was in January 2006 for 2 weeks in New Orleans. Since that time the team has performed cleanup for several local tornadoes, the Springfield ice storm of 2007, the Popular Bluff ice storm in 2009, the St. Louis tornado in 2011 and the Hannibal tornado in 2013. The team was originally called to Joplin, but was cancelled as the need changed to heavy equipment. Last year we responded to Wallace, NC, to do flood recovery from hurricane Florence. There was also a chain saw team that responded to wind damage in Marionville, MO.

All Greene County Baptist Association Disaster Relief volunteers have been trained in:

Flood Recovery
Mass Feeding
Chain Saw Safety
Communications
Disaster Response Activities
Chaplaincy

In November 2013 a developer in downtown Springfield donated to the chain saw ministry a 24 ft. X 62 ft. metal building. The requirement was the building must be taken down and moved to another property. The building has been disassembled and reassembled on the Brookline, First Baptist Church property.

Currently, we have two types of Disaster Relief teams in which you choose to serve. GCBA DR is affiliated with Missouri Baptist Convention DR and is a part of Southern Baptist Disaster Relief. Joe Gawel is the contact person for Missouri Baptist Disaster Relief.

The other team is connected with Eight Days of Hope. Ronnie Walker is the contact person for this ministry.

There is always a need of volunteers who have a heart for missions to serve in time of crisis. To participate in the Disaster Relief activities please contact either Joe Gawel at 417-380-9695, or Ronnie Walker at 417-343-3809.