Local Tennessee Churches and Ministries Aid in Sheltering Katrina Evacuees
It is estimated that nearly 15,000 evacuees are residing within Tennessee, with almost 40 recognized shelters currently active throughout the state.
As hundreds of disaster victims continue to be relocated to Tennessee, churches and ministries throughout the state are opening up their facilities to offer respite to the evacuees.
ClearView Baptist Church, which has partnered with the Red Cross in its relief efforts, have fed nearly 200 people over the last week, and housed nearly 40 overnight.
“We’re just trying to be as helpful as possible,” said Bill McGuinnis, Assistant Pastor at ClearView. “It’s just a real passion of our church to try and reach out and give as much as we can.”
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Tennessee was declared on Monday to be in a state of “emergency” by President Bush, who promised the state 100 percent federal reimbursement for emergency protective measures, including direct federal assistance.
"This gives us more flexibility to utilize our resources to meet the acute short-term needs of the evacuees, first and foremost food and water, safe and secure shelter and emergency medical attention and counseling," said Tennessee Governor Phil Bredesen. "It's too early to know how many more evacuees will come to Tennessee this week – either in federal relocation efforts or on their own – but it's important for us to be ready to provide for them."
It is estimated that nearly 15,000 evacuees are residing within Tennessee, with almost 40 recognized shelters currently active throughout the state, according to Richard Ramey, President of Tennessee Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (TN-VOAD), which acts as a liaison between organizations throughout the state providing relief.
For ClearView, which houses homeless people on a regular basis throughout the winter months, the transformation from a church into a shelter wasn’t a difficult process, according to McGuinnis.
“One of the priorities of this church is to have a flexible worship center,” said McGuinnis. “We worship in a ‘gymnatorium’ (gym/auditorium) so the transition was easy.”
Crievewood Baptist Church, located in Nashville, has given up its recreation center for use as a shelter.
“[Crievewood] has just been outstanding as far as moving stuff around to accommodate us,” says Jeff Fargies, supervisor at the shelter. “They’ve made it a lot easier on [the Red Cross] and their response has just been overwhelming – we couldn’t have asked for more.”
In Williamson County, a new shelter with capacity for 500 Hurricane Katrina survivors will be open soon, according to Christi Ensch, Office Manager for Graceworks Ministries, one of the organizations aiding in opening the shelter.
According to the Tennessean, the 40,000 square foot industrial office will have some of the latest home technology, such as water heaters that heat a gallon every seven minutes, to be provided by Noritz Sales & Service of Nashville.
In a statement made last Tuesday, President Bush commended members of the “faith-based” community for their efforts in providing relief.
“I want to thank leaders of the – in the faith — faith-based and community-based community for being here,” said Bush. “We've got people who represent thousands of volunteers who are in the midst of helping save lives.”
Pastor Rick Warren of Saddleback Church wrote in a recent column that Hurricane Katrina could represent, “the church’s finest hour.”
“It’s time for the church to shine,” Warren writes. “Disaster presents Christians with unprecedented opportunities to mobilize the Church and become the hands and feet of Christ.”
Evacuee Edmund Wright, 58, has found his temporary stay at Crievewood to be quite pleasant, according to the Tennessean.
“Food, water, clothing – the only thing they haven’t done is given me the six numbers to win the Powerball,” said Wright, who plans to make Tennessee his permanent home.
While the turmoil caused by Katrina has allowed thousands of evacuees to connect with the church, those within the faith-community have also made an effort to get closer.
Rev. Enoch Fuzz, pastor of Corinthian Missionary Baptist Church and a member of Nashville's Interdenominational Ministers Fellowship, sees the relief efforts as an opportunity for all faiths to, “work and walk together.”
"We shouldn't miss this moment," Fuzz told the Tennessean. "In this room are blacks and whites, and Catholics and Protestants, Muslims, Hindus and Jew, young and old. This is a sign that God has brought us together and that we can really work together. Though it's a tragedy, God does call us in this time to work and walk together.”
In one instance at ClearView Baptist, McGuinnis reported that “a staff of Catholics” came in to help cook meals at the church.
“We’ve had all kinds of denominations and organizations helping us out,” said McGuinnis. “And they’re eager and happy to do so.”
According to McGuinnis, participation in the relief effort, although difficult, is a blessing.
“It’s a privilege and an honor to be part of this,” he said. “It’s very humbling to see the kinds of things that He is doing.”
