Baptist group works to rebuild flooded homes

May 18-- May 18--While flood levels have gone down, many area homeowners who were affected by high water still are trying to rebuild after damage.

Roger Bromley, director of the St. Joseph Baptist Association, said the organization is continuing to aid those homeowners by helping those without insurance rebuild their homes.

"The majority of them will have no insurance so they have no place to start, and that's where we come in," Bromley said. "We cost nothing ... and all the work that's done is out of the Ministry of the Southern Baptist Convention Disaster Relief Program. It costs the homeowner nothing."

Bromley and his team are working with Crossroads Chapel in Rushville, Missouri, to help those impacted by flooding in the Lewis and Clark Village neighborhood.

"We have been in several neighborhoods, but specifically Lewis and Clark Village, and (are) able to go in and minister to a lot of the family members by helping them to get started and rebuilding their homes," Bromley said.

Gary Butts, who came from Cignell, Georgia, to help, has been a disaster volunteer for many years. He said he enjoys meeting the homeowners.

"We went to South Dakota and we worked with a man who was very hostile when we went to clean his house, but as we cleaned we got to know him and his backstory," Butts said. "By the time we left, he was helping us, so it builds friendships and a sense of knowing that you've accomplished something."

In addition to helping clean out mud, power-washing homes of any harmful toxins carried by the flood and tearing up damaged floorboards, Bromley and his team of volunteers also helps with ministry.

"Allowing them to tell their story of how they're feeling and what they've gone through is a huge part of being able to heal from this kind of crisis," Bromley said. "So our chapters do an incredible job of ministering to the homeowner."

One chaplain came up from northeast Georgia to help those in Lewis and Clark Village.

"Mentally and spiritually, I find out what personally their needs are and I relate that information to the people that are here. A lot of them have come through enough already," Cherie Bowman said.

Bromley and his team intend to continue working with homeowners affected by the flood.

To contact the St. Joseph Baptist Association, visit its website at stjosephbaptistassociation.org

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Abby Trapp can be reached

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