Being the hands and feet of Jesus: Serving in the community after the storm
Photo by Trinity Adams
Trinity Adams, News and Features Editor
For the people of Asheville, September 27 was a day that many felt they would never be able to recover from. Hurricane Helene hit Asheville and the surrounding areas, completely wiping towns off the map and leaving people stranded without power or a way out.
Rescue crews and linemen from across the nation have been going to Asheville to help provide relief and get people a safer living environment. Many local organizations donated time and resources to help provide food and other essential items to those who were affected by the storm.
Biltmore Church in Arden, NC, has partnered with local organizations to gather supplies to give out to people who are in need. Biltmore has a wide variety of items that people might need from baby needs, cots, blankets, first aid kits and food.
Through the process that Biltmore Church has created, people are able to drive up in lines where they will receive water and bread, and then they can tell them what they need and a “shopper” will get the items for them.
On October 8, NGU took about 60 students to help serve at Biltmore Church. Many of the students who went had a passion to help and love the people who were impacted by the storm. Some students even made cards to hand out to people who were getting resources to encourage them and let them know that there were people praying for them.
Avriel Maddox, freshman communication major, shared that she feels all Christians are called to service and that is why she went.
“I feel like the Lord calls His people to be first servants. You must be last before you can be first. I also wanted to support the people who have been affected by the storm,” Maddox said.
Colin Jacobs, sophomore sports management major, shared that he has a servant’s heart and wanted to do works that are pleasing to the Lord.
He said, “There’s a good verse that I’m applying to this week and the hurricane Helene relief group: 1 Corinthians 10:31, and it says ‘whatsoever you eat, drink, or do, do it unto the Lord.’ That’s why I’m here to serve.”
Many of the volunteers at Biltmore Church were affected by Helene but still found it more important to serve others who we impacted worse than they are.
16-year-old Hannah was one of the volunteers serving the week after the storm. Hannah’s home was hit by four trees, and her family was in the process of completely gutting their house. Instead of sitting and stressing about the damage to her things, her brother encouraged her to get outside and serve.
“My brother really inspired me. He called me and was like, ‘Look, I know that your house seems so bad right now, and I know that you guys are struggling so much, but you guys are not half as bad as the people who don’t have houses and don’t have shelter.’ He really inspired me to get out of my own head and to go love on and pray for other people,” Hannah said.
Hurricane Helene opened many eyes to the people around them. Through this dark, isolating experience, people have taken the chance to put others first and love them despite the challenges they may be facing at home.
