Conference Serves Flooded Community

Story by Megan L. Garcia, Boulevard Church Member

Just one day after Valentine’s Day, the Tug Fork River in Mingo County, West Virginia, overflowed due to days of endless rain, and suddenly an entire community was underwater! The floodwaters quickly rose to a staggering 48.35 feet, leaving people trapped and stranded without heat, electricity and/or water, and with homes and businesses completely submerged. Among the riverside communities affected was Williamson, W.Va., where Pastor Tony Garcia is currently shepherding the Williamson church.

With such an immediate and emergent need, Williamson church members leapt into action, quickly organizing a community emergency relief effort, despite many losing power, water and heat themselves. With financial and donation support from various churches in the Mountain View Conference (MVC), the conference office and private donors from in and out of state gathered many supplies and food to serve the local community: 85 blankets; some 100 gallons of water and another 100 cases of water bottles; four propane heaters; 200 sandwiches; 100 individual containers of hot vegetable soup; 100 bags of chips; 100 bags of cookies; and 50 apples.

“It was such a blessing,” states Garcia, “to see how all the pastors from around the MVC jumped into action to support [the community] and our little church in Williamson. I was shocked and overwhelmed with gratitude by all the support!”

On Saturday, 23 volunteers gathered in a Williamson parking lot to enact their emergency relief plan. Two groups drove out to reach 16 shut-in community members with food and supplies, and the rest of the group stayed and served 14 members of the community with the help of the MVC food truck. They also coordinated with the local emergency shelter, providing them with water and blankets to help those displaced from their homes.

One community member, Carla Adams, who received shut-in support from the team, experienced a miracle! “I’d like to thank everyone for sending me dinner,” she testifies. “My water has been off for four days, and after both men prayed with me, my water just turned on! Praise God for the wonderful day and blessing He gave me today!”

Since the flood, the Williamson church has acted as an emergency food and supply pantry, serving about 25 families each week.