North American Baptist Fellowship Disaster Response Network meets in Louisiana

On August 26-27, the NABF Disaster Response Network met in Lake Charles, LA, the site of major responses to various hurricanes such as Katrina, Rita and others. Marla Bearden, Texas Baptists Disaster Recovery specialist represented the Texas Baptists. The group was joined by local Baptists from Louisiana for this semi-annual gathering. Additionally, the mayor of Lake Charles and a representative of the Louisiana VOAD (Volunteer Organizations Active in Disaster) were present for part of the gathering.

Agenda items included a discussion of responses from North America to the Ebola crisis in Africa, and how greater collaboration might be developed. A conference call is planned in September to share more information on this subject and discuss how members and other groups can assist.

The group discussed with great concern the responses to the current U.S. border crisis. Texas Baptists are leading the way in these efforts, ministering to "family units:" mothers or fathers with children who crossing into the country. Marla Bearden shared that Texas Baptists Disaster Recovery (TBDR) is mobilizing volunteers, donated items and funds to refugee centers in Laredo, McAllen and Brownsville though the “For The Children” efforts. Tommy Deal of CBF Disaster Response spoke of how Baptists groups are finding refugee children through school districts and ministering to them through those schools.

Thus far the 2014 hurricane season has been very quiet, but the Network wants to be on alert and considered how to improve and increase its communication during disaster response.

A field trip to "Friend Ships," a Christian ministry headquartered in Lake Charles, was perhaps the highlight of the two-day meeting. Learn more about them at www.friendships.org.
A spirit of deep fellowship during the meeting was enhanced by the wonderful hosting of the Greater St. Mary Missionary Baptist Church where Samuel Tolbert is pastor.

The business items of the gathering included naming Gaylon Moss of the North Carolina Baptist Men to the three-person Lead Team replaced Donald Sewell who rotated off. Marla Bearden of TBDR will serve two more years and Pauline Hurst of Great St. Mary Missionary Baptist Church will serve one more year.

The group named April 15-16, 2015 in Vancouver, British Columbia as the time and place of the next gathering, and September 1-2 in Kansas City as the meeting this same time next year.