Bishop Ward gives thanks for what the churches have been doing to bring about restoration and recovery in the aftermath of Hurricane Matthew and talks with Kelly and Julie Barr about the gift of a donated warehouse in Fairmont.
Grace and peace to you in the name of Jesus Christ.
From the bottom of my heart I give thanks to God for you. The gifts, the prayers and the presence which you have extended in the Hurricane Matthew-impacted areas of our annual conference are a wonderful mercy and grace to those in need. Let us continue to offer ourselves so that our church will be a means of restoration and recovery. We will continue to work together until needs are met, until households are restored, until families return home.
In the Gateway district, a warehouse has been established in Fairmont. Thanks be to God for you and for your generosity. Watch the difference that you are making.
Bishop Ward: Kelly and Julie thank you so much for your leadership and setting up this wonderful warehouse for the Gateway district here in Fairmont. Tell us about the adventure of setting it all up.
Kelly Barr: Well, my role was the 30,000 foot view, when we realized that this area was cut off from Lumberton. This entire area south of Lumberton had no way to get supplies. We started talking with local businessmen; Jimmy Kennedy was instrumental in talking with us. We found a local businessman that donated this big warehouse. It was full of junk. Trinity United Methodist Church in Fairmont came in with bodies and cleaned it up for us. The next day, I had to step back because my wife, and my better half, has the ground level view. She’s been instrumental in setting up the organization and the handing out.
Julie Barr: It’s massive. There are so many things that people need. They need food. They need blankets. They need personal items, so we’ve tried to have rooms for each thing and make up kits that will help them one day, cause it’s one day at a time. We do have a massive amount of clothes which we hope to be able to give out.
Kelly Barr: Yes, we don’t need clothes.
Julie Barr: No.
Bishop Ward: Thank you for the things that you have been giving and for your time and energy in the recovery. Thank you for your leadership here in the Gateway district.
Let’s all continue to give all that we have and all that we are so that we recover together from Hurricane Matthew.