Helene relief far from over as volunteers with Samaritan's Purse help people rebuild

Yahoo

22-02-2025

BOONE, N.C. (WATE) — Samaritan's Purse continues working with Hurricane Helene survivors across western North Carolina and parts of Tennessee. The relief group's work is far from over.
Samaritan's Purse has provided disaster relief across a broad expanse of the rugged mountains of Appalachia. Where flooding damaged or destroyed thousands of homes, the relief group hasn't stopped its outreach efforts to those in need.
Luther Harrison, the vice president of North American Ministries for Samaritan's Purse, has been busy. He oversees the U.S. disaster relief efforts and rebuild program for the nonprofit evangelical relief group. Much of the coordination for Hurricane Helene is being handled by Incident Management Team members at headquarters in Boone, North Carolina.
'We saw it coming. It spooled up very quickly to a very intense storm,' said Harrison.
Volunteers with Samaritan's Purse shovel mud out of couple's home after Helene
However, the storm's widespread destructive damage shocked many of Samaritan's Purse's leadership team. They moved their volunteers into high gear quickly.
'When this storm stalled out over the mountains, and trillions of gallons of water came off the mountains, we've never seen damage in the mountains like this. I don't think anyone thought this storm would be as severe as it was,' Harrison said. 'We have been supporting the churches ever since Helene hit. Just during Hurricane Helene, we were right at 40,000 people who came and gave their time and talent, their sweat equity, to be the hands and feet of Jesus Christ.'
Samaritan's Purse equipped volunteers giving them the tools and the leadership necessary to muck out a home like Christopher and Angela King's place where mud was nearly chest high.
'Angelic. It was a complete crew of angels as far as I'm concerned,' said Christopher.
Sarah and Dennis Rutland from Niota, Tennessee have been volunteers for Samaritan's Purse since 2018. They spent several weeks assisting those affected by Helene.
'These are volunteers that will put on a Tyvek suit and just come alongside these folks carry the burden with them and share it to help get them back on their feet,' said Harrison.
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'Our gratitude is endless. I don't know where we would be, honestly,' said Angela.
Aaron Ashoff is the executive staff member overseeing the Helene incident management team. He said that people needed winter clothing and fuel for generators as the temperatures dropped. Samaritan's Purse provided it all.
'What we found is that there is still a lot of people that need housing. So, the big project of Samaritan's Purse is the rebuild of homes and mobile homes,' said Ashoff.
'We do a background check and credit check to make sure everything they tell us is truthful. Then we will go in and build them a brand new home free of charge, or replace their mobile home free of charge,' said Harrison.
Samaritan's Purse presented Dumitru Gyska and his wife, Dina, the keys to a new work van last month. He'll use it to continue his plumbing business after his home and vehicles were lost outside of Asheville.
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'We want to walk alongside these families through this deep valley they're going through. You know we don't force our religion on anyone, but we want them to see what Christ has done in our lives and share that with them,' said Harrison.
Wanda Robinson doesn't know how she would have made it without the physical help and spiritual uplifting from volunteers who spent days cleaning out her flooded home in Swannanoa, North Carolina. Today, it's beyond repair. So, Samaritan's Purse is going to build a new one for her at a different location.
'Even though Samaritan's Purse is doing it, I know beyond any shadow of a doubt it is coming from God,' said Robinson.
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'God is blessing us because we are being intentional about the Gospel. We are being intentional to go and follow the Great Commission. You can't share your faith without meeting physical needs,' said Harrison.
Samaritan's Purse mobilizes staff and equipment, and enlists thousands of volunteers, to provide emergency aid to victims of natural disasters across the United States and the world. As we have seen this week, the relief group often stays behind after its initial response, to rebuild or restore houses for needy families in our region and those needs will likely continue well into this year and several years beyond.
If you're looking to help with recovery in the aftermath of Helene, visit SamaritansPurse.org/WATE.
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