Churches are playing a key role in giving comfort and relief to the victims of Hurricane Helene. On Sunday, many of them gathered for worship for the first time since the storm struck.
Faith is a beacon of hope for communities reeling from the devastation. People from all walks of life are gathering to worship, pray, and support each other during this time of crisis.
One of these gatherings took place at Hendersonville High School’s football field, where people of all faiths came together, united by their shared belief in God’s strength in the face of adversity. The event, hosted by First Baptist Church, Hendersonville, was a chance for many to find comfort despite the overwhelming challenges brought by the storm.
“In the midst of disaster, the way we make it through is by hoping in God and helping each other,” said Justin Alexander, Senior Pastor at First Baptist Church in Hendersonville.
Tens of thousands of people are still without power, clean water, or access to food. For some, the devastation is unimaginable. Aaron and Larisa Smith narrowly escaped disaster when a boulder crashed into their home.
“We were fifteen feet away from being crushed… leaving our two kids… and God knows what would have happened to them,” said Aaron, reflecting on the close call.
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The Smiths were airlifted from their neighborhood. All they and their two children have left is their dog and a suitcase. Despite losing nearly everything, they express gratitude for their faith and the community’s support.
“To be able to celebrate God’s faithfulness, community, and family … it’s a unique blessing,” said Aaron. Just north of Asheville, Brookstone Church in Weaverville held a service on the campus of Mars Hill University. The congregation offered comfort and hope to their community, roughly 20 minutes due north.
“People were asking a lot of questions they weren’t asking nine days ago… it really levels things, doesn’t it?” remarked Jeff Reecer, Executive Pastor of Operations and Outreach at Brookstone Church.
*** CLICK HERE to Help the Victims of Hurricane Helene
Brookstone, like First Baptist, has become a hub for distributing food and other essentials to storm victims. The church has also been a place where people are finding purpose amidst the tragedy and experiencing the love of God.
“There is a hope that is felt—it is tangible here in these communities. Even those who don’t believe in Christ are seeing the hope in Christ in 4K, as their neighbors pour into one another,” said Jared Reece, College Pastor at Brookstone.
Operation Blessing International is also on the ground, stationed at Asheville’s Home Depot parking lot. Every day, they provide thousands of meals and distribute clean water and supplies to those in need. Their teams have even flown into remote neighborhoods to deliver essential resources, offering physical and spiritual relief.
“A lot of the time we use that hot meal, that water, that bucket of supplies as an excuse just to be there for the people who need it,” said Diego Traverso from Operation Blessing. “But for us, it’s more important to present Jesus.”
Despite the hardships, communities across North Carolina are finding strength in their faith and in each other, demonstrating that despite the storms in this life – we can find strength in God.
If you would like to support Operation Blessing as it helps those hit hard by Hurricane Helene, you can call CBN at 1-800-700-7000 or click HERE to visit Operation Blessing’s website.
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