Monette couple serves when and where needed

Robert and Marsha Chambers of Monette are ready to serve when and where they are needed. They are part of a larger mission group of the Southern Baptist Convention Disaster Relief teams of Arkansas.

The couple has been involved in disaster relief for seven years.

“Our eyes were opened in 2011 with our first trip to Joplin, Mo.,” Robert said. The couple went to Joplin with a local group after the EF5 tornado that killed 158 people leaving $2.8 billion in damage. They saw just how fast (32 minutes to be exact) life can change for disaster victims.

Robert is no stranger to helping. As a 35 year veteran, he responds with the Monette Volunteer Fire/Rescue Department to fires, accidents, or emergencies as a volunteer fireman, first responder, and chaplain.

Being retired gives the couple more time to serve when needed, but they emphasized volunteers do not have to be retired. Volunteers still working can give a few days when needed or even a weekend.

The Chambers are part of the feeding team. Other groups include chainsaw teams, chaplains, communication teams, shower/laundry teams, box teams, flood recovery teams and incident management teams. The Chambers serve with the feeding team based in Corning through the Current Gaines Baptist Association. Don Settles serves as leader.

The Mission statement of the Disaster Relief teams overall is “to bring help, healing and hope as we follow Christ's example of meeting physical, emotional, and spiritual needs. We serve people in crisis, responding quickly to urgent needs.”

Disaster strikes and opens the door for immediate ministry. Volunteers rush into action to provide hot meals, clear debris, and share a good word because Jesus cares and wants His people to help and love each other. It doesn't matter if it is a neighbor across the street, state, nation or world, where there is a need, these teams are organized and ready to respond.

In Arkansas there are 2,572 active, trained volunteers. Throughout the United States there are 1,500 response units.

“We work with one of 13 feeding units in Arkansas,” Marsha said.

Training is very important to the volunteers and several sessions are held throughout the year. A regional training session will be held March 9 at Nettleton Baptist; April 13 at Rogers First Baptist; Sept. 14 at Forrest City First Baptist; Oct. 12 at Immanuel Baptist in Little Rock.

To register, persons can log on to abscdisasterrelief.org or call 501-376-4791, ext. 5249.

The mobile kitchen used by the volunteers can be set up and ready to serve thousands of meals a day. Food safety is stressed and all of the mobile units pass strict health department regulations.

“Our mobile unit is subject to site inspections when we are deployed, from the health departments, FEMA, and American Red Cross,” Marsha said. “We are very safety conscience when it comes to the food we prepare and serve.”

Robert's first deployment with the relief team was in Kenner, La., to help feed workers and victims of Hurricane Isaac. He also served in Long Island, N.Y., after Hurricane Sandy.

The Chambers have fed people far and near. They were at Caraway after a tornado several years ago. They fed the flood victims and workers in Alexandria, La., and Vinton, La. They spent 12 days in Pocahontas due to flooding and were in Houston after Hurricane Harvey. They also served in Orange, Texas, as part of Hurricane Harvey rebuilding efforts.

Most of the time deployments are about a week long and the volunteers will stay in churches or shelters. While in Orange, Texas, the Chambers stayed at a former Naval Base and in Pocahontas they stayed in a former nursing home serving as a shelter.

Robert said, “Southern Baptist Disaster Relief is one of the three largest mobilizers of trained volunteers in the United States, along with the American Red Cross and the Salvation Army.”

The relief team does the cooking and the Red Cross distributes the meals throughout the needed area. Many times they are set up so the volunteers and victims can come together to be fed.

The power washers and generators used are self-contained. The volunteers cook three meals a day.

Team members inventory the food, make out menus and prepare the food.

Mt. Zion Baptist Association Disaster Relief shower and washer/dryer unit is stationed at Nettleton Baptist Church.

This unit is taken out where it is needed and provides services to the deployed volunteers.

“Every team serves an important role,” Robert said. “We have served from 500 to 5,000 meals in one day. The volume changes as power is restored and people return to their homes.”

Southern Baptist Disaster Relief started in 1967 to help with Hurricane Beulah by six men using a buddy burner to heat canned food along the Texas coast.

“We are just a very small part of the work being done through the Southern Baptist Disaster Relief,” Robert said. “It is a blessing to serve. We have made lifelong friends.”

Funding for the Southern Baptist Disaster Relief comes from the Dixie Jackson Mission Offerings and private donations. “It takes a lot of manpower but it also takes funds,” Marsha said. “The Lord always provides.”

Robert said, “Everyone on the team has a job to do but all have to be flexible to get the job done.”

The logo is a unique design. Marsha explained the arch stands for a world wide link of Southern Baptist Convention; the wheat represents physical help; and the fish stands for spiritual help.

Arkansas Baptist State Convention Disaster Relief is a Christ centered partnership of associational, state and national ministries serving through the local church to bring help, healing, and hope to individuals affected by disasters.