Last September, Hurricane Helene tore through communities across western North Carolina, leaving a trail of devastation in its path. 

Strong winds, torrential rains and widespread flooding damaged thousands of homes, displaced families and disrupted lives in ways that are still being felt one year later.

Helene was one of the deadliest and costliest storms in state and U.S. history. The storm claimed the lives of at least 250 people across the country, including more than 100 in North Carolina. Helene caused an estimated $78.7 billion in damage nationally and $56.9 billion statewide. 

But even in the midst of such destruction, hope was never far away, thanks in large part to the tireless efforts of N.C. Baptists. 

As Helene approached and moved through western North Carolina from Thursday night into Friday morning, Sept. 26-27, 2024, disaster response volunteers with N.C. Baptists on Mission had already started to mobilize.

Volunteers from across the state answered the call, bringing with them chainsaws, food, cleanup tools and, most importantly, the love of Christ. In the days, weeks and months that followed, their yellow shirts became a familiar and comforting sight in the hardest-hit neighborhoods.

In the immediate aftermath of Helene, Baptists on Mission deployed thousands of volunteers to assist with debris removal, home mud-outs and tearouts, meal distribution and more.

“Our goal was simple,” said Richard Brunson, executive director of N.C. Baptists on Mission. “To be the hands and feet of Jesus in a time of crisis, to meet physical needs while pointing people to the hope that can only be found in Him.”

One of the first staging sites Baptists on Mission established was at Biltmore Church in Arden. Within the next week, Baptists on Mission established 16 disaster response sites across 27 mountain counties. 

Biltmore Church also became a distribution hub for water, food and supplies that were difficult, if not impossible, to find in the early days after the storm. Churches from across the country sent water and other resources for the church to distribute to those in need.

“Those first several weeks were hard, but the gospel impact was profound,” said Biltmore’s lead pastor Bruce Frank. “People came to know Christ in the supply lines. Lives were changed daily. We heard countless stories that could only be explained by God being at work in our midst.”

In the three months after the storm, nearly 13,000 volunteers with Baptists on Mission prepared more than 493,000 hot meals, completed more than 5,000 recovery jobs, provided approximately 16,000 showers and washed about 8,000 loads of laundry. Chaplains made more than 3,700 contacts, and family care volunteers ministered to more than 400 families with children.

“We had launched a massive operation before the rain had even let up, and we would keep going, without rest for many months, until the waters receded and recovery could begin,” said Tom Beam, disaster response coordinator with Baptists on Mission. “Over 3,800 churches from all across North Carolina and from every state assisted us in the mountains. After all, that is our mission — a mission to help churches and Christians meet human needs in the name of Jesus. There is no greater joy.”

Rebuilding homes, rebuilding lives

As the initial response gave way to long-term recovery, Baptists on Mission shifted its focus to rebuilding. Over the past year, mission teams have helped repair and rebuild more than 500 homes — many for families who had no other means of recovery.

One of the first homeowners helped by Baptists on Mission was Spruce Pine resident Barbara Douglas. On the morning of Sept. 27, 2024, rising water flooded her home, ruining virtually everything that wasn’t hanging on a wall or in a closet.

“I didn’t know how I was going to handle all this by myself,” Douglas said. “Then one day, all these cars came pulling up and parked along the guardrail, and people just descended upon us. They were volunteers with Baptists on Mission, and they just took over.”

Douglas said she is grateful for all the people who gave of their time to work on her home, saying she couldn’t have made it without them. When the volunteers finished work on Douglas’ home, they presented her with a Bible which they all signed. Although Douglas has been back in her home for several months, many in western North Carolina still are not. 

“There’s still a lot of need,” Douglas said. “We need help, and we still need people to come.”

N.C. Baptists on Mission continues to operate five rebuild centers across western North Carolina to assist with rebuild efforts. The centers, located in Black Mountain, Boone, Burnsville, East Flat Rock and Spruce Pine, serve as hubs that can feed and house volunteers who come to the area to serve. Ministry leaders say they plan to have an active rebuild presence in western North Carolina for at least another five years.

“Our goal isn’t just a place to live, it’s a new life,” said Paul Langston, an N.C. Baptists on Mission staff member who works with the rebuild efforts. “As we meet the physical needs, it opens a door to meet spiritual needs, and there are lots of them.”

Faith in action

N.C. Baptists on Mission’s work over the past year has stood as a testament to the power of faith in action. Backed by churches, volunteers, ministry partners, donors, government leaders and others, the organization has demonstrated what it means to serve neighbors with compassion and care.

“The storm was powerful,” Brunson said. “But our God is greater. And the way churches and individuals have responded proves that the body of Christ is alive and active in North Carolina.”

To commemorate the one-year anniversary of Helene, many local communities and churches in western North Carolina are holding special services of remembrance and reflection this week. 

On Sunday, Sept. 28, First Baptist Church of Hendersonville is gathering at Hendersonville High School for worship with a special service of remembrance and hope.

On Saturday, Sept. 27, McDowell County, in partnership with the city of Marion and the town of Old Fort, is hosting a special ceremony in Old Fort to mark the anniversary of the storm. The goal of the event is to honor the strength and resilience of the local community, remember the lives forever changed, and look ahead with hope and unity.

Jerry Lewis, lead pastor of Grace Community Church in Marion, will be one of the speakers at the event. In the immediate aftermath of Helene, Grace Community Church became one of the recovery sites for Baptists on Mission, and Lewis was named the county’s Volunteer Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD) coordinator. In that role, Lewis helped coordinate recovery efforts in McDowell County.

For months after the storm, Lewis estimates he spent about 50% of his time helping coordinate efforts to meet practical needs in the community. Lewis said two men who were the beneficiaries of work completed on their homes as part of those efforts were recently baptized at Grace Community Church.

“When we do work like this, it creates a runway for the gospel,” Lewis said. “And that’s what’s happened.”

While much progress has been made, the journey is far from over. Hundreds of families remain in need of assistance, and Baptists on Mission remain committed to the mission.

“We’re here for the long haul,” Brunson said. “As long as there are needs, we’ll be here to help meet them.”