In response to the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, Asbury’s Outreach Coalition organized a relief trip where students could serve the community of Boone, N.C. during fall break from Oct. 17 to 20. A small group of 17 students and staff partnered with the Christian humanitarian aid organization, Samaritan’s Purse, to help in any way they could. The group stayed with a local church in Boone, called The Rock Serve Center. The connection with the Serve Center was made through an Asbury student whose home church is The Rock. The church generously made accommodations for students as well as provided their meals while they served, which is rare in emergency situations like Helene with limited resources available.
The devastating Hurricane Helene swept through many parts of the Southeastern United States in late September of this year. It was the deadliest hurricane to hit the mainland U.S. since Katrina in 2005, and the strongest on record to hit the Big Bend Region of Florida since Maria in 2017. The storm has caused the death of around 230 people and several are still missing. Several others have been left homeless, some still stuck in areas without reliable cell service to contact loved ones or electricity. In this disaster, many cities, like Asheville, N.C., have experienced tremendous loss through significant flooding.
When asked what kind of work volunteers would participate in, Michelle Kratzer, Associate Dean said, “We will be helping with disaster relief in ways like mucking out homes, helping prepare meals for people and cutting and stacking trees that have fallen on things — the immediate disaster relief.”
There was an overwhelming response from students willing to help with the hurricane relief, as applications for the trip quickly filled. There were so many interested, Kratzer had to stop taking applicants due to the limited accommodations The Rock could supply.
“We were amazed by the responsiveness of the students,” said Kratzer. “This opportunity was made possible through amazing connections, and I feel blessed by people saying ‘yes’ and being willing and ready to be used to help others.”
Krazter encourages students to be open to serving others in and outside of their community, as it is our calling as Christians, the Body of Christ.
“God has created us to serve one another. That is our calling. Through serving we also learn what it means to live the abundant life as we have been learning in chapel. In serving others, we lay down our lives — and, it is often when we lay our lives down, that we find it. As Christians, we need to ask ourselves ‘Where am I called to serve?’ I hope this opportunity is a time the students really get to know each other and God in new ways,” said Kratzer.
For more information on opportunities students can serve local and surrounding communities, contact the Catalyst Center’s Outreach Coalition (outreachcoalition@asbury.edu).
