Amazing outpouring of generosity in response to devastating floods
A Salvation Army Emergency Services crew prepares refreshments in Bundaberg. (Photo: Paul Beutel)
Bundaberg Corps Officer Major Heather Unicomb reflects on almost a month of emergency relief in the Central Queensland city, after it was devastated by flooding in the wake of Tropical Cyclone Oswald.
Many of our corps folk have taken families into their own homes, spent time cleaning houses, making phone calls and providing meals. Their servant hearts have been revealed in these actions.
The floods have affected six families from our corps, while others have experienced boat and helicopter evacuations in the middle of the night.
Our Salvation Army Emergency Services (SAES) team have given tea, coffee and food to hundreds of people and listened to their experiences. My eyes have teared up quite a number of times. My heart has been going out to elderly folk who have had to experience boat and helicopter rides, sitting in the sun waiting for a bus to bring them to the evacuation centre.
On 26 January, our SAES team was activated. Every team member has willingly jumped in, ready to help wherever the need has been.
Five members of the team were almost immediately activated on the north side Bundaberg to feed 30 emergency services personnel, which grew to 1700 people in no time. God certainly performed miracles that day with their limited resources.
Over the last 20 days our SAES teams have provided 23,293 meals to evacuees and emergency services personnel at 11 different sites. These needed to be delivered by either truck, van, helicopter. We value each and every member of our team who have also served 35,545 morning or afternoon teas and suppers.
There was a fundraising cricket match between firies and Defence services. Thanks to our youth group, who manned the gate for this event, $6554 was raised for the Salvos.
Teams from Rockhampton, Townsville, the Sunshine Coast and NSW came to support us. They were strangers when they arrived, but we said goodbye to friends. They were amazing teams that were willing to do whatever and go wherever, always with a smile on their face. They were always on the lookout to help others.
It is heart-wrenching watching families return to the evacuation or recovery centres, having been to see what is left of their homes. They need a lot of tender, loving care. The evacuees have now been relocated to the “tent city”. Please continue to pray that we will share the love of Jesus by our actions and words.
The Salvation Army will be required for a long time to come in Bundaberg in many different ways. Some of the things we're involved in are providing school lunches for the children in the evacuation centres, clothing distribution, door-to-door visitation, feeding essential services at the recovery centre, assessment interviews at welfare and allocation of disaster relief.
We are also now providing furniture, clothing, whitegoods and care packs to those moving into alternative accommodation, as well as those who have lost everything and are going back to their own homes. This is being done at our Tom Quinn Community Centre and at a couple of huge sheds we’re using. Majors Pam and Owen Pattison are visiting folk in their homes.
More recently, Major Kevin Unicomb has been helping prepare 51 accommodation units at the Finemore Caravan Park. I love going to these units, catching up with folk who we fed when they were first evacuated, then chatted to in the tent city. My heart goes out to them because the transition is going to continue for a long time.
When I walk past someone and call out, “how are you doing?” they are ready to talk and tell their story. Please pray that we show a compassionate God who loves and cares for them.
Due to flood damage, we were unable to use our church building for two Sundays. On one of these Sundays we met for worship under the trees, listening to the birds at the outdoor chapel at the Tom Quinn Community Centre. This was a powerful time of being still, focusing on God and becoming spiritually refreshed. A highlight of this for me was an outpouring of prayer for others. Bundaberg Mayor Mal Foreman encouraged Christians to spend time praying for our community.
Major Kevin Unicomb’s devotions a few days ago included these words: “God's love directs your actions.” That's what we've been seeing every day. We have so much to be thankful to God for. We have an amazing SAES team that has felt energised and strengthened by the prayers of many. Thank you for praying, and thank you for caring.
Report by Major Heather Unicomb
Comments
AS A MEMBER OF BUNDY CORPS WEVE ALSO SEEN HOW HARD YOU,VE WORKED TO THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR EFFORTS THROUGH THIS DIFFICULT TIME AND FOR YOUR SMILE HEATHER EVEN WHEN YOUVE BEEN EXHAUSTED. GOD BLESS YOU.