wfn.org | Tornadoes hit close to home for Georgia disaster team members

[NewsDesk <NewsDesk@UMCOM.UMC.ORG>]

March 8, 2000  News media contact: Thomas S.
McAnally·(615)742-5470·Nashville, Tenn.   10-71BP{127}

NOTE:  A photograph is available with this story.

By Mike Morgan*

CAMILLA, Ga. (UMNS) - When disaster response workers from Mt. Bethel United
Methodist Church in Marietta, north of Atlanta, traveled more than 200 miles
to help tornado victims in southwest Georgia, they didn't realize the
destructive storms had hit so close to home.

After the Mt. Bethel crew cranked up their chainsaws and began clearing
debris from a 130-year-old Hilliard family homestead, they learned that a
member of their own church owned half of the property.

"Our mouths dropped open," said the Rev. Maria Lopez, Mt Bethel's associate
pastor. A resident told the workers that Peggy Crump of Marietta, a Hilliard
by birth, owned half of the house. Tommy and Rhonda Hilliard, members of the
Camilla United Methodist Church, owned the other half.

The Hilliards were in the house with their two young children when a
powerful tornado demolished the structure around midnight Feb. 14. Awakened
from sleep by lightning and thunder, they huddled in a hallway as the first
powerful tornado roared through.

The house, originally built as a log cabin in 1870, was badly damaged, but
the Hilliards were unhurt.

Once the wind calmed down, the family members made their way to the garage
and climbed into their pickup truck, only to find that a downed electrical
line across the driveway prevented them from leaving. While they were still
in the vehicle, a second twister struck.

When daylight came, the Hilliards discovered they had lost not only their
home but also 70 to 80 pecan trees, five cows, plus fences and chicken
houses. A resident of Baconton, Ga., more than 15 miles north, found papers
belonging to the Hilliards in his yard.

Six other homes belonging to members of the Camilla church were also damaged
by the storms, according to the Rev. Ted Bass, pastor of Camilla United
Methodist Church. 

In nearby Pelham, the Rev. George Durham, pastor of Hand Memorial United
Methodist Church, said none of his members lost their homes, but the
veterinary clinic of Newton Eunice, lay leader of the congregation, was
destroyed. Two cousins of the church's secretary were killed in neighboring
Grady County.

Despite the destruction, Tommy Hilliard considers himself and his family
fortunate. "We were blessed," he said. "I can tell you that we were lucky
there was only one death out here."

In all, 19 people were killed, nearly 200 injured and about 200 homes
destroyed as the series of deadly tornadoes ripped through Mitchell, Grady,
Colquitt and Tift counties around midnight Feb. 14. On Feb. 15, President
Clinton declared the counties a disaster area, making federal assistance
available.

The Rev. David Tart, disaster relief coordinator for the South Georgia
Annual Conference, quickly mobilized a response team to organize United
Methodist relief efforts. The Camilla church converted its youth center into
a center to dispense food, coats and blankets.

The church has established a toll-free phone number, (877) 336-0301, to help
coordinate volunteer work teams from other United Methodist churches.
Volunteers may also call Eric Brooks, director of the Camilla Chamber of
Commerce, at (912) 336-7963, to schedule work teams. The latest information
on tornado recovery efforts is available on the chamber's Web site,
www.camillageorgia.com.

Church officials say there is a great need for financial assistance in the
area. Contributions may be sent to the South Georgia Conference Treasurer,
P.O. Box 52101, Macon, GA 31208, marked "South Georgia Tornadoes (Advance
Special No. 620)."

In a recent meeting of the United Methodist disaster response team, Durham
praised the ecumenical spirit of the relief efforts. After attending a
community memorial service held at a local Baptist church, he said he was
impressed with the "holy catholic church we talk about in our creeds."
 
Tart said workers are trying to meet spiritual as well as physical needs.
"We want to give them hugs and listen to their hearts."

Responding to disasters is a natural outgrowth of Mt. Bethel's emphasis on
Christian missions, said Lopez. "Some people think you have to be thumping
your Bible and telling people they're going to hell to do mission work, but
anytime you reach out to somebody who needs help, you're doing the Lord's
work."

#  #  #

*Morgan is editor of the Wesleyan Christian Advocate, the newspaper for the
North and South Georgia conferences of the United Methodist Church. 

*************************************
United Methodist News Service
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