wfn.org | After twisters, Oklahoma finds peace

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

Dec. 17, 1999  News media contact: Linda Green·(615)742-5470·Nashville,
Tenn. 10-71B{674}
 
By Daniel R. Gangler*

OKLAHOMA CITY (UMNS) -- A spirit of peace thrives in tornado-torn Oklahoma
this holiday season. 

The opposite was true last spring, when killer twisters crossed 100 miles of
Oklahoma on May 3. One mile-wide tornado alone cut a 20-mile swath through
Oklahoma City and surrounding towns. The fierce storms with winds surpassing
200 miles per hour destroyed some 10,000 homes and businesses, causing
nearly $1 billion in damages. Twisters claimed 44 lives, injured more than
600, and left thousands homeless for weeks. President Clinton declared 11
counties federal disaster areas. 

The small towns of Bridge Creek -- where 11 people died -- and Mulhall were
virtually leveled, while half of Monroe's 15,000 homes sustained damage or
were destroyed. 

Less than a month after the May tornadoes, more tornadoes claimed two lives
on June 1 -- one in Oklahoma and one in Illinois. Another series of storms
hit Perry, Okla., on Dec. 2, producing high winds, hail and unusual December
tornadoes. This latest storm damaged homes and toppled power lines, but no
serious injuries or deaths were reported. 

In the wake of this trauma, thousands of volunteers, including United
Methodists, have given of themselves to make this holiday season memorable
for Oklahoma's tornado survivors. For instance, this Christmas, handmade
ornaments from California will adorn the trees of 500 families who lost
their homes.

The ornaments are the handiwork of 15 women of various faiths living in the
central California communities of Pleasanton and Danville, 95 miles
southwest of Sacramento. The women spent five months making the ornaments,
then sent them to Frances Gandy of Midwest City, near Oklahoma City, to give
away. They contacted Gandy through family ties.

The ornaments were the brainchild of Cheryl Murray of Pleasanton. Her
project colleague, Beverly White of Danville, told The Oklahoman newspaper:
"It was a very spiritually grounding project. What's so wonderful about it
is how warmly the ornaments are being received. People are so touched by
this that this will be an inspiration for others to think what can they do
and how can they help." 

With her husband Leon, Gandy traveled last month to Mulhall, a rural town 50
miles north of Oklahoma City, to give to Mayor John Pangburn 250 of the
ornaments. Mulhall, population 200, had about 80 percent of its homes and
buildings damaged or destroyed. 

The remaining ornaments will go into 250 Christmas memory boxes recently
prepared by some 100 members of St. Matthew United Methodist Church in
Midwest City, where Gandy lives, a town also hard hit by the twisters. The
boxes will be hand-delivered to storm survivors in Midwest City, Del City,
Moore, and Mulhall. 

"Each plastic tub contains such things as a flash camera, tree skirt,
Christmas lights, wrapping paper, candy canes, hot chocolate mix, popcorn, a
small nativity set, story and coloring books, a wreath and a Christmas mug,"
said Gandy.

Giving such spiritual relief has occupied much of the ministry of the Rev.
Greg Dobbins, outreach minister at Oakcrest Church of Christ in Moore,
Okla., a community of 15,000 families just west of Oklahoma City, where half
of the houses were severely damaged or destroyed.

The distribution of relief goods and services has slowed down quite a bit in
the last month, Dobbins said. "We are offering more spiritual relief now as
survivors of the storm cope with their losses." 

The pastoral staff counsels directly with 15 families, while 40 church
members visit 30 to 50 storm survivors' homes a month, he said. Dobbins
roughly estimates that only 10 percent of the properties destroyed have been
rebuilt or replaced. Some lots are standing empty.

The questions most heard by Dobbins and the other pastors of his church are:
"Why did God let this happen to us?" and "What do we do now?" He said that
he helps people discover answers to these questions, assuring them that God
did not cause their misery.

"It really amazes me what has gone on here as peoples' spirits pull together
in such adversity," he said. 

Dobbins' congregation has worked closely with First Baptist, Central Church
of Christ, and other Moore churches to coordinate relief efforts and to
protect donated funds from being abused. 

In January, the church will sponsor and build a Habitat for Humanity house
for a family that lost its home, Dobbins said. The church has received and
continues to distribute $500,000 in relief contributions to those who lost
their homes or whose homes were severely damaged.

Like Oakcrest Church, First Baptist Church of Moore continues to help
tornado survivors spiritually and financially, too. According to the
church's administrator, Rick Whitaker, the congregation has recently hired
someone to respond to survivors' needs. The church assists up to 30 families
a week and plans to do so until next summer, he said. 

Since May, the church has received nearly $300,000 in relief funds from
across the country to aid families whose homes were destroyed or severely
damaged. 

"The money is used to assist families with transitional expenses such as
rent payment and deposits, to buy furniture and clothing, and to provide
down payments on vehicles and homes," Whitaker said. "We have even purchased
a few Christmas trees and presents for the children of survivors."

For eight weeks this summer, First Baptist hosted 1,100 youths ages 12
through 18 from across the country. Coordinated by Cathy Whitaker, Rick's
wife, the church dispatched 100 to 150 kids a week, in groups of 10 to 20
with an adult sponsor, to assist residents in cleaning up, repairing, and
rebuilding their homes.

A few miles southwest of Moore in hard-hit Bridge Creek, one new home has
been completed by a number of churches working together with the Oklahoma
United Methodist Volunteers in Mission (VIM) program, based in Oklahoma
City. According to VIM staff member Paula Kelcy, "six more families in
Bridge Creek and a family in Mulhall will be moving into new homes by
Christmas."

"Volunteers are greatly needed to complete these houses this winter," Kelcy
said. Those interested in volunteering their time are requested to call the
Oklahoma VIM office at (800) 231-4166.

United Methodists in Oklahoma have committed themselves to completing 25 new
homes for tornado survivors. Kelcy and Susan Hunt coordinate the efforts of
hundreds of volunteers from across the country in building these new homes
and in repairing existing homes.

Building supplies at Bridge Creek come from a distribution center in the
midst of a field near town. Volunteers have created an unfinished barn to
house donated construction supplies such as wallboard, siding, and
insulation. Outside, several storage trailers are stocked with construction
goods.

The land was donated for use by Ridgecrest Baptist Church. That
congregation's building was leveled by the mile-wide May twister. The Rev.
Tom Duckett, the church's pastor, helps caseworkers unite with families in
need and visits construction sites. 

Also actively participating in the reconstruction of Bridge Creek is the
Oklahoma Lumbermen's Association. Volunteers of the association, from 22
states, meet weekly for assignments. The association launched "Project
Rebuild" in July to obtain donations of cash and materials from major lumber
companies for rebuilding homes.

Work with church and other nonprofit organizations in Oklahoma has been
overseen by Linda Soos-Davis, human services coordinator of the Oklahoma
Department of Civil Emergency Management. From the start of tornado relief
efforts in May, she has directed the Oklahoma Volunteer Organizations Active
in Disasters (VOAD). 
"She has worked well to help set up and coordinate volunteer teams,
insurance settlements and help provide for the unmet needs of people," said
Albert Ashwood, state director of civil emergency management in Oklahoma
City. 
Ashwood said VOAD meets biweekly and continues to coordinate efforts so two
charities aren't working on the same case. He said the groups have worked
well together.
Oklahoma is now in long-term recovery, assisting citizens with family and
individual assessments, public assistance, mitigation and debris removal,
Ashwood said. The department is also promoting the construction of safe
rooms and underground shelters, so people have a safe haven during a
tornado. So far, 14,000 callers have used the department's telephone hotline
for more information on how to obtain a $2,000 state rebate for constructing
a safe room or shelter. The federal government has granted $12 million to
the program, which will end Dec. 31, 2001. 
Ashwood further said state and federal sources have so far granted $175
million in tornado relief funds to 9,000 applicants.
# # #
*This story first appeared on the World Wide Web site of Disaster News
Network at www.disasternews.net.
      

*************************************
United Methodist News Service
Photos and stories also available at:
http://www.umc.org/umns