Over the past weekend, a team of highly skilled disaster relief volunteers hailing from Texas Baptist Men embarked on a journey from Dallas to Little Rock to extend their aid and comfort to those affected by the deadly tornado that ravaged through the city. The Director of Disaster Relief, David Wells, expressed his team’s vigilance in monitoring the weather and had their volunteers on standby, ready with the necessary equipment should the need arise. The initial deployment crew consisted of a command center and a large generator.
The Texas Baptist Men crews were primarily focused on assessing the damage caused by the tornadoes over the weekend, before additional volunteers arrive in the upcoming days with power tools and a mobile kitchen. The damages in Little Rock are extensive, with over 2,000 homes and businesses destroyed or damaged according to the mayor.
Texas Baptist Men is a Christian organization that mobilizes Christ followers to change the world by meeting crucial needs after disasters, providing clean drinking water for people around the globe, and equipping the next generation to make a difference for years to come. Founded in 1967 as a men’s ministry of the Baptist General Convention of Texas, Texas Baptist Men has since grown to include over 17,000 volunteers from various backgrounds, ages, and denominations who serve in various ministries.
One of the main ministries of Texas Baptist Men is disaster relief, which delivers help, hope, and healing for millions of people affected by natural or man-made disasters. Texas Baptist Men has more than 5,000 trained disaster relief volunteers who can respond quickly and effectively to any situation. They provide services such as mass feeding, chainsaw work, debris removal, mud-out, ash-out, temporary roofing, shower units, laundry units, childcare, and chaplaincy.
The water ministry is another critical ministry of TBM, which shares clean drinking water and the “living water” of Christ around the world. TBM has drilled more than 2,500 water wells in 80 countries, installed more than 12,000 community water systems in 35 countries, and distributed more than 30,000 water filters in 75 countries. TBM also trains local leaders and churches to maintain and operate the water systems and share the gospel with their communities.
TBM has a headquarters in Dallas, Texas, where it operates a warehouse, a training center, and an office. It also has regional offices in Amarillo, Austin, Beaumont/Port Arthur/Orange (BPAO), Corpus Christi/Rio Grande Valley (CCRGV), El Paso/Lubbock (EPLB), Fort Worth/Waco (FWWA), Houston/Galveston (HOGA), San Antonio (SA), and Tyler/Longview/Marshall (TYLM).
TBM is supported by donations from individuals, churches, and organizations who share its vision and mission. TBM also partners with other local, national, and international agencies such as Southern Baptists of Texas Convention (SBTC), North American Mission Board (NAMB), International Mission Board (IMB), Baptist World Alliance (BWA), and Samaritan’s Purse.
In their commitment to serving as a beacon of hope and aid to those in dire need, Texas Baptist Men invites anyone who wants to join their efforts to visit their website to learn more about their ministries, volunteer opportunities, training events, and news updates. They can also follow their Facebook page or contact them directly at (214) 275-1100.
