December 2024 | 17
Deavers cited highlights from his trip like working arm in arm with older volunteers to rip out drywall, scrape floors, pressure wash homes and sledgehammer apart a granite countertop for removal. “Mudout is totally foreign to me, and I’m not that handy,” he said. “I used tools I didn’t even know the name for. But my time there strengthened my faith. “I received an amount of advice and encouragement that was immensely helpful. As a younger guy with a bunch of people further along in the faith than me, I learned something every time they opened their mouths. The faith they have has given me the confi - dence to talk more about my own faith.” Deavers had planned to use his personal vacation time to cover the trip, but his bosses decided to grant him extra paid time off instead. Ohio Baptist Disaster Relief has been historically busy. Twelve responses came earlier this year to a record number of 70 tornadoes in the state, said Heading. Other teams went to flooding in Vermont before Hur - ricanes Helene and Milton struck the Southeast, mak- ing it 27 team deployments this year. “To my knowledge, that hasn’t happened since Ohio DR started in 1986,” Heading said.
His volunteers include an older gentleman who tried to retire from his day job but was seen as too valu- able by his employers to do so. They told him he could deploy with DR anytime he wanted. It also includes the younger guy who is three months sober and really wanted to invest his life in something else. “His family thought it would be good for him,” Heading said. “He deployed for the first time recently, and I’m looking forward to hearing how it went.” If it went bad, Heading would know by now. With a fewer number of available volunteers, Ohio has worked from a statewide pool to form teams. Only re- cently have Disaster Relief teams begun forming at in- dividual churches and associations. That builds unity in a church while establishing a team that is on-call in the neighborhood and region. “When they go, it’s a mission trip,” Heading said, “and Ohio DR covers the expenses.” And there is the added benefit of helping people re - cover from a disaster. “It’s not just about the physical labor, but sharing the gospel,” he said. “Spiritual growth comes every day. You’re surrounded by Christian men and women and lean into those Christian conversations.”
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