The buzz of a chain saw can be irritating, but if you are a Durant resident and have a tree on your roof or across your lawn, it is a welcome noise.
Workers manning chain saws and other tools, wearing orange attire and others recognized with blue shirts are giving restoration to the town following the tornado which struck just before noon on Sunday, April 30.
They are volunteers with Samaritan’s Purse, the Rapid Response Team and chaplains with the Billy Graham Evangelist Association (BGEA) who arrived in Durant on May 5. They are now in their fifth week with the clean-up.
Williamsville Baptist Church serves as a base of operation for the group by providing sleeping accommodations in the gymnasium and meals cooked by team members.
The group’s day begins with breakfast at 6:30 followed by a devotion and safety orientation. Then they head to Durant to work.
Results of the volunteer work can be seen in the blue tarps which cover the roofs of many homes. Mounds of debris from collapsed homes and buildings line the streets. Huge piles of tree branches and stacks of wood cut into lengths are stacked along many streets leaving a narrow path for vehicles to travel. Other trees still lay across roofs and driveways, awnings hang at grotesque angles giving evidence that much work remains to be done.
After sharing the story of the Good Samaritan, Jesus said, “Go and do likewise.”
That is the mission of Samaritan's Purse — to follow the example of Christ by helping those in need and proclaiming the hope of the Gospel.
The teams serve in a two-fold capacity as the work of chaplains makes a spiritual mark. Chaplains have reported 47 decisions made since arriving on the scene, according to Bruce Poss, program manager with Samaritan’s Purse.
Poss said the organization has received 158 requests for help doing repairs on homes and other structures, and 87 have been completed. The volunteers are expected to work another week. He emphasized the continuing need for volunteers after Samaritan’s Purse teams leave.
The group was scheduled to leave at the end of this week, but time has been extended, according to Poss. Workers will leave for a week, returning June 13 and remaining until July.
