ATLANTA. – As Texas braces for the landfall of Hurricane Ike, the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship is prepared to respond in the storm’s aftermath.

According to Charles Ray, the Fellowship’s U.S. disaster response coordinator, the Fellowship is ready to assist CBF-affiliated congregations that may receive damage from the storm. The Fellowship will also help as called upon by two of its disaster relief partners, Texas Baptist Men and American Baptist Association.

Ray said it’s important to remember that the Fellowship specializes in rebuilding efforts – not first response or search and rescue efforts.  After the storm, CBF personnel will assess the needs and determine if a Fellowship response is needed.  

Hurricane Ike has already caused major damage in Cuba, where CBF will send $5,000 in relief funds to the Eastern Cuba Baptist Convention. CBF of Florida, which has a partnership with the convention, will send an additional $1,000.

In the aftermath of Hurricane Gustav, CBF disaster responders are needed in Baton Rouge, La., where two CBF-affiliated churches, University Baptist Church and Broadmoor Baptist Church, were impacted by the storm’s Sept. 1 landfall. University Baptist’s educational facility was damaged and both churches were without power for many days. 

Though Broadmoor Baptist’s facilities were undamaged, many of the church’s neighbors in the Broadmoor area were not as fortunate.

“Many people in the Broadmoor area are retired and on a fixed income,” said CBF of Louisiana coordinator Reid Doster. “One of the shocking realities for many of them is that their insurance policies include a $10,000 hurricane deductible. Since hurricane damage is uncommon in Baton Rouge, this fact was overlooked by many residents who have already paid dearly to have trees removed from their roofs. Not only will they not be reimbursed but are now worried about how they will afford to finish cleaning up the mess.”

The church is ready to host small teams of CBF responders who can assist neighborhood families with debris removal and minor repairs. Food and accommodations for responders will be provided by the church. Over the next three months, Doster hopes to rotate in five-person response teams to work in the area. 

“Our experience is that smaller teams work more effectively, and three to four days is the optimum length of stay,” Doster said. “As things evolve over the next few days, we might be in a position to accommodate a few more responders at a time and assign them to assist University Baptist Church and her neighbors.”

To serve in Baton Rouge, contact Chris Boltin at engage@thefellowship.info or (800) 352-8741.Then, complete the online application form for disaster responders at http://www.thefellowship.info/Disaster-Response-Application. Lastly, secure supplemented insurance from Adams and Associates at www.aaintl.com. Information about insurance is available on the online application form.

If available immediately, individuals or churches with only one or two responders can be placed on an existing response team, Doster said.

For more updates on hurricane response, visit www.thefellowship.info/cbfresponds. To contribute to hurricane relief efforts, send a check payable to Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, P.O. Box 101699, Atlanta, GA. 30392, indicating fund No. 17004 "Hurricane Relief" in the memo line, call (800) 352-8741 or go to https://www.thefellowship.info/Give/Donate.aspx?fund=HURR.

CBF is a fellowship of Baptist Christians and churches who share a passion for the Great Commission and a commitment to Baptist principles of faith and practice. The Fellowship’s mission is to serve Christians and churches as they discover and fulfill their God-given mission.