A mission for everyone

As I passed through mile after mile of destroyed coastline, decimated neighborhoods, and entire cities in shambles after hurricanes Katrina and Rita, I was reminded that for every ruined house, every business rendered useless, lives are shattered into pieces. Moments like that boil life down to the basics-faith in God, love for family and commitment to community and friends.

What an encouragement it was to witness God's hand in the work of Southern Baptist Disaster Relief volunteers. Their yellow hats and shirts were the colors of hope in storm-ravaged places that otherwise looked so bleak and desperate. And here's what amazes me: people who give themselves away turn out to be the happiest people I know.

I visited Covington, Louisiana, four days after Katrina made landfall and spoke with volunteers staging operations from the parking lot of First Baptist Church. That's where I met Freddie Arnold, a "blue hat" supervisor. Like others, he was working in pretty rough conditions during those early days of the relief operation.

When I asked how his own home had fared, he told me it was under 18 feet of water. But then he added: "Where else would I be? I have my faith, my wife and my health-I've got everything I need. It's not much, but I'm giving all I've got to help others in need." Even facing such huge personal loss and tragedy, Freddie was there, helping others and serving his Lord.

During a later visit to Mississippi, I met a couple who had served in the field for three weeks straight. "When will you take a break?" I asked. They told me they were heading home that weekend to clear trees from their own property but would be back with their disaster relief unit the following Monday to continue serving. The love of Christ is shining through Southern Baptist volunteers like them, and it's a love that's making a difference. 

Near Mobile, after a group of volunteers cleared his driveway of trees so he could get to work, a man was overcome with the kindness. Instead of racing off to the office, he knelt in his yard, still soggy from hurricane rains and prayed to receive Christ.

The summer's hurricanes provided dramatic examples of the difference volunteer mission efforts can make in peoples' lives, but they are by no means the only way to serve. Each summer we need thousands who can assist new church starts and help existing churches reach out more effectively to their communities.

In our Strategic Cities like New York and Miami, we need volunteers who can participate in special evangelistic efforts ranging from sports camps to painting schools to making door-to-door visits through neighborhoods. It's all focused on demonstrating God's love and developing opportunities to share the salvation only Christ can bring.

How can you get started in the volunteer missions adventure?

First, be available. We live in a hurried society with competing priorities, and it's hard to even imagine finding time to help others. But when we make ministry service a priority and are willing to set other things aside, we're demonstrating to God and people who know us, what truly matters in eternity.

Second, be prepared. When disasters like Katrina and Rita strike, only those trained in disaster relief are called to be first responders. Contact your state Southern Baptist convention (listed at www.sbc.net) to find out when they offer Disaster Relief training. And be prepared spiritually. For any mission trip, know how to share your faith and start praying well in advance for God to give you opportunities. The better prepared you are through training, prayer and your personal walk with God, the more opportunities He will give you to share Christ.

Finally, be active. Visit www.namb.net to learn about volunteer mission opportunities throughout the United States and Canada. Contact your state Southern Baptist convention office to find out about mission opportunities in your state. You will be amazed at the many opportunities awaiting you.

Jesus said: "The harvest is so great, but the workers are so few. Pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest, and ask him to send out more workers for his fields." As Christians, we don't have to wonder if we are to be among those workers-Jesus commands us to go. Pray that we'll be faithful to the call and that others will follow.

Don't wait for the next disaster. Jump into the missions adventure today and watch what God will do.