Editor’s note: October is Cooperative Program Emphasis Month in the Southern Baptist Convention.
PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. (BP) – The overwhelming majority of Southern Baptists won’t personally clean out a single home in this city that bore the brunt of Hurricane Ian’s fury Sept. 28. Personally, they won’t extend a single plate of food nor help wash one pair of socks.
But their contribution to make those things happen is extremely personal.
“The Cooperative Program really is the lifeline that helps provide resources and equipment so that we can respond,” said Coy Webb, crisis response director for Send Relief.
“I hope Southern Baptists realize that when they see a kitchen trailer capable of serving 60,000 meals a day, that’s their trailer. Their gifts make that kind of equipment possible.”
Storm destruction brings images of feeding trailers and chainsaw teams, but Webb noted the impact of another group.
“People don’t know how important the laundry area is,” Webb said. “Imagine if everything you own was under water. Imagine the cost of going to the laundromat and washing all of that – clothes, curtains, bedspreads, everything.
“That can be very costly, especially if you’re a single mother or an elderly person on a fixed income.”
The time spent at a laundry trailer also leads to Gospel conversations, he added.
“It’s a great opportunity for our volunteers to have a few minutes to talk with those folks and pray with them,” Webb said.
The Cooperative Program is the funding engine whereby Southern Baptists collectively send financial gifts toward numerous ministries and efforts such as seminary training, international and domestic missions work, church planting, benevolence ministries and disaster relief response. October is Cooperative Program Emphasis Month.
