Finding Recovery from repeated storms
February 9, 2024
Freely you have received, freely give
February 1, 2024
In November 2021, Whatcom County, Washington, residents were unaware of the impact flooding from atmospheric river events would have on their community. On November 14, the Nooksack River overflowed, flooding streets, farmland, and many residential buildings. Kevin and Stephanie are a young couple from Sumas, Washington, a small farming community west of the Cascade mountains. When the community received a warning about the flood, the couple and nearly 500 other people evacuated Whatcom County.
Historically, the Nooksack River has repeatedly flooded, with recorded events dating back to 1917. Yet, the financial damage from the 2021 flood totalled more than 1,600 percent higher cost than the last major flood in 1990. In fact, this flood damaged 85 percent of the homes in Sumas, including Kevin and Stephanie’s.
Upon returning to their home, the couple found three feet of water inside. Unfortunately, the force of the floodwater destroyed their bay window, and they lost all their possessions that were standing on the floor. Thankfully, they received emergency relief from the local Long-Term Recovery Group, Whatcom Strong. Kevin and Stephanie realized there would be a long journey ahead to recover from this flood. In fact, they couldn’t live in their home for five months. Those long months were spent wondering if they would overcome the many trials from the flood.
Thankfully, Kevin and Stephanie received funds from their insurance company to repair the extensive damage to their home. Eventually, they moved back in and set up a kitchen and living room on the second floor of their house, which had remained dry. With the help of friends, they began to complete the needed repairs, but over time, they used up the settlement they received from the insurance company. Then the couple contacted Whatcom Strong for help, wondering if additional flood assistance was available.
Once World Renew Disaster Response Services (DRS) partnered with Whatcom Strong, the LTRG assigned DRS volunteers to work on Kevin and Stephanie’s home! With relief, the couple sighed, “We are going to make our house a home again!” DRS volunteers spent multiple weeks repairing the home with Kevin and Stephanie, installing new vinyl plank flooring, replacing the kitchen countertops, hanging new doors, installing trim on the walls, and completing other minor repairs. Additionally, Kevin installed new kitchen plumbing and Stephanie completed the interior painting.
Kevin and Stephanie are grateful for the help of DRS volunteers in repairing their home. “After the flood, our community met with the local leadership and through that, widespread volunteer labour and coordination helped us recover. Thank you.”
Originally, experts told county leaders that it would take years to rebuild their community after the Nooksack River Flood. Thanks to your support and God’s grace, World Renew and other voluntary organizations helped Whatcom County recover after the flood in just one year! To learn more about restoring hope through World Renew Disaster Response Services, go to worldrenew.net/drs.
Karim and his wife, Rima, fled Aleppo, Syria, after they lost their home and shop to the hostilities and persistent economic instability in the region. In search of safety and a new start for their family, the couple, parents of two young teenagers, headed to Latakia. In Latakia, with the help of Franciscan friars, they rented two small rooms and a small shop and Karim and Rima worked very hard to provide for their family’s basic needs and to ensure their children got an education—the family lived a simple, but content life.
But things completely changed after a magnitude 7.8 earthquake, followed by a 7.5 magnitude earthquake nine hours later, and thousands of aftershocks in the following days, rocked northern Syria in February 2023. An estimated 8,476 people died, thousands of families were displaced, including Karim and Rima’s, and thousands of people were injured. For over a month, the family was not able to afford to buy food since their shop, like all other businesses in the region, was forced to shut down because of damaged roads and infrastructure.
In this time of crisis, World Renew’s local church partner was able to step in and provide families with food parcels and hygiene kits containing essentials such as tissue boxes, soap bars, detergent, and toothpaste. Rima says the assistance from the church felt like gifts from heaven because the prices for food and necessities had doubled during these difficult days. The support lasted for several days and gave the family renewed hope for the future.
Despite a still struggling financially, the family currently hosts a single mother and her child in their small living space. It has been more than two months now and they have been blessed by this experience, as they put into practice the teaching of Matthew 10:8, “Freely you have received; freely give”. Although the family still hopes for a better tomorrow, they know it is not going to be easy, especially with the ongoing economic crisis in Syria. Nevertheless, Rima says that they can see God’s hand in every single detail in their life, thanks to the support of the church, World Renew, and the loving and merciful impact this support has had on her family.
Thank you for helping World Renew to share Christ’s hope with families impacted by this disaster. During our initial earthquake response, gifts like yours helped our local partner provide 40,329 people with food assistance and hygiene kits, 38,487 people with winter support, including blankets, jackets, and pullovers, and 16,905 individuals with diapers. Sadly, with the ongoing economic crisis in Syria, 16.7 million people remain in need of humanitarian assistance; World Renew continues to work with our local partner to provide food and other emergency essentials to families struggling with food insecurity, your gifts help us to continue this work. We invite you to give to the ongoing Syria earthquake response. Please continue to pray for the people of Syria who have endured heartbreak after heartbreak.
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