Oklahoma Baptist Disaster Relief (DR) is finishing recovery work in Daytona Beach, Fla. and in Idabel, after recent natural disasters affected both areas.

DR, along with other Southern Baptist state DR ministries, have been working in Florida as a result of Hurricane Ian coming through the state in Sept. Oklahoma Baptist DR has completed 214 work orders of mud out and clean-up in Daytona, as the area was mostly affected by flooding.

Sam Porter, interim DR state director, reported that DR has completed 159 work orders in Idabel and completed the projects two weeks from the day a tornado struck that area.

“I am amazed by what our guys did in Idabel,” Porter said. “On Friday evening of Nov. 18, they finished 159 requests for help. We did chainsaw and roofing jobs in two weeks in an area of the state that has giant trees. We took on really big jobs, so the work they did in that time frame is impressive.”

Porter praised Idabel, First for the church’s involvement in supporting DR and to help an area church that was severely damaged by the tornado.

“They literally gave Disaster Relief their church,” Porter said about Idabel, First. “The pastor was there all the time. They also offered their facilities to Idabel, Trinity. It’s a great example of the Cooperative Program, to say the least.”

Idabel, Trinity’s building was a total loss after the Nov. 4 tornado. The congregation is currently meeting at a nearby school.

Disaster Relief continues to serve people affected by disasters for the purpose of sharing the Gospel with them. For more information or to contribute to Disaster Relief, visit okdisasterhelp.org.