Samaritan’s Purse made huge impact during June flooding in Avoyelles

By Donna Culotta

Margaret Jarreau and her husband, Eddie, were in Alexandria on June 18. It was the day the AP made history in a not-so-good way; it was the day the rain fell and fell some more! Margaret said, “It wasn’t even raining in Alex.”

On the way back, they stopped at her sister’s home in Belledeau, who informed her about the flooding. She had tried to check on her mother in Hessmer but there was no place to turn around because of the flooding.

“She couldn’t see the turn onto Hwy 115 the water was so high,” Margaret reported.

When they arrived at their home, Margaret said, they were able to turn into their drive, the rain had stopped and the water was draining.

“It was draining but very slowly because the ditch is not maintained,” she remarked.

Preferring to remain positive, Margaret added that her home was not damaged because, “when we constructed here in 1977 Eddie had the land built up because we knew there was a drainage problem.” That foresight saved the Jarreaus but also gave Margaret a deep sense of gratitude. So much so that when she saw the big set up of Samaritan’s Purse (SP) parked at the Hessmer Baptist Church she decided to volunteer and give back.

“I didn’t know how I could help and when I saw SP I asked if they needed volunteers.”

Samaritan’s Purse is a nondenominational evangelical Christian organization providing spiritual and physical aid to hurting communities around the world.

Founded in 1978, SP helps victims of war, poverty, natural disasters, disease and famine with the purpose of sharing God’s love.

This is what Margaret walked into that day to see how she could help. When she left after SP pulled out on July 31, Margaret was left with a deep sense of thankfulness and awe because she had seen first hand what the organization does.

“We went through an orientation,” she began, “then I was given a mop and broom.” Although it was not quite what she expected, she saw that where the “night volunteers” (those who came to help for either all the time or part) were staying in the church needed to be swept and mopped.

And the volunteers who were there for the long haul had come from all parts of the country, Margaret reported.

A few places represented were North Carolina, Texas and St. Louis.

The setup on the church parking lot included a large well-equipped portable kitchen.

“It was very professional,” Margaret said in awe. “an oven, convection oven, walk-in freezer and walk-in refrigerator, lots of counter space but yet compact.”

And the head cook with an assistant cooked “full course meals” and prepared lunches to-go for the workers out in the field.

She knew the workings of the kitchen because Margaret helped in it. “It’s all organized and the food is well-planned. But they did have to go to Walmart to shop for groceries.

“There were portable showers, port-a pottys and places to do laundry,” Margaret added. She was very impressed with the set up.

The people she met were all very nice and friendly.

One thing Margaret did point out, it gave out-of-state volunteers a chance to sight see. “One lady told me she had never been to Louisiana before.”

When the volunteers working “out in the field” returned in the evening, they cleaned up and ate. Some would attend the Wednesday evening Bible study at the church, many used the time to call family, some did laundry and others went sight-seeing. Generally, the volunteers retired early after a full day of helping flood victims clean up and clean out.

Because of the extensive flooding, SP did extend its stay past its normal time.

They left on July 31.

Their mission is not just to provide physical labor but to show God’s love and be the hands and feet of Jesus.

“There are so many ministries out there,“ Margaret said, “and you wonder if you can trust, are they real or just filling their pockets. When I saw with my own two eyes and read Facebook posts of people blessed by Samaritan;s Purse. it helped me regain my trust.”