July 22 (Hot Springs, NC):
I'd like to introduce you to 78-year-old Vietnam War veteran Larry Ford. Before you reach his house, you see another house on the left, which is where he was born and raised. He has had 3 wives who have all passed away. He settled back in eastern TN 20 years ago and moved back to his hometown in Spring Creek over 5 years ago.
Larry is a hard worker. He established his homestead and lived off the land, using what he had for food, including a garden, a steer, and a heifer. Parallel to the back of his house, he had a barn that he would work out of. In that shop, he would create anything he could with wood. He loved that barn and his little farmhouse.
Larry lives in a beautiful valley that has views of the Pisgah National Forest. The source of water near his house is Spring Creek, which is a few yards behind him. When the hurricane came, it swept his barn away, took his steer and heifer, uprooted his garden, and distorted the foundation of his home. He and his dog were trapped in the house, watching as the waters destroyed his livelihood. Dirt and silt warped the floorbeds in the home, leaving nothing but mud that would take months to muck out. He has since located all of his belongings that had washed away, some up to 5 miles down the road. He has several enclosed trailers full of personal stuff that are coated with mud, and the outsides of the trailers are bent and torn from the force of the water.
Larry received nothing from the insurance company, leaving him to empty his retirement and pension funds to gut his now tarnished home. He was determined for 8 months to fix up his house by himself. Marshall Relief Alliance, one of our partners, reached out to him for months to help, and finally, he agreed.
Our first week volunteers went in and started the long process of mucking out the rest of his house. It has been a rewarding experience to get to know Larry, not just for us staff but also for those who have gone out to help. He has several medical issues that have started to wear down his body, including 3 open heart surgeries, a pacemaker, and Type 1 Diabetes. He cherishes all those who have made it possible for him to finish the process of redoing his foundation. It is hard to see the good in the bad. I have struggled with that since being here and hearing these stories and the emotions behind them, but I am also reminded of the God we serve and how He has called and each one of you to come here and be of service to people like Larry.
-- Koa Savage, EM Summer Staff (NC/TN)
July 11 (North Carolina):
Photos from the mission trip team from Calvary Chapel Staten Island.
-- Carli DeMaso, Mission Trip Volunteer Team Leader
July 11 (North Carolina):
Photos from the Saints Marion MA serving in Marion NC.
-- Wendy Reardon, Mission Trip Volunteer Team Leader
July 8 (Rollins, NC):
I want to introduce y’all to Mama Jerry and her daughter, Jennifer. Mama Jerry lives in Rollins, just past Marshall. She was born in her childhood home, right up the road from where she currently lives. The house she now resides in was originally built by the Amish in the late 1800s. It sits along the French Broad River, surrounded by other nearby homes. She and her husband purchased the house in 1990 and spent the next ten years renovating it.
Mama Jerry is an incredibly dedicated and crafty woman—she even built the stone wall on their house herself, not just on the exterior but also inside the garage. Her daughter, Jennifer, lives just up the hill from her mama. She purchased the trailer she grew up in, along with another one on the same road as her mother’s house, and rented both out to tenants. When the floods came, both Mama Jerry and Jennifer were on vacation with their family. The force of the water washed away Jennifer’s childhood home and the other trailer. Mama Jerry’s basement was also flooded, destroying many of her belongings and leaving behind mounds of mud.
Last week and this week, we’ve had the honor of helping Mama Jerry go through her barn, which, after the flood, briefly became a storage unit for the town of Marshall. This mother-daughter duo has such strong faith and trust in God that it has challenged and strengthened my own relationship with Him. Their constant prayers and gratitude are truly inspiring. They’re incredibly thankful for all the teams who have come to help. I asked Jennifer what Bible verse helped her get through the flood, and she shared her life verse—Joshua 1:9: “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” She has held onto that verse through her parents’ divorce, the death of her father, the flood, and the passing of her sister-in-law. We talked about how you can’t deny God, not just because of the wonders of the natural world, but because of that deep, unshakable sense of comfort that can only come from Him.
-- Koa Savage, EM Summer Staff (NC/TN)
July 3 (North Carolina):
Photos from the mission trip team from Asbury Church in Raleigh, North Carolina.
-- Chris Keown, Mission Trip Volunteer Team Leader
July 3 (North Carolina):
Photos taken by the Waycross First Methodist Church Team. We loved our time with you! Thank you for your support and leadership!
-- Kelly Rowell, Mission Trip Volunteer Team Leader
July 2 (Marshall, NC):
Photos from Marshall High Studios in Marshall, North Carolina. Originally built in 1925 as the town’s high school, the building was later shut down and eventually transformed in 2007 into what it is today—a creative hub that offers studio spaces for artists, massage therapists, dance instructors, and other makers. The building has a basement, a first floor, and a second floor. When the French Broad River flooded last Fall, the water rose 27 feet—submerging the first floor in 9 feet of water. It was devastating. People lost not just their tools and supplies, but the spaces they had poured their energy, care, and passion into. For many, it wasn’t just a workspace—it was a second home.
One of those tenants is Trish, an incredibly kind and talented artist. I feel lucky to know her and to continue collaborating with her. While she focuses on letterpress printing, her skills span across multiple art forms. Yesterday was a meaningful day—after nine long months, we were finally able to help some of the artists move back into their studios. Thanks to the hard work of previous teams, people like Trish are beginning to reclaim their creative spaces.
-- Koa Savage, EM Summer Staff (NC/TN)
June 20 (Marshall, NC):
Hey y’all! I’m part of the EM Summer Staff team in Newport, Tennessee, and I’m the ground person for Marshall, North Carolina, which is about an hour outside of Newport. I have grown fond of the Marshall community because of the determination and love they have for each other.
One of the places we’ve been privileged to help with is a law office in downtown. A man named Brian owns it, but his aunt Lisa and her brother Garry have taken it upon themselves to help him rebuild.
It has been such a blessing to see the hope return to Lisa as progress has been made. The first team here helped clean and gut the inside; the second team helped with mold prevention; and this week, we were able to gut out the crawl space, which is shown in the pictures above.
I am truly grateful for each and every person who has chosen to give your time to support people like Lisa—people who simply want to lift a burden from a loved one.
-- Koa Savage, EM Summer Staff (NC/TN)
June 15 (Marion, NC):
This photo is from one of the houses where we have had teams doing demolition. It was almost disheartening to see how much is still needing to be done, so long after the hurricane. This house doesn't sit too far from the Swannanoa River and was rocked off of its foundation. The water was 18 inches high inside the house and so much work needed to occur, that it is now considered a "new build." The teams worked to get the structure down to its bones so all of the new construction could begin.
One of the EM staff members, who will be in Marion all summer, conveyed how cool it was to see how everyone was willing to jump in and start the long process of rebuilding. The homeowner has shared some hard-to-hear stories and shed so much light on what recovery looks like in their community. They remain optimistic and resilient through it all. This photo shows some of the structure, but a lot of progress has been made since.
God is exceedingly good and His love is abounding. Thank you, everyone, for taking this opportunity to partner with us and participate in this work, as we truly get to be the hands and feet of our wonderful God!
-- Zach Brinkman, EM Hurricane Relief Field Staff (NC/TN)
June 15 (Hot Springs, NC):
Ms. Carolyn's has been an ongoing project since the spring and will continue throughout the summer. You may recognize her name from the video. She has been a lifelong resident of the Hot Springs area and has seen some of the normal flooding that occurs in the area. This experience with the hurricane far surpassed the things she had been through prior. Decks had been ripped from her cottages, her gazebo over the river destroyed, a cottage left as a pile of rubble, and her home left unlivable. Still, she remains a bright light in the community, an amazing example of perseverance, and a testimony of God's amazing love.
The pictures show some of the work that have gone into replacing the handicap accessible ramp and building her office. The teams have been such a wonderful help and she cannot stop sharing how grateful she is for all of the hands that have been a huge help as the projects are underway!
-- Zach Brinkman, EM Hurricane Relief Field Staff (NC/TN)
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June 15 (Marshall, NC):
Groups coming to work out of Newport, Tennessee may work in Marshall, North Carolina.
These photos are from a team that came to us from Huntersville, North Carolina. They did so much, so quickly. It was such an awe-inspiring week, watching how much can be addressed when many hands work together for a common goal.
Volunteers seeded a yard, spread straw, dug a ditch, built a well-house, and did SO much debris removal. This property wasn't affected by flooding, as many would expect. Instead, another feature of the hurricane was the immense wind that whipped over the mountain tops. As trees fell and the rain came down, landslides became quite prevalent. The property was forever changed and the house in need of great repair.
It was also such a fun experience to watch them work in and around the church while the congregation joined in to assist on projects. The preparation that this group helped us do for teams this summer was such a massive blessing!
Evening gatherings were so enjoyable with this group and great discussions were had in the evenings. It was so wonderful to have them here along with us!
-- Zach Brinkman, EM Hurricane Relief Field Staff (NC/TN)
June 8 (Marshall, NC):
The French Broad River was the cause of most of the problems that occurred in Marshall almost 9 months ago. As the rain fell and this river grew and expanded, Marshall and the residents found themselves, in some places, under 13 feet of water.
Downtown was completely devastated, and the Law Offices are part of the ongoing recovery being done by The Marshall Relief Alliance. One of our wonderful teams, from Pittsburgh PA, was able to assist in the demolition and gutting of this building. The stories that were shared and the hope that was left are such amazing things to see.
Working with the community members directly has been one of the greatest ways to hear testimonies from the hurricane and to show God's people they have not been forgotten.
-- Zach Brinkman, EM Hurricane Relief Field Staff (NC/TN)
April 7, 2025:
I was only able to touch on the French Broad River, but there are so many others along the Nolichucky River that were affected as well.
This area extends and expands throughout the mountains from Greeneville, TN all the way south of Asheville, NC to Marion, NC and further.
Along with homes and businesses, bridges are still left laying in the riverbed all the way down both rivers.
We will have groups/teams spanning most of the region. Teams will be based in Greeneville and Newport, TN and also Marion, NC. We will have projects in Newport and Del Rio, TN along with Hot Springs, NC based out of the Greeneville, TN area. While the projects based in Marion, NC will span into Old Fort and Swannanoa, NC.
The expansive devastation is still hard to wrap my mind around. There are still new things I see and hear every time I drive throughout the area and speak to new people. There is so much hope and gratitude that has been shared.
-- Zach Brinkman, EM Hurricane Relief Field Staff (NC/TN)
April 1, 2025:
Here, we have a new build being done by Matt, that will be his parents' retirement home.
Matt and his daughter lived next door to his parents along the French Broad River. The only thing left of either house was a small remnant of Matt's bedroom. Matt is building on a higher spot on the property, away from the river.
Matt had reached out on Facebook to ask for some assistance. We actually met Samantha while trying to figure out how to get to him. After finally arriving, I was amazed at how much he had accomplished on his own. With his background in construction and property management, he is able to tackle so many projects, but with only himself and a friend here or there, it is taking a lot of time to move his parents out of their camper.
We were able to get a group from Oregon inside and help prep the space for sheetrock/drywall. This team had high-school students who varied in skills but were eager to jump in and serve. One of the young men had never worked with impact/compact drills and was able to learn from Matt as we moved throughout the residence.
It was truly amazing to see how invested the students and staff were and how happy and grateful Matt was as he was able to teach and build this home for his parents.
Matt has expressed that his faith has been shaken throughout his life and has shared some stories of how that has shaped who he is now. As I left his house the other day, for the first time he asked if we would pray for his family. I was so encouraged to see God working in this moment.
You never really know what seed will be planted and how it will grow. Whether that is a student learning a skill, a helpful hand relieving a burden, or a word from God that encourages someone going through an unbearable time. You truly never know. Even though we may not all get to see the fruit, God will continue to grow it and it can spread to places and people we cannot imagine.
Matt's family, among many, face the same situation. Most of the work is being done by one person, and in most cases, they just need hands to help.
-- Zach Brinkman, EM Hurricane Relief Field Staff (NC/TN)
April 1, 2025:
Samantha and her son, Corbin, live in the town of Del Rio, TN and were greatly impacted by Hurricane Helene. You can see, in this first photo, what the property looked like 3 days after the initial surge of water. It is hard to fathom that the water was even higher and raging through the area fast enough to float entire 2 story houses down the French Broad River.
A week before the storm hit, Samantha was already fighting to keep her family's property. Her parents had owned the property for her entire life and had sadly passed in April and September of 2024. After the floodwaters came through, the property was completely devastated. Her home had 11 feet of water rushing through, her 2 rental homes were lifted and destroyed, and her possessions left buried in the remaining sand, silt, and mud.
After all that has happened, she remains one of the most faithful and bright lights that I have ever met. She has shared with the groups her experience of walking along the railroad tracks in knee-deep water, taking her son to the house on stilts about 1/4 of a mile down the road. The water had never been above the railroad tracks before and was seldom up to the road. As they sat with other families on the raised porch, they saw just how bad the storm would actually turn out to be. 2 story houses, oil tankers, and shipping containers are just a few things that were hurled down the French Broad River.
She said, as they sat and prayed with the other families, they were amazed to see how the water had almost moved completely around this home they were all fortunate enough to make it to. The Army National Guard airlifted everyone from this house, but it would be weeks before they could return.
She remains hopeful, optimistic, and steadfast in her faith as she walks this long road to recovery.
-- Zach Brinkman, EM Hurricane Relief Field Staff (NC/TN
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