Five weeks after Hurricane Ian made landfall in Florida, Alabama Baptist Disaster Relief teams are packing up to come home. “It’s faster than I thought — I anticipated us being there at least two more weeks,” said Mark Wakefield, state disaster relief strategist. Alabama Baptist teams — which have been based in Arcadia, Florida, throughout the effort — took in 1,005 requests for help from area residents. After the water receded and volunteers began cleanup efforts,

Becky Noland knows what it’s like to be at your wit’s end and have someone show up with food. “I grew up on the Gulf Coast in Texas and experienced what it’s like to go through hurricanes,” she said. And after she moved to Alabama, she often would go back to help her parents with cleanup after a storm. “I know how frustrating it can get and how much it can mean to get some

Cliff Knight said he knew God had arranged the visit before he even got to the house. It was his first day as an Alabama Baptist Disaster Relief chaplain, and he was riding around Arcadia, Florida, with Rich Power, an assessor visiting homeowners who had requested help in the wake of Hurricane Ian. “We were making our second visit, and he informed me this next visit may be a tough one,” said Knight, who also