When Robert and Elsie Whittle heard Hurricane Laura was headed right for them, they couldn’t believe it. A tree had already fallen on the back of their home earlier this summer when high winds and tornadoes had torn through their hometown of Leesville, Louisiana. They’d lost their kitchen, and since they didn’t have homeowner’s insurance, Elsie had been cooking on the porch. Now they might lose everything. But they couldn’t think about that — right

Romar Beach Baptist Church in Orange Beach and Camp Baldwin in Elberta each sustained significant damage as Hurricane Sally made landfall at Gulf Shores in the predawn hours of Sept. 16. Romar Beach Baptist Church suffered extensive damage, inside and out, according to pastor Chris Fowler in a Sept. 17 Facebook post. Windows built to withstand 160+ mph winds were shattered, likely by flying debris, Fowler said, and floor tiles and light poles were damaged.

Just two days after Hurricane Sally made landfall, Alabama Baptist Disaster Relief workers were at First Baptist Church, Gulf Shores, getting ready to dig in. Mark Wakefield, the state’s lead strategist for Disaster Relief, was onsite and surveying the damage to the church, which included flooding and a blown out window in the sanctuary. An Incident Command Center is being assembled at First, Gulf Shores, and teams from Coffee Baptist Association and Southeast Alabama Baptist

Alabama Baptist Disaster Relief volunteers are headed to Leesville, Louisiana, to assist in cleanup efforts following Hurricane Laura. Two ABDR chainsaw teams will work alongside South Carolina Disaster Relief to help in the Leesville area, according to Mark Wakefield, disaster relief strategist for the Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions. Leesville is located in south-central Louisiana, about 70 miles north of Lake Charles. Additionally, two Alabama Baptist volunteers will help with cooking for volunteers. ABDR