A TIME TO CELEBRATE

Waverly homeowners, DR volunteers gather for meal

By David Dawson
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WAVERLY — When Tennessee Baptist Disaster Relief hosted a celebration dinner on April 9, the timing of the event was especially fitting for Waverly homeowner Annetta Sykes.

After all, Sykes was clearly in the mood to celebrate. 

Earlier in the day, just hours before the gathering, Sykes had moved back into her home after nearly seven months of living with a friend. 

Her home, like so many others in the Waverly area, had absorbed major damage caused by flooding last August. But with the help of Tennessee Baptist DR teams, Sykes’ home has been restored and refurnished.

DR volunteers have been in action throughout the recovery period in Waverly, where more than 17 inches of rain fell in the early morning hours of Aug. 21.  

Sykes was all smiles as she attended the celebration dinner at First Baptist Church, Waverly, where she and other homeowners gathered with DR volunteers to recognize the work that had been completed.

“When (the flood) first happened, I went ahead and started using a different address — because I honestly didn’t know if I would ever be back in my house,” said Sykes. “I couldn’t have afforded to have gone and done what’s been done to my house because it was such a huge loss.” 

Sykes was initially devastated by the amount of damage caused from the flood. But over the past few months, she has witnessed the yellow-hat heroes at work, rebuilding and reenergizing the community. She said she was amazed by the generosity and determination of the DR teams.

Tennessee Baptist DR volunteers compiled more than 37,000 man hours during the recovery efforts in Waverly, and completed roughly 60 jobs in full. The list included 48 “tear-outs” along with 42 sheetrock jobs and 25 subfloors, among many others jobs. 

Wes Jones, disaster relief specialist for the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board, said he believed those numbers were actually somewhat conservative. 

“Those are just an estimate,” he said. “We’ve had some people who have walked by this board (where the numbers were posted) and said, ‘Those can’t be right. I’ve done that many jobs myself.’ ”

Skyes noted that she had insurance on her house, but said the damage was so severe that the insurance money “wouldn’t have even touched it” in terms of helping her recover all that she had lost. And that’s where the TBDR teams stopped in and stepped up. 

“Everything I have in my house now was donated — some was new, some was used — but it was new to me, and it was all good,” said Skyes. “If I had to go out and buy a whole house full of furniture, there was just no way that I could have done that. People sometimes don’t realize the expense it would take to do that.”

The celebration dinner opened with a word from Scott Brown, pastor of First Baptist Church, Waverly. 

His church has served as the main hub for the recovery efforts, being used as a distribution center and temporary shelter, among other functions, throughout the past seven months. It has also served as “home base” for the Tennessee Baptist DR teams. 

“We learned a lot during this process,” said Brown. “And most of all, we have learned the importance of community.” 

Randy C. Davis, president and executive director of the TBMB, was the featured speaker during the one-hour program at the celebration dinner. 

“I am honored to be here tonight in a room full of heroes,” said Davis. “It’s not only an honor to be here, but it’s also humbling.” 

Davis spoke on “the horror and the hope” of seemingly desperate times, such as the situation in Waverly, and referenced the Biblical flood that was followed by the rainbow. 

“God created the rainbow — a covenant in the clouds — as a symbol of hope,” said Davis.

Davis recalled the text message he received from Brown in the early morning hours on Aug. 21, and he read the text to the attendees. The message, in part, said: “Waverly is utterly destroyed. We need many miracles.” 

“As I read that, I heard the pain in that text, and I heard the pain in the heart of a shepherd,” said Davis. “I know that the good people of this church poured themselves into the days and weeks and months since that time.”

Davis then talked about the hope that God gives after such troubling days. 

“The rainbow was God’s symbol of a covenant relationship and the fact that He is on His throne, and that there is hope,” said Davis. “One of the promises throughout the Word of God — to Moses, to Joshua, to the disciples — is God saying, ‘I am not going to leave and I am not going to forsake you.’ … God will show up,” said Davis.  

The list of speakers at the celebration also included Kaye Thomas, who, along with her husband, John, served as the volunteer coordinators for the relief efforts in Waverly.

Thomas thanked the DR leadership team for all of their efforts, and also had a special word for FBC Waverly.

“I just wanted to thank the church for all it has done,” said Thomas. “When we (first) came here, and we walked through the building, they said to us, ‘you can have this whole building.’ …. Anything I have needed, Scott (Brown) has always answered with a yes.”  

Jones, the TBMB’s disaster relief specialist, also addressed the attendees. 

“Above all else, I wanted to say thank you to the homeowners for allowing us (DR) to work with you,” said Jones. “Please realize we’re not done. We are still praying and working … and I am excited for the city of Waverly. Thank you for allowing us to serve you as we serve Christ.”

Jones praised the DR teams for their tireless efforts. 

“I can tell you that the volunteers that I serve with — they love to do this,” he said. “It’s their heart’s desire. They want to be the hands and feet of Jesus, and to take His love to people in need.”  

 Susan Hodge, a homeowner in Waverly, took the podium later in the program, and delivered a message to attendees through tears and occasionally broken words.

“I just thank God for all of you,” said Hodge, referring to the DR volunteers. “Without you, we wouldn’t be where we are today. Our families, our friends, our churches, have all stepped up to help us. But we couldn’t have done it without you. 

“Some of you just keep coming back to do more,” she continued. “We have been so blessed by having you in our lives. Not just by helping putting our homes back together, but also by your laughter, your hugs, your listening — those things made such a difference in our lives.” B&R