Brentwood Baptist volunteers rebuild home
ERWIN — The rain had been relentless for days as Hurricane Helene swept through in late September last year.
Bryan Nicholas and his girlfriend watched as water levels rose, transforming their familiar yard into a treacherous landscape.
By 10:30 the next morning, the Nolichucky River had swollen to waist depth.
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“It was starting to go over the driveway in the fields,” Bryan recalled. “The neighbors had already lost their camper, and everything was beginning to float away.”
Inside Nicholas’ house, water was already a foot high and rising quickly. They barely escaped, being some of the last people to cross the bridge on Highway 107 before it was washed out.
Within 20 minutes, the floodwaters changed everything. “The water came up and actually lifted the trailer, rotated it 90 degrees, and washed it across the field into the neighbor’s property,” Bryan described.
The next day, Bryan and his girlfriend returned to survey the damage. Four feet of mud covered what remained of their property. Bits and pieces were all that could be salvaged from what was now a total loss.
“Words can’t explain the emotions running through our heads,” Bryan said. “Seeing everything like this is just too much to imagine.”
But in the midst of devastation, hope emerged.
“As soon as we came back, neighbors — some we didn’t even know — offered us food, shelter, water, anything we needed,” he explained. “The community here was amazing.”
Tennessee Baptist Disaster Relief (TBDR) volunteers from Brentwood Baptist Church stepped in to help rebuild. The work progressed quickly, with framing going up and utilities being installed.
“It is amazing to see people from other areas coming to help,” he said. “It means a lot to me, to my girlfriend, and to our entire community. We’re truly thankful for the Tennessee Baptist group.”
Mal Underwood, a Brentwood Baptist DR volunteer, described the relief effort as a multi-stage process. “Flood relief is about triaging first responses — getting the mud out and helping families return to a degree of normalcy,” he said. “Then we provide hope by building them a new structure.”
TBDR has joined forces with the Appalachia Service Project in a comprehensive rebuilding effort that goes far beyond simply reconstructing homes. Their mission to restore hope to communities devastated by flooding is clear though ambitious.
“We’ve made a commitment to rebuild 200 homes across East Tennessee and Western North Carolina,” said Matthew Akins of Appalachia Service Project.
Already, they’ve made significant progress with seven new homes completed, two major repairs finished, and 26 more homes currently under construction.
This volunteer-driven approach maximizes impact.
“By having churches volunteer, we save between $40,000 to $60,000 per house,” Akins explained. “This allows us to nearly double the number of homes we can build with our available resources.”
The emotional journey of the flood victims is at the heart of the mission to help people recover, said Underwood.
“These people have lost everything, often with no insurance,” he said. “They’re starting from scratch after experiencing tremendous trauma. When they see volunteers who care enough to help, they begin to see light at the end of the tunnel.”
The volunteers also aim to connect personally with homeowners by listening to their stories and offering support.
“We try to touch base with homeowners, hear their stories, and let them unload their experiences,” Underwood said. They also present each with a Bible, providing a spiritual foundation for their new lives.
The determination of TBDR and ASP is unwavering. “Physically, this morning there wasn’t a house here, and now there is,” Atkins said. “We’re not going anywhere. We’ll build however many homes it takes to get these families back into housing.”
For Underwood, “It’s something tangible where we’re directly impacting people’s lives. As Jesus said, the greatest commandment is to love your neighbor as yourself. We’re committed to long-term ministry. With Tennessee Baptist Disaster Relief … we stay ‘til the job is done.” B&R