KINGDOM BUILDER
EMERGENCY RESPONSE TRAILER

 

Disaster Relief and Kingdom Builder Emergency Response Trailer
to Be Based in Centre County at Liberty Baptist Church of Blanchard

 

Liberty Baptist Church located at 100 Bald Eagle Street in Blanchard, PA, will be accepting delivery of one of six trailers owned by the American Baptist Men of Pennsylvania and Delaware on Saturday, November 16, 2019 at 10:00 a.m.

The trailer has been outfitted with equipment and supplies to respond to natural disasters such as floods or tornadoes and assist trained volunteers to clean up, make minor repairs, and rebuild. This AB Men Disaster Relief / Kingdom Builder trailer has also been designed and supplied to provide support to church or community projects in Central Pennsylvania to help improve the habitability or access of a residents’ homes.

American Baptist Men Disaster Relief Ministry (ABM) seeks to serve those affected by federally declared disasters, in cooperation with American Baptist Churches National Disaster Response, American Baptist Church Regions, and the wider disaster response community. In so doing we further fulfill our Christian mission by demonstrating the compassion of Christ and the ministry of wholeness and renewal.

When disaster strikes, who will help? Your community has just been devastated by a disaster such as a flood or tornado. Your home has sustained major damage. You and your family are living in a temporary shelter. City services are taxed beyond their limits. Where do you turn for help?

American Baptist Men Disaster Relief has emergency response teams across the United States poised and ready to respond to such a situation. Upon the declaration of a federal disaster, the closest team is dispatched, as well as the closest ABM Disaster Relief Trailer Together they are on the scene within 48 hours.

Working in cooperation with the American Red Cross, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and Church World Service, these volunteers trained in disaster relief assist with such things as clean up, minor repairs, and rebuilding. This is an immediate short-term response, up to eight weeks. This trailer has also been designated a "Kingdom Builder" trailer and is not only to be used in natural disasters but also for construction projects to benefit those in the Pennsylvania and Delaware region. The trailer and the tools and supplies can be used to support work crews and volunteers who are improving individual homes and community resources.

Locally the trailer will be managed by Brad Gaines of Liberty Baptist Church working with the PA and Delaware Disaster Relief Administrator Bob Swan, and Disaster Relief Coordinator Gary Wood. "We are excited and privileged to take on the responsibility of this emergency response asset to the central Pennsylvania community. We hope to make connection with numerous churches and volunteer groups in the Centre and Clinton county areas to put the tools and resources to work. The servant role takes on a whole new meaning when you respond to the needs of disaster victims. You become personally involved in helping hurting people. We become not just a people who talk of missions but a people who put our words into action," said Pastor Chris Davis of Liberty Baptist Church.

If you would like to speak with our Disaster Relief Coordinators or have a project that the Kingdom Builders can assist, you can reach them at 215-674-1935 or call Liberty Baptist Church at 570-962-2214.