In the face of disaster Georgians provide relief

A quake survivor searches for a missing family member, digging with a shovel while a hired bulldozer removes the rubble of his home.

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Most World War II veterans aren’t hopping on a plane to go to the most volatile region on the planet. However, Harvey Hyatt looks at his recent mission trip to Iran as simply part of fulfilling the Great Commission.

“We could see immediately that these people needed help,” said Hyatt, a member of First Baptist Marietta. “We were told that it was like the ground rose up about three feet and then just dropped. Homes and buildings were destroyed. Seemingly, the only thing left standing were some trees.”

Responding on the heels of a catastrophic earthquake measuring 6.6 on the Richter scale, nineteen volunteers with Georgia Baptist Disaster Relief traveled to the city of Bam to provide humanitarian aid for the people of the devastated city.

From Jan. 19-28, workers operated two kitchens in separate camps set up for the victims. During that time volunteers cooked and served an estimated 35,000 meals and 700 gallons of tea.

Bill Norman, a member of New Hope Baptist Church in Fayettville, helped run the water purification system to provide for the victims and aid workers.

“Before we got there, they were using chlorine in the water and giving it to people,” he said.

Norman, who is legally blind, went on to explain the bond that formed between Iranians and Americans. “They would ask us why we would leave our homes in America to come to Bam. That gave us a chance to talk about the love of Jesus in our lives.”

As owner and operator of a Hiawassee insurance agency, Darrell Barrett had dealt with natural disasters and damage, but not on the level he encountered.

“I expected devastation, but nowhere near to the extent that was actually there. Also, I didn’t expect the Iranian people to receive us very well.

“The faith, courage, hope, spirit, work ethic and love of our friends who volunteered with us will be with me forever,” adds the layman from McConnell Memorial Baptist in Hiawassee. “The Iranian people appreciated what we were doing for them and were amazed that we were living in the same conditions as they were and that we had come to help them.”

En route to Iran, the team stopped in Dubai, United Arab Emirates and purchased approximately $8,000 in medical supplies, baby formula, coats for adults and children, children’s shoes, and other items to be given to the victims.

“It was overwhelming that virtually every building in the city was destroyed or damaged in some way,” related Marion Nevins, a layman at Unity Baptist in LaGrange.

While traveling through the city, Nevins remembered how vast numbers of people were in the cemeteries visiting the freshly dug graves. The driver of his group’s car pointed out where one group of ten people was buried in a grave measuring 25 feet long and six feet across.

Due to the unsafe conditions of the buildings, most people were staying outside in tents, using public facilities when needing to go to the bathroom.

“One lady stood on the side of the street using a spigot and bucket to wash her families’ dishes,” said Nevins. “Despite the conditions, the children would still have school, but were having to pack 25-30 kids into one tent.”

Don Baird, a team member who has gone on 16 overseas mission trips, reflected on the relations between the volunteers and Iranians.

“Everyone we met seemed pleasantly surprised that Americans were in Iran to help them,” said the 75-year-old retiree from First Baptist Jonesboro. “People are receptive to this ministry. One individual who had lost many members of his family in the ‘quake accepted Christ before we left.”

“The people were curious as to why we were there,” said Jack Hamilton, a retired post office clerk and member at East Newnan Baptist Church. “We told them that we loved them and cared for them. They said the U.S. was still mad at them for what happened with our embassy in ‘79, but we told them that wasn’t true and America had forgiven them for that.”

“Bam was completely destroyed,” said Jim Richardson, consultant with Men’s Ministries of the GBC. “We learned that more than 60,000 people were either missing or dead.”

The purpose of the trip was to provide food and humanitarian aid to the people of Bam, recounted Richardson. It was during the distribution process that workers found opportunities to tell others about themselves and their faith.

Volunteers also learned that feeding enough people to fill up half of the Georgia Dome would include a hefty grocery list.

“One day a group of 4-5 of us opened close to 1,000 cans of eggplants for one meal,” ex-plained Franklin Jones, a member of First Baptist Snellville. “We also cleaned out 75-gallon pots in order to make food.”

“We made about 75 gallons of hot tea a day,” added 70-year-old retiree Dewayne Peterson. “Along the way we also used about 50 pounds of sugar cubes a day with the tea.”

In preparing the meals, other Iranians assisted the workers in preparing food more customary to their countrymen. Peterson recounts the assistance and new friendships forged.

“Local believers helped us in the kitchen. I’ll remember a teen-aged boy who came by nearly every day for tea or a drink of water. He spoke English very well and really bonded with us. He was one with tears in his eyes the day we left.”

During the time spent with the people of Bam, volunteers told of how they were impacted just as much as the Iranians.

“I’ll remember the children,” recounts Kenneth Bryant, a deacon at Providence Baptist Church in the Rico community. “The people were glad to have us there. I also learned a little more about Islam and have become more sensitive to the needs of people around the world who live different from us.”

“I saw the trip as a challenge and was really looking forward to it,” said Alvin Davis, a member at First Baptist Ft. Oglethorpe. “The people were so friendly. Even the soldiers were helpful.”

In the wake of four IMB missionaries losing their lives in Iraq and escalating violence in the Middle East, there have been some questioning among Christians as to whether or not now is a good time to send workers to such areas around the globe.

“Scripture doesn’t guarantee things will be easy,” notes the 62-year-old Nivens. “Christians can’t lock themselves up from the rest of the world. I’ve never felt more secure or at ease with my God and at the center of His will than when I was in Iran.

“If the Lord opened the door to go back tomorrow, I’d go.”

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