By John Hill *

Members of Vermilion Grace United Methodist Church (West Plains District) and three people from Vermilion Rotary traveled to Chimney Rock, North Carolina to assist residents still impacted by deadly Hurricane Helene.

We had virtually no specific skills going in but were very willing to do whatever was asked of us or was necessary. During our three days there we sealed a cement floor, cut and replaced drop ceilings in a store, removed rubble from an upstairs eventual Airbnb, cut and placed fiberglass insulation and drywall in a shop that was once inundated with 16-20” of muddy river water, removed one foot of mud and debris from the porch and surrounding area of a home of a 80+ year old woman, helped move materials around the village, and moved an upright piano up 20 stairs to help a couple who had lost everything to get settled in.

While we were in Chimney Rock we stayed on the grounds of Shingle Hollow Congregational Church in the women’s dorm about 30 minutes away. There we had access to beds, heat, bathrooms, warm showers, and were able to rest at the end of the day – all at no cost to us. Chimney Rock Smokehouse was our place for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, as well as a gathering spot to become acquainted with our new friends, pray, and share stories.

We had all sorts of volunteers with us. Some had been there for many days, weeks, and months. Others who had construction experience came several days or weeks from as far as Greenville, South Carolina. Amish laborers, both men and women, shared their skills of carpentry, laying floors, making cabinets, staining wood, shingling roofs, and more. One fellow by the name of Joe walked to Chimney Rock with his dog, “Nookie”, from Sheridan, Wyoming, leaving his drug dependency behind. In the three days we worked onsite from 8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. we never did the same thing twice!

Chimney Rock is the first of many communities that will hopefully be raised from the rubble. There are untold other communities in western North Carolina, eastern Tennessee, and southwestern Virginia that require our help. The need will remain great for years to come. This activity is being coordinated by Spokes of Hope, a community outreach ministry spawned from Hurricane Florence. 

While I am not sure of the role the federal government is playing in recovery efforts in Chimney Rock, I was told that 180 Disaster Relief plays a major role in financing the reconstruction of this community and others. Chimney Rock is but the first step, as there will be others to come.

Our endeavors were a witness to the power of the human spirit of Christian love, compassion, and selflessness. Complete strangers coming together to mitigate the effects of death, despair and hopelessness, without any motive other than to embrace the spirit of joy, friendship, compassion, discipleship, and hope.

Learn more about East Ohio Conference Disaster Response.
Learn more about Spokes of Hope.
Learn more about 180 Disaster Relief.

Editor’s Note: Additional teams, like this one that traveled to North Carolina, are still needed for this life-changing ministry of presence! Pick a week or a long weekend and be an answer to a prayer. To learn more about how you can help, please e-mail Rev. Kathy Dickriede, EOC director of Missions & Community Engagement, or e-mail Rev. Dr. Tammy Kuntz, North Central Jurisdiction UMVIM coordinator.

*John Hill is a member of Vermilion Grace UMC, where he is chairperson of the Administrative Council.