The very best way to help is to pray! Pray for the ongoing rescue effort. Pray for the families who lost loved ones. Pray for the first responders and volunteers. Pray for God to be glorified in this tragedy.
Many of us feel a need to help in some tangible way. You are discouraged from self-deploying, or simply going down to help out. Quite frankly, you’ll most like just be in the way and become part of the problem.
In lieu of going, you can give. Everyone knows that the Red Cross provides meals to those in need during disasters. But did you know that the Southern Baptist Disaster Relief (OK DR) is the organization that PREPARES a majority (if not all) of those meals?
OK DR is a volunteer based organization, but without the high priced CEOs that some of the relief organizations have been criticized for. The Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma pays the modest salary of the director of OK DR, which is provided by Oklahoma Baptists.
When you give to OK DR, you can rest assured that 100% of your donation goes to relief efforts. Give at this link: http://www.okdisasterhelp.com/
Here in Wagoner, if you’d like to give goods, First Baptist Church is collecting items to give to victims. They are currently asking for bottled water, diapers, baby formula and baby wipes, and toiletries. Do not bring clothes!
Rather than duplicate the efforts of collecting and distributing, we will be cooperating with FBC Wagoner. They are located at 401 NE 2nd, Wagoner, OK 74467. Their phone is 918-485-2428.
If you’d like to go and physically do “hands-on” ministry, you are probably out of luck for this disaster. Most disaster relief agencies, including OK DR, require training. What you can do, however, is sign up with a disaster relief agency and be ready the next time a disaster strikes. Unfortunately, you probably won’t have to wait very long.
Immanuel Southern Baptist Church 