Paintsville—The Kentucky Baptist Convention Disaster Relief partnered with the North American Mission Board to provide First Baptist Church of Paintsville with a $20,000 grant to sponsor rebuild efforts in Johnson County after devastating floods in July.

A check was presented to the church on Nov. 8.

“We just knew the tremendous loss that happened over there,” Coy Webb, Disaster Relief Director with the Kentucky Baptist Convention, said of the approximately 100 homes “destroyed or washed completely away during the flooding.”

Webb continued, “As we went and ministered after the floods, we realized that there were a lot of vulnerable people who were going to have a hard time getting back in their home without some outside help.

“Over 1,000 people were affected with over 100 homes completely destroyed in the sudden severe flash flooding event with four fatalities. The Flat Gap community was the most heavily damaged by the sudden massive flooding. The event was unique in that such a large number of homes were completely destroyed,” Webb commented.

DR began talking with local churches and then NAMB. “The good news is between both entities, we were able to pull together some resources for local churches there to continue that ministry,” Webb said.

Enterprise Baptist Association and Paintsville First Baptist, among other churches and individuals, also donated to the effort, with overall gifts totaling $28,500.

“We just want people in the community to know that we can help, that way maybe we can make contact with them and get to know them better,” Charles Castle, part of the Johnson County long term recovery team and member of Paintsville First Baptist, said.

“Our hope is to help some families get back into their homes and demonstrate the love and compassion of Christ and His people,” Wayne Cornett, pastor of Paintsville Baptist told the Kentucky Baptist Convention.

“Right now they’re needing framers, roofers, plumbers, electricians, people who can hang sheet rock, painters—just about anything you would need to rebuild a home. They’re looking for teams who might be able to come and assist,” Webb added.

He said that people can get involved in the rebuild by churches sending teams to help or donating funds. “The funds we gave were a tremendous resource but certainly aren’t going to meet all the rebuild needs.”

The grant is a “good reminder that it’s not just those of us in Johnson County who care about Flat Gap, it’s Kentucky Baptists across the state,” Cornett added.

“I think it’s a great partnership and shows the Cooperative Program at its best, how NAMB and the KBC can come alongside a church or churches in an association and empower them to better minister to their community,” Webb said.

“Not only do they minister with compassion which biblically we’re encouraged is the right thing to do, but also it opens tremendous doors for the gospel as we get into homes and minister and listen to their hurt; it gives us great opportunity to share the hope that we have in Jesus Christ,” Webb concluded. (KBC)