The information coming from Western North Carolina is heartbreaking to hear, and our hearts go out to the people and familiar places that have experienced such devastation. How can StoneBridge respond? We are speaking with our supported partner Steve Jessen with Mission to North America (MNA) about possible ways to help our brothers and sisters in such deep need. Our leadership team has developed a four-fold approach for the coming days, weeks and months.
1-PRAY
This is our first and foremost task. We serve an amazing God who hears his people when they cry out to him. Please be in prayer for those who have lost their homes and businesses, for those who are still searching for lost family members and for those experiencing loss of life. Pray for the rescue and relief workers, for the doctors and nurses working long hours to help care for those hospitalized, for those in senior centers, and for those who are hurting. Pray for the organization of teams to come in and help in this dire time of need.
Do you have a specific request we can pray for? CLICK HERE
2-RELIEF - What you can do to help right now!
Many local organizations are organizing physical donations to be air-lifted to areas in need. Click the link below to see specifics of what is needed and local drop off locations. We encourage every member of StoneBridge to play a part in organized collections at your school, neighborhood, workplace, or other coordinated effort.
On-the-ground volunteers are needed. The more we learn about the extent of damage and loss of life, the more we realize how critical a coordinated effort will be once we have more details. Samaritan’s Purse and MNA are two organizations we recommend partnering with. Click the links below to see where help is needed and how you can serve. MNA is still developing its response team plan, but you can go to their site now to register your volunteer information, so that you can be ready to serve once those plans are finalized.
Monetary donations can be given directly to the StoneBridge Disaster Relief Fund. We will be forwarding this to MNA and the work they are doing in Western NC.
3-RESEARCH
As updated information and needs are made known, we hope to partner with local churches in the WNC area. At this point we are waiting on local information and needs from our MNA partner, to help us determine the best next steps in coming alongside a specific church and supporting their local congregation.
Please email info@stonebridge.org if you or others you know have been directly affected, and volunteers are needed to help.
4-REBUILD
Recovery will be a long, painful process that will undoubtedly take months and even years. Long after the news cameras and FEMA are gone, the Church will be needed more than ever. As God gives us clarity as to how StoneBridge can best be a part of that long-term rebuilding process, we are committed to being the hands and feet of Jesus in the long run. We will be in touch as those rebuilding volunteer opportunities materialize.