A coffee mug. Some silverware. Pieces of a banjo. A medicine bag. A ring. The remains of family photos…

It is sobering when you go into what’s left of someone’s home and find their very personal items under the ashes in the midst of great devastation. What was once a place of comfort, meaning, and life is now a collapsed into a pile of rubble and ruins to be cleared away. The fires in Gatlinburg were swift, disjointed and vast, destroying over 1,200 structures in the surrounding areas. It was not uncommon to find houses on one side of the street completely demolished while a house across the street went untouched.

A few weeks ago, a team of over 35 volunteers representing all three Fellowship campuses traveled to Gatlinburg to partner with First Baptist Church Sevierville and Tennessee Baptist Disaster Relief to assist with the wildfire relief efforts in the area. We were able to clear eight homes of metal and debris, sift for valuables, and even serve at a distribution supply center for families displaced by the wildfires. It was encouraging to see our team build community as we served together while providing help in very tangible ways to our neighbors in great need.

While the trip was hard, there were experiences of God’s providence and grace throughout. Our team met and prayed with the volunteer director of the distribution center where we served, and he shared with us how numerous people have committed their lives to Christ as a result of these wildfires. We also prayed with a family affected by the wildfires while we were clearing their brother’s home, providing encouragement to them at a time when they needed it most. We met people who had joy even in the midst of great loss.

While the devastation is vast and there is much to rebuild, God is right there with His people in the midst of it all. Please continue to pray for our neighbors in Gatlinburg as they work to put their lives and their community back together.