BENTONVILLE, Ark. — The Arkansas division of the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) was in Bentonville on June 3, helping homeowners with recovery efforts following May 26th's tornadoes.
The organization offers physical and spiritual support to those impacted by disasters. Steve Overton, a volunteer with the organization, said seeing the devastation is never easy.
“It's not what we expect to see,” Overton said. “It's heartbreaking every time we come and see the devastation that's been caused, and we just desire to share Jesus and help the homeowner and just give them a place to start.”
Overton said he began volunteering with the organization after Hurricane Katrina. He and his crew of nine were in Bentonville helping clear debris from neighbors’ yards.
"We are primarily a chainsaw unit, we will cut down trees, and patch roofs,” Overton said. “We also will do flood recovery. If the house has been inundated with water, we will come in and clean out what's been ruined by the water and then help the homeowner get started from there."
Overton said several crews from the organization were working throughout Rogers and Bentonville. Despite the rain, Overton said the work still needed to get done.
"When there's work to be done, we have to get at it,” Overton said.
Bentonville homeowner Carole Swindle said a tree fell on her house and needed help getting it off. She made a call to the organization and within a few days, they were on the scene helping.
Crews spent the afternoon getting the tree off Swindle’s house, tarping her roof to protect it from the rain, and then clearing debris from her front yard.
Overton added that serving others is instinctual to him and his team.
“I feel I have the gift of service,” Overton said. “I like to come and help people, and probably everyone on the crew also has that same gift. They just want to help people.”
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