May 5, 2009

At the end of April, 2009 brush fires burned approximately 30,000 acres in the Grand Strand area near Myrtle Beach and North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.  Forty homes were destroyed and another 70 were damaged by the fire or smoke.  Thankfully, no lives were lost.

I called the Assistant City Manager of Myrtle Beach and offered the services of our disaster vans.  I knew him from having met him two months earlier when Bruce Wilkinson, Director of Training for N.A.D. Native Ministries, was conducting a community outreach training seminar for our Myrtle Beach Church.  We met several city officials while inviting local Municipal Government officers to attend an organized community “Think-Tank” at our church. It was easy to reestablish our relationship because of this contact.  When he heard we were willing to help, he expressed great appreciation that our church was so willing to bring relief to those suffering from the raging fires.

Fortunately, our vans were not needed, but the Assistant City Manager will remember our willingness to be on site within six hours of notice.  It is nice to be recognized as an active church in our local area. A community Think-Tank is scheduled for this fall when many of our local City leaders have committed to attend because of a simple invitation.  

Pastor Ken Crawley
Myrtle Beach Seventh-day Adventist Church
South Carolina