Cleveland, GA – Only a few days after announcing the intent to go and serve those affected by Hurricane Helene, a team of fifteen students and workers traveled from Cleveland down to Valdosta, Georgia, to partner with Samaritan’s Purse Disaster Relief. The team spent four days working in a small community, doing tree removal, and clearing brush. Eight houses were cleared as a result of their efforts.
The trip made a lasting impact on each person who went. Seeing how God used their physical labor to draw people closer to Him was an incredible experience. While they did not verbally share the Gospel with each family they helped, their attitude in working shared the joy the stems from a relationship with Christ.
Grey Graffagnino, the staff lead for the trip, wrote, “We met many homeowners who were in desperate need of hope, and it was wonderful to set aside ourselves for them in obedience and love. God is not deterred by our weakness nor by the fallen things of this world, and it was amazing to be His hands and feet in Valdosta this past week.”
“We wanted to be the hands and feet of Jesus,” said Calvin Norsworthy, a worker who joined the team, “Our work was our worship.”
Many students who went to serve saw it as a way of doing what they wished they could do for their own families. When asked why the trip was meaningful to her, Western North Carolina native Claire Bolick noted, “I wanted to go because my family was directly impacted. I couldn’t get to them, but I could help these people.”
One young boy in particular touched the hearts of the whole team. While bitter and hostile at first, his attitude gradually changed. He opened up to them and jumped in beside them, helping them clear sticks and working just as hard as those on the team. His change in behavior and acknowledgement of a Savior encouraged and strengthened those around him.
“It really spoke to me how different his attitude was. He opened up to the Gospel,” said Grace Braunschneider.
Truett McConnell University is a private Christian liberal arts and sciences university located in Cleveland, Georgia, and has been ranked by Best Value Schools as the #1 Christian College in Georgia. TMU offers 50+ different programs of study including baccalaureate and master’s degrees. The University boasts a 17:1 student-to-faculty ratio while 100% of incoming students receive financial aid. For more information about Truett McConnell University, visit www.truett.edu.
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