In April of 2013, heavy rains and melting snow created a devastating flood in central Ontario. Water levels in the Muskoka region were at a record high and several communities were forced to declare states of emergency.
Thanks to donations from generous Canadians like you, Samaritan’s Purse Canada was there to help.
Officials in Huntsville and Minden asked for our aid. On high alert because of the likelihood of spring flooding across Canada, we were quick to respond.
Our Disaster Relief Unit, a semi-trailer outfitted with essential disaster recovery equip (such as generators, pumps, hand tools, and safety gear for volunteers) was set up in Huntsville and later moved to Minden.
In May, our disaster relief team coordinated almost 150 volunteers and helped more than 35 homeowners. Their objective? To prepare homes to be rebuilt. Our team pumped out water, tore down damaged walls, and removed debris—all at no charge to the homeowners.
Many homes required floor-to-ceiling renovations. Betty Porter’s bungalow was submerged in five feet of water and cleared out by volunteers. She described the damage:
“Right now the living room doesn’t have walls,” she said. “Everything except for glass, ceramic, or plastic is gone. Even our fridge floated and fell over backwards. The beds and sofas will have to be burned, and the kitchen cabinets and flooring have been torn out.”
Flood victims are “overwhelmed by the amount of damage,” said Major Lisa O’Doherty of the Salvation Army who, on behalf of Huntsville, invited Samaritan’s Purse to help. “Some of these people are unsure what the future looks like.”
Chaplains from the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association joined our relief efforts. Connecting with volunteers and affected families, these dedicated individuals offered words of comfort and prayers for wisdom.
“You’re in shock when you go through an event like that,” Betty told us. “We are so thankful for the volunteers and Samaritan’s Purse. And behind them are the donors, who make this work possible. These people have motivated and inspired us, and they’ve given us hope.”
Please continue to partner with us, so that when disaster strikes, Samaritan’s Purse is there to help in Jesus’ Name.
Help Samaritan’s Purse strengthen the impact of local churches in communities recovering in the aftermath of disasters. As caring Christians are trained and empowered to walk alongside individuals and families to find solutions to complex needs, God opens doors to share the Gospel.