Spotlight
Spring 2025
Letter from our Director
When speaking with his dear friends, Jesus shared the following words in John 13:34-35a: “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples...”
When World Renew Disaster Response Services (DRS) volunteers and staff go out to work in communities recovering from disaster, the most important thing we bring into these communities is love. Christ’s love, so generously poured out for each of us, is the primary motivating factor for people traveling many miles and working hard to help strangers recover from disasters. This often happens months and even years after the rest of the world has forgotten that these disasters happened. This grateful response to how Christ has first loved us is the engine that powers DRS.
The way our volunteers work together tells the story of a loving God. Thanks be to God for the love He so generously fills our hearts with, for one another and for the neighbors we seek to serve well. By this love, people will see that we are Christ followers.
Chris Gibson Director Disaster Response Services
Devastating disasters such as tornadoes, floods, and hurricanes brought despair to many communities across North America in 2024.
Hurricane Helene, the deadliest and costliest disaster of the year in North America, struck viewers as we watched its category 4 winds batter Florida, causing 15 feet of storm surge along the Big Bend coast. Helene’s historic rainfall then traveled towards western North Carolina to cause destructive flooding.
While World Renew Disaster Response Services (DRS) is collaborating with longterm recovery partners to respond to Hurricane Helene, we praise God for the impact DRS volunteers have already made through our clean-up and needs assessment programs. Last October, DRS clean-up volunteers were welcomed by the city of Bluefield, West Virginia, to assist with hurricane cleanup. Because West Virginia did not receive federal funding to recover from Helene, we knew some communities would have needs. In fact, there were around 1,000 downed trees in Bluefield because of Hurricane Helene’s remnant 60mph winds.
In total, World Renew DRS volunteers helped 35 families
clean up tree debris in yards and throughout the community. This included assisting Emily (name changed), a homeowner whose backyard had tree debris. A large tree had fallen in her backyard, as well as another tree that fell in both her and her neighbor’s yard. “The volunteer work was wonderful,” Emily shared. “The volunteers were so friendly and kind while helping me, and they got the work done very quickly.” She was grateful for the help to recover from Helene.
While DRS clean-up volunteers labored hard in the Appalachia region, our needs assessment team in Sarasota, Florida, was able to assist coastal Hurricane Helene survivors. Volunteers were planning to conduct surveys for Hurricane Debby survivors in the area when Hurricane Helene struck Florida just days before the Unmet Needs Assessment began.
Volunteers were able to intake clients of both disasters to collect information about their unmet needs from these storms. One of these survivors was Bill, a retired teacher and U.S. Navy veteran. Bill and his wife relocated to Sarasota
after a life spent in Brooklyn, New York. Two feet of Helene’s floodwaters crept into their home, and they began to hear electrical units sparking throughout their home. After evacuating, they returned home to find their furniture and belongings damaged, the floors ruined, and other issues.
Thankfully, Bill reported these damages to DRS volunteers, and he could trust the information would be given to the Sarasota County Long Term Recovery Group for recovery efforts. After connecting with DRS and other recovery agencies at a Disaster Recovery Center, Bill shared how important these resources are for disaster survivors: “After Helene, my wife and I were in trouble. As a former teacher of 35 years, I know what it’s like for your hard work to go unappreciated. When I see volunteer agencies here helping survivors, I must share how much I appreciate each one of you.”
As DRS prepares for a longterm response to Hurricane Helene, we thank our donors, volunteers, and partners for already working with us along the way. Together, we can rebuild lasting hope after disasters in Jesus’ name.
2025 WORLD RENEW DRS WORK SITES
LONG TERM SITES
World Renew Around the World
Sarasota, Florida (Hurricane Ian, 2022)
Mayfield, Kentucky (Tornado, 2021)
Windsor, North Carolina (Ongoing storms)
GROUP SITES
Northwest Iowa (Flood, 2024)
Northern Vermont (Floods, 2023 & 2024)
Western North Carolina (Hurricane Helene, 2024)
In May 2024, Cyclone Remal’s strong winds and heavy rain impacted more than 200,000 survivors in the Satkhira District of Bangladesh. The cyclone destroyed many homes, depleted clean water sources, and disrupted livelihoods. This is a difficult disaster to recover from when one-third of Bangladesh already floods each year during the monsoon season. Thankfully, World Renew International Disaster Response’s local partner, Faith In Action, has found opportunities to bring help and hope to the community. This past fall, our collective efforts provided house repairs; water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) support; and agricultural inputs to 366 families in Satkhira. Praise God we can effectively help communities in Bangladesh recover from disasters with trusted partners!
Photo by Faith in Action
IN MEMORY
If you know of a DRS volunteer who recently passed into Glory and is not listed here, please let us know by calling 800-848-5818 or email us at drs@worldrenew.net.
2023
Henry Flim, ON
Marilyn Vos, IA
Raymond Busscher, MI
Clarence Nywening, ON
Jennie Veenstra, AB
Nancy Rooks, CA
Arla Leep, MI
JANUARY
Beatrice Hoek, MI
Russell Van Laan, MI
Sena Vander Heide, MI
William Fawcett, AB
Wilhelmina De Groot, ON
Pete Oussoren, ON
Mary Bil, AB
FEBRUARY
John Fischer, MI
Donald Vanderpol, WA
Marlene Boven, MI
William Hoekstra, ON
MARCH
Wava Heyboer, MI
Charles Niemeyer, IA
APRIL
Mary Dracht, MI
George Berkompas, MI
Thelma Staal, MI
Andrew Gelder, MI
Julian Baas, MN
Betty Dykstra, MI
Harold De Young, MI
Anita Slager, IN
Fredrik Slotman, ON
MAY
Ronald Koetsier, MI
David Weemhoff, FL
Alieda De Graaf, MI
Ruth De Vries, MI
David Carter, MI
Hester Hinken, MI
Jake Groenenberg, ON Lawrence deRaaf, ON
JUNE
Kathleen Haagsma, MI
Alan Van Dyke, WI
Alvin Ledeboer, ID
Albert Luimes, ON
JULY
Norma De Jong, MI
Eugene Fennema, IL
Corrie Groenenberg, ON
AUGUST
Durwyn Plagerman, WA
Louis Bommelje, IL
Lewis Arkema, IA
Gerald Meekhof, MI
Charlotte WeverWestmaas, MI
SEPTEMBER
Arnold Snoeyink, MI
William Nanninga, MI
Marian Ouwinga, MI
Edward Van Houten, MI
Richard Smit, ON
OCTOBER
Harold Terpstra, WA
May Degroot, MI
Wesley Geurkink, MI
Rachel Marcus, AZ
Nick Nyenhuis, ON
William Hofland, ON
NOVEMBER
Elinor Koetsier, MI
Richard Purdom, MI
Beatrice Geurink, MI
Arthur Schoonveld, MI
DECEMBER
George Peereboom, MI
Arlan Matthysse, MI
Lois Lanser, IA
Henry Eshuis, ON
CULTURAL COMPETENCY
The CRCNA’s South East Asian Pacific Islander (SEAPI) churches recently gathered young leaders for a ministry retreat. Focusing on “Shaping the Mind and Heart by Living and Loving the Word,” the retreat provided tools for leaders to “study the Bible for themselves and lead small group Bible studies,” Deibi Lapian told the CRCNA. The retreat included training from the Discover Your Bible series, a session about finding intimacy with God through solitude and creative reflection, and Resonate Global Mission’s Witness curriculum. While it can be difficult for some ethnic ministries within the CRC to get relevant resources, the retreat provided participants with newfound energy and a better understanding on how to share the gospel.
—from “Young Leaders Retreat Builds Community” in CRC News (Jan. 29, 2025) by AnitaBrinkman; crcna.org/news-and-events/news/young-leaders-retreat-builds-community. All rights reserved worldwide. Used by permission.