Once For All
Disaster Response Ministry
A Washington State non-profit organization and IRS 501 (c)3
2008 Disaster Responses
March 17th & 18th, 2008.
Once For All responded to the area of Chehalis Washington, where a mud and water flood devistated two small valleys.
About three of every four homes were either burned, filled with mud, condemed or damaged beyond repair. About 3/4 of the 500 residents have either moved on, moved in with family or in hotels or are staying in 5th wheels on site while their home is being rebuilt.
Aside from this physical destruction, was the loss of livestock. One family told us that their neighbor had to kill his 5 horses to spare them the suffering of drowning. There were also many stories of the loss of cattle and sheep.
Fortunately there was no loss of human life, which was pretty amazing in itself.
Spiritually the whole community is still suffering. There are many families that have stuck it out that have had no contact with religious organizations or authorities that could help. The people that we contacted in this situation were both glad to have had someone check on them and for the most part, glad that we were checking on their spiritual needs.
What a great opportunity it was to pray for these people and shed some light that God's plan is good, give them some hope, and pass on that there were still people in their community ready to help them.
North Central Washington Wild Fires
The summer of 2008 was a hot and firey one. 28000 acres burned in the cliffs and mountains east of East Wenatchee,Washington.
These fires drew about 500 fire fighters from around the west coast. This gave the ministry of Once For All a great chance to tend to victims and emergency workers in our own backyard.
The ministry got off to a slow start as the incident commanders of the management team told us we needed to leave the property. He told us that his fire fighters needed food and rest, NOT Jesus.
Well needless to say we moved across the street were we greeted fire fighters coming and going to their assingments. It was a great opportuity to let them know that there was someone there who cared.
This fire lasted about two weeks and we made plenty of contacts in that time, at the team base and in the mountains of the fire itself. We consider this a great ministry success
Once For All responded to the area of Chehalis Washington, where a mud and water flood devistated two small valleys.
About three of every four homes were either burned, filled with mud, condemed or damaged beyond repair. About 3/4 of the 500 residents have either moved on, moved in with family or in hotels or are staying in 5th wheels on site while their home is being rebuilt.
Aside from this physical destruction, was the loss of livestock. One family told us that their neighbor had to kill his 5 horses to spare them the suffering of drowning. There were also many stories of the loss of cattle and sheep.
Fortunately there was no loss of human life, which was pretty amazing in itself.
Spiritually the whole community is still suffering. There are many families that have stuck it out that have had no contact with religious organizations or authorities that could help. The people that we contacted in this situation were both glad to have had someone check on them and for the most part, glad that we were checking on their spiritual needs.
What a great opportunity it was to pray for these people and shed some light that God's plan is good, give them some hope, and pass on that there were still people in their community ready to help them.
North Central Washington Wild Fires
The summer of 2008 was a hot and firey one. 28000 acres burned in the cliffs and mountains east of East Wenatchee,Washington.
These fires drew about 500 fire fighters from around the west coast. This gave the ministry of Once For All a great chance to tend to victims and emergency workers in our own backyard.
The ministry got off to a slow start as the incident commanders of the management team told us we needed to leave the property. He told us that his fire fighters needed food and rest, NOT Jesus.
Well needless to say we moved across the street were we greeted fire fighters coming and going to their assingments. It was a great opportuity to let them know that there was someone there who cared.
This fire lasted about two weeks and we made plenty of contacts in that time, at the team base and in the mountains of the fire itself. We consider this a great ministry success
January 2009 Flooding
Easten Washington towns of Ellensburg,
Cle Elum, Rosalyn and Thorpe
January 10, 2009, 3 days after the initial floods hit Washington State, Once For All volunteers were onthe road to help any victim they could find.
First stop Ellensburg Washington where we were turned away with a polite, "we don't need your help." So onthe road we went to the town of Cle Elum, Washington where we were with open arms and given directions to communities that were hit hard.
Up I-90 toward Seattle we found a bedroom community called Elk Meadows. Many people had evacuated, but others had stayed on to watch their property. It was interesting that 3 days after the first floods, our volunteers met with people who had not even seen a rescue worker yet. As we were leaving the community, fire service workers were just arriving.
We met with about 24 housholds that needed help and interestingly, all but one took us up on and offer to pray with them.
January 13, 2009 We returned to the area of Cle Elum to work the south communities and the lower Blewit Pass communities.
Flooding here was limited but powerful to homes that were damaged.
First stop Ellensburg Washington where we were turned away with a polite, "we don't need your help." So onthe road we went to the town of Cle Elum, Washington where we were with open arms and given directions to communities that were hit hard.
Up I-90 toward Seattle we found a bedroom community called Elk Meadows. Many people had evacuated, but others had stayed on to watch their property. It was interesting that 3 days after the first floods, our volunteers met with people who had not even seen a rescue worker yet. As we were leaving the community, fire service workers were just arriving.
We met with about 24 housholds that needed help and interestingly, all but one took us up on and offer to pray with them.
January 13, 2009 We returned to the area of Cle Elum to work the south communities and the lower Blewit Pass communities.
Flooding here was limited but powerful to homes that were damaged.
Whole sections of road were moved by the fast moving mud and water.
This farm's bridge was destroyed and cut them off from society until a logger dropped three logs across the river to make a temporary walkway. New bridge being built at the right.
Today homes are being jacked up to clean the mud and debris from under them.
Smoke plume from Central Washington wildfire just outside Wenatchee
Fire Camp at Eastmont Jr. High. At one point over 500 fire fighters were camped here.
2009 Responses
Elk Meadows, Washington... Road plowed to create a means of escape.
More of the same damage from the Yakima river.
Volunteers Tom Hamilton, Dick Harper and Marlin McKee check a road before crossing for safety. The road was not passable.
Rosalyn, Washington
Volunteers Tom Hamilton and Dick Harper pray with flood victim Maria Henry. Her crawl space and ducting filled with water.
Elk Meadows roads were covered in water for days, even after the water went down.
What's left of the receeded waters of the Yakima river.
Scenes such as this in the town of Sulton, Washington were common in the floods of January 2009
