ERT members return to Orangeburg to help home a second time after storm damage

ORANGEBURG—About one year ago—Sept. 15. 2016—members of the South Carolina Conference United Methodist Volunteers in Mission Early Response Team tarped a home on Mosley Street in Orangeburg that had several trees on it and roof damage courtesy of Tropical Storm Hermine.

Crews that day cut up the damaged trees and removed debris from the home, which was owned by Chris Franklin—who had no other means of help and was a single mother living there.

Exactly one year later, the conference’s Disaster Recovery Ministry headed back to Franklin’s home to replace the damaged portions of her roof and do interior work, including her bathroom and kitchen ceilings.

The team comprised some of the same ERT members from the original team, plus several other individuals, including Disaster Response Committee members.

In three days the mission was complete, despite rain and several other events trying to slow it down.

“God's love and blessings poured out upon all, especially Chris Franklin, the homeowner who wrote a wonderful note the last day and insisted on providing lunch for all team members,” said Billy Robinson, ERT coordinator for the conference. “We need to do a lot more of this across the state and have people take a stand in support of our Disaster Response Ministry by getting involved in helping, especially in the rebuild area where there is a lot of need from the 2015 and 2016 storms.”