OCTOBER 4th, 5th, and 6th 2024

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A thorough assessment of the region is in order so we are heading into the hardest hit areas to see what the next steps should be.

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We've purchased more supplies, and we will be bringing much more on the next trip!

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We strongly felt to buy things for cooler weather...tents, blankets, sleeping bags, etc. We were accompanied by Pastors Robby & Tammy James who also are responding to the effort with a load of supplies from their group in Cleveland, TN. Shortly after we stocked up and load for the trip we were notified by our contacts saying they needed these things due to cooler weather coming in this coming week. It will be down in the 40s and maybe 30s in some higher elevations.

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We started in TN and went to Newport, then Erwin. Those places were looking like some electricity and water were being restored, at least in the towns. The outliers were still inaccessible to us, but the locals were able to get the supply hubs at schools and churches.

We all spent the night in Newport and then we all caravanned over to North Carolina. Any where there was a river or waterway, the banks were pretty much annihilated. Anything near the water is gone. Towns with a river or roads following rivers were in terrible shape. Hot Springs is in bad shape and have a lot of work to do. Marshal and other places were hit hard as well.

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We ended up in Hendersonville, and teamed up with a local effort that has a large depot of supplies. People are streaming in and out of this depot bringing supplies or coming to truck them up into the outliers. We spent a good deal of time there connecting with the management team, local pastor, volunteers and staff. Chimney Rock is blocked off with State Patrol, and only those with passes get there. That was disappointing as literally truck loads of supplies are being turned away. We were among 5 vehicles that tried to get to the ones cut off down there.

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Were going to attempt to reach a few other supply hubs to see how well people are able to navigate to and from those who need these supplies. So many are still cut off due to debris and downed power lines. It looks like a war zone e is many places. The mountains create hot spots where the devastation is highly concentrated. The water rising and flowing along the valley makes for a difficult time of getting around. Trucks, emergency vehicles, cars, and volunteers are crawling everywhere. Some areas look virtually untouched, and just around the corner the whole place is obliterated with fallen trees and mud slides. Very challenging area.

Thanks for your prayers and support. The effort is just beginning and were committed to establishing verified receivers to get these supplies into the hands of the ones who need it most. The rescue has turned into recovery in many areas, and the hard work is still to come. It will be a long path to restoration around these parts.