On January 25, 2021 at 10:40 pm an EF-3 tornado with winds of 150 mph struck Fultondale, AL after many residents had already gone to bed. Extensive damage was caused over a length of 9.5 miles taking the life of a 14 year old boy and injuring another 30 people. Again partnering with the Gulf States Conference who provided funding for food and their shower trailer for this response 2Serve/Heritage Academy responded to this torando quartering at the Roebuck Seventh-day Adventist Church about 15 minutes from the damage in Fultondale. Heritage Academy sent 20 volunteers and along with with Jim Ingersoll, 2Serve Director, worked with Gideon Rescue Company’s four volunteers from Oklahoma over a period of three and a half days to provide assistance to 7 families greatly impacted by the tornado. The extend of damage at the 7 locations where we worked was so significant it took at least 4 to 5 hours using all 25 volunteers at each property to clear them of debris. An estimated 8 out 10 homes affected by the storm were completely destroyed. The students provided the different parts of the church service other than the sermon on Sabbath and shared their experiences of helping the families in Fultondale with the church members. It is very humbling to be used to help people who are impacted so greatly by an event like this who have a hard time understanding why a group like ours would volunteer to work so hard to clear their property of debris. But as we talk with them, pray with them and give them a hug and a Steps To Christ book or Edge of Time book they begin to realize that we feel blessed to be able to pay forward the many blessings God has given to each of us. Looking at the ongoings of the world today we will without a doubt have many more opportunities to help others like this in the days to come.
