PELHAM, AL — Samaritan’s Purse disaster relief response in Floods in Pelham, Alabama, closed on November 4. 83 volunteers helped 84 homeowners, with three people placing their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

One homeowner, Penny Gibson thanks the Lord for the Samaritan’s Purse volunteers who helped clean up her house, becoming the hands and feet of Jesus to her.

Penny Gibson – Homeowner:

I woke up being surrounded by water. It was almost up to the bed.

The flood inside the home was like, the current was pushing inside the home. I called 9-1-1. They said they couldn’t help me. They couldn’t get to me. It was too deep. The water was too strong, and they couldn’t get to me.

I opened this window– this one– and the water pushed the screen out. The water just came in.

I opened it and it’s like, it came in but it sucked me out too, and it dumped me under. And I would kick off the ground to come back up above water. And every time I’d come up, I would scream for help. And then I hit the van, and I held on to the van.

So I finally got on top of the van, and I could see the cops trying to get to me, but they couldn’t. They’d come into the water, and they’d have turn around and go back because the current was so strong. And after so long of panicking, I just stopped panicking and I gave up. I was on top of that van, and I was going to die because they couldn’t get to me. And they finally got a canoe or a kayak out there, and they had to plant it just right to get the kayak in the water to get to us because the current, the way the current was. And they got to the van to rescue me right before the water came over the top of the van. And after that, it just got washed away into the back of my yard, and it just took out the whole fence and it hit a tree. I guess the tree is what stopped the van.

I’m grateful that I’m here. I’m grateful my kids wasn’t home. It still is very upsetting to be a single mom and finally get on your feet, and you just lose everything again.

I think that God knows what’s going to happen, and He protects us from it. Bad things is not His work. It’s the work of the devil.

I heard about Samaritan’s Purse because they left a note on my doorstep. It makes me feel better to see people come together to help me because before, nobody really ever helped me. They came and looked at the house and told me what they could do to help, and that was tearing up the subfloor and cleaning up the studs of the house. It’s as if Jesus is coming to help me. And when I see my house is torn apart, it hurts but it’s a good thing, because it means that people care. People want to be the hands and feet of Jesus and show the love of God.

Volunteer:

We’d like to present that to you on behalf of Samaritan’s Purse.

Penny Gibson:

Everything is going to get back to normal, and He’s going to show me exactly what He needs me to do. That’s my goal, is for that to happen, to hear His voice, for Him to guide me. And that’s a wonderful gift to be able to see His hand in it.

Samaritan’s Purse is a nondenominational evangelical Christian organization providing spiritual and physical aid to hurting people around the world. Since 1970, Samaritan’s Purse has helped meet the needs of people who are victims of war, poverty, natural disasters, disease, and famine with the purpose of sharing God’s love through His Son, Jesus Christ. The organization serves the Church worldwide to promote the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Samaritan’s Purse International Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) program is committed to meeting the critical needs of victims of war, poverty, famine, disease, and natural disaster. We stand ready to respond at a moment’s notice whenever and wherever disaster strikes. The DART specializes in providing water, food, shelter, and medical care while sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ.

CONTACT: Kaitlyn Lahm, news@samaritan.org

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