From Ruin to Restoration: A Servant Trip to Remember

by Mark Brosch

Twelve folks from four Lutheran congregations in the North Atlanta area spent five days volunteering in the Asheville area to help Hurricane Helene victims in their recovery from the storm. A lot of work was done, so much more is left to do.

As the group arrived on Tuesday there was the opportunity to help Lutheridge in the continued recovery effort. So many fallen trees still need to be cleaned up. The volunteers that were able to help loaded, unloaded and spread eight truckloads of wood chips.

The three women on the trip were asked to help out at Interfaith Assistance Ministry a social services organization that provides crisis assistance including food, clothing, personal hygiene supplies, financial assistance and even pet food. These three were such excellent volunteers they were asked to manage the food intake process on Friday allowing deliveries to continue while the staff was attending a meeting.

The nine men were assigned to help with the final preparations of a mobile home so the new owners could move into their new home. Rudy and his family’s mobile home was destroyed from flooding caused by the hurricane. Since then, they have had to live in temporary housing – almost 17 months. In June of 2025 a mobile home that had been hit by a tree, but not flooded, was donated to an assistance organization.

It has taken the past nine months to manage through all the red tape and funding issues to get the trailer repaired and moved to a permanent location. Our team was tasked with building a new deck, building boxes around the porch and deck to contain mulch which provides a freeze barrier, spread 90 bags of mulch, install a vapor barrier under the entire length and width of the trailer, install skirting around the entire trailer, repair interior ceiling damage, install trim in two rooms, and paint four of the interior rooms. Whew! Sounds like a lot of work – and it was. But it all got done!

Accomplishing the tasks assigned is such a small part of a “Servant” trip. There are so many other rewards. Meeting people in need and listening to their stories; the social time and meals shared with the other volunteers; seeing the dedication of the people who are managing and coordinating the recovery efforts and will be for years to come to name a few. But the most rewarding was when Rudy arrived on the scene and saw that his future home was near ready for his family to move in. The appreciation on his face, his thankful words, his jumping in to help with the work lifted everybody’s spirits and provided the motivation to get things done.

There is so much work yet to be done. Is there another Servant Trip in LCR’s future? Hopefully so, and hopefully many more will allow their hands to be God’s hands for in people in need.