SPRUCE PINE, N.C. — Barbara Douglas had seen the water from the creek that runs by her home in Spruce Pine rise significantly several times over the years, so she wasn’t too concerned as she monitored the rainfall early on the morning of Friday, Sept. 27, 2024.

“It didn’t look like we were going to have a problem,” Douglas said. “It was expected to stop raining about like 11, 11:30, 12, and around 10:45, I noticed it started to come on to the lawn.”

Douglas never could have imagined what would happen over the next few minutes. She said the water rose about 4 feet in about 45 minutes, completely flooding her basement and rising to chest high in some rooms of her home that’s nestled in a small valley in the Appalachian Mountains of western North Carolina.

“I was in shock a little bit because this house has been here 75 years and never has it flooded,” Douglas said. “We’ve been through a couple of big storms a few years back and it got fairly high, but we never felt like we were in jeopardy here of having an issue like that.”

Countless homeowners experienced the same thing as Douglas did on that fateful Friday when Hurricane Helene ravaged western North Carolina, leaving behind damage and destruction so severe that the effects are still being felt months later and will be for months and even years to come.

According to the National Weather Service, Helene dumped more than 24 inches of rain on Spruce Pine alone, and rainfall amounts in some places exceeded 30 inches for just the second time in North Carolina’s recorded history. The rain and resulting floodwater overwhelmed homes, businesses and entire communities throughout western North Carolina.

In the aftermath of the storm, many in the region shared the same sentiment as Douglas — “How am I going to do this?”

After a few days went by, some volunteers from N.C Baptists on Mission showed up at Douglas’ home to begin helping her put the pieces back together.

Following the initial response and recovery efforts related to the storm, N.C. Baptists on Mission began focusing on home rebuild efforts last November. Because of the overwhelming need, Baptists on Mission officials have committed to serving on home rebuild projects throughout western North Carolina over the next four to six years to help people like Douglas.

“They came, and they just took over, which was an amazing thing because you’re so in shock still,” Douglas said. “You don’t know what you’re going to do. You know?”

Several teams of volunteers made up of individuals from local churches from across that state have worked almost non-stop in Douglas’ home, starting with removing mud and debris before subsequent teams started repairing flooring, installing insulation, hanging drywall and more.

“These crews are just so happy to be here, and they want to be here to help you piece things back together,” Douglas said. “I guess their faith drives them to be in this position, and it’s really important for them to help, and they’ve done amazing work.”

In addition to helping meet Douglas’ physical needs, volunteers have helped her emotionally and spiritually, as well.

“You would meet someone who’s here to sit with you, and they listen to your story,” Douglas said. “You just sometimes break down and cry because you’re so happy they’re there. You know, you need them to be there.”

One team of volunteers with Baptists on Mission presented Douglas with a Bible signed by some of the people who worked on her home.

“They gave me this beautiful Bible they all had signed in the front, which I thought was so sweet,” said Douglas, who is a special education teacher at a local middle school in Mitchell County. 

Douglas was also surprised in mid-January when new N.C. Gov. Josh Stein showed up at her home to serve with Baptists on Mission. Stein and members of his cabinet spent the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday weekend volunteering with several organizations in western North Carolina as part of a series of community service projects.

“When he came it was a little surreal,” Douglas said. “He greeted me, and we talked about my story, and I showed him some of the areas impacted, and then he went right to work. He didn’t seem like a politician. He was there to work.”

Later that day, Stein shared about the experience in a social media post on Facebook.

“Barbara and her family in Spruce Pine endured extensive damage to their home because of Hurricane Helene,” Stein wrote. “I appreciate them inviting me into their home to help install drywall and insulation alongside the hardworking volunteers with Baptists on Mission. What an impressive group! When we work together, we are stronger.”

A little more than a week later, Stein announced a $3 million grant to Baptists on Mission to assist with long-term rebuild efforts in western North Carolina.

“Baptists on Mission’s plan is to stay here for as many years as it takes to help the people of western North Carolina rebuild,” Stein said. “They are among the unsung heroes here out west, and I think we need to help them keep doing what they’re doing, and we need to support their efforts. That’s why I’m announcing a $3 million grant to Baptists on Mission to continue their emergency rapid repair projects.”

As Douglas’ home gets closer to completion with each passing day, she says more volunteers are needed to help others who are in a similar predicament as she is.

“I’m getting closer, but there are so many people that have barely begun,” Douglas said. “You know, we need help. We need people to come help.”

(EDITOR’S NOTE — This article originally appeared in the March/April 2025 issue of the Biblical Recorder magazine.)