Georgia Volunteers Rebuild 29 Homes After Louisiana Floods

When a Louisiana homeowner flagged down Georgia volunteer Jason Annis on a muddy street in Moreauville, he had a simple question: Why had every relief organization passed his flooded house by?

Within hours, Annis and his team were inside, tearing out contaminated drywall and cleaning flood damage. After finishing the job, they prayed with the couple. What happened next surprised everyone: the homeowners immediately began praying back, asking God to protect the volunteers on their journey home.

Tropical Storm Arthur devastated southern Louisiana in late June 2026, dropping feet of rain across the region. Some areas received more than 29 inches in just 24 hours, triggering a federal disaster declaration. Floodwaters left families facing mountains of contaminated furniture, ruined floors, and dangerous mold growth.

Louisiana Baptist Disaster Relief put out a call for help. Georgia answered immediately. "Our yes is on the table," said Dwain Carter, director of disaster relief for the Georgia Baptist Mission Board.

The Georgia team sent Recovery Unit 37R from McDonough, along with volunteers from across the state. They committed to four full weeks of backbreaking work in suffocating heat. The job involves removing soaked insulation, power-washing interiors thick with mud, and applying antimicrobial treatment to prevent mold. Carter doesn't sugarcoat it: "It is hot, smelly, dirty and in some cases just plain gross."

But volunteers keep showing up. On their first full day, the team received six work orders but found only three families home. The first asked them to return later. The next two jobs finished quickly. Then came the divine appointment—the man who flagged them down because he thought no one cared.

The Ripple Effect

Georgia's response shows how disaster relief networks create waves of support across state lines. The Georgia team is part of Southern Baptist Disaster Relief Region 4C, which includes five southeastern states. When Louisiana (part of Region 4A) needed extra hands, Georgia mobilized within days.

This deployment placed Georgia volunteers alongside Southern Baptists of Texas Disaster Relief teams. Limited housing meant Georgia could send one recovery unit, but they're rotating volunteers through for an entire month. Each week brings fresh hands and renewed energy to families who desperately need both.

The work extends far beyond construction. Volunteers arrive praying for opportunities to share encouragement with people in crisis. For the couple whose home almost got missed, that prayer turned into a moment of mutual blessing—strangers becoming family through shared faith and practical love.

Carter asked fellow Georgians to support the ongoing mission: "Please pray that GBDR will have safe deployment and helpful experiences as they bring a small glimpse of the very practical Gospel, Love Your Neighbors." One flooded home, one prayer, one conversation at a time, volunteers are rebuilding more than houses—they're restoring hope to an entire community.