A year after Hurricane Helene's floodwaters tore through the Southern Appalachian Mountains, cleanup continues, as does the spiritual outreach. 

Few believed that a hurricane could bring such devastation that far inland, but when Helene dropped more than 30 inches of rain, creeks turned into rushing rivers, and landslides claimed lives. State officials say Helene triggered roughly 1,400 landslides. The torrent damaged more than 8,000 roads, bridges, and culverts in what many call a '1,000-year' flood. It left more than 100 dead in North Carolina alone, and at least five people remain missing. 

"So, we're talking trillions of gallons of water coming into our mountains and our valleys, and there was just nowhere for the water to go," said Dave Marshall with First Baptist Church, Hendersonville, North Carolina. "It overwhelmed my spirit so much. Honestly, I begged God to make it stop; it was so overwhelming." 

Marshall, a pastor for more than 40 years, says he had never faced a trial like Hurricane Helene. Just weeks before the storm, the congregation welcomed its new senior pastor, Justin Alexander — a young leader whose rallying cry of "come on" inspired the church to pull together. Under Alexander's leadership and Marshall's steady hand, First Baptist Church of Hendersonville became a beacon of hope, guiding its community through grief and recovery.

More than 100,000 people saw their homes either damaged or destroyed in NC. Some still live in tents and RVs by the banks of the Swannanoa River. After weeks without power and washed-out water lines, recovery kicked into high gear. Volunteers from nearly every state poured in, partnering with groups like Baptists on Mission. 

With five job sites throughout Western North Carolina, the group plans to stay for up to five years, pursuing a goal to rebuild or repair 1,000 homes. And while the news focused on the destruction, churches saw a different headline. 

"I'm here to tell you that the real story was the love of Christ," Marshall said. "The love of Christ came from all over the country and even all over the world. Any form that you can imagine, every single church was filled to the brim of Christians sending help, and that was everything from food and diapers and hygiene products to chainsaws and generators." 

That same mission, to love neighbors, is why CBN's Operation Blessing remains at work here. Teams have rebuilt homes, replaced wet floors and windows, while also delivering aid to those in need. Bob Burke with OB says disaster relief began mobilizing within a day, first staging in Forest City, then setting up command in a Home Depot parking lot. After partnering with local churches and Excel College, they opened a distribution center in Black Mountain. 

*** Click Here to help Operation Blessing as it ministers to disaster victims

After a year of serving neighbors, faith-based partners formed The Better Together Coalition, including Adventures Relief, Operation Blessing, Mercury One, World Vision, and Why Not Aid – "to rebuild homes and restore hearts in the Swannanoa Valley."

Burke says the hardest part of the job is seeing the hopelessness in somebody's eyes impacted by natural disaster, but says the redeeming value of this work is being able to be the hands and feet of Jesus.

"And when you can put things in motion, it creates a significant difference in their life within two or three days, the look on their face is no longer that hopelessness. Now they've got hope. They're smiling, they see a path toward moving forward," said Burke. 

For residents like Robert Parker, living in a mobile home that had become uninhabitable due to poor ventilation and overall disrepair, the work means more than new floors and windows. It means a fresh start, staying housed, and finding hope. 

"There was a supernatural presence throughout this whole situation, from start to finish, I think the Lord preserved me and this trailer over here," Parker said. "It's just this really great process of a rebuild on the inside and the outside of a structure and a human being." 

On Saturday, Sept. 27, the Better Together Coalition will host a one-year anniversary gathering at its Black Mountain base. From 5 to 7:30 p.m., Operation Blessing will serve dinner as families, homeowners, and small business owners come together to share testimonies, worship, and celebrate the resiliency that has carried them since Hurricane Helene.

For many, Psalm 23 has become the reality — a promise that even in dark valleys, God is with you. 

"I was reminded that it's the shadow of the valley of death," Marshall said. "That death is only a shadow. It only appears for a little while. A shadow can't hurt you. Death is not the end if you're in Christ. We know our home is in heaven. And we're waiting for that to be home with Jesus. And so, we are able to share that message and continue to share that message today.

On October 6, 2024, more than 3,000 people gathered at the Hendersonville High School football field for a worship service amid a power outage, praising Jesus in the middle of the pain. They'll do it again this Sunday, Sept. 28, when the public is invited back to Deitz Field to worship God and celebrate His faithfulness one year since the storm.

The storm caused more than $60 billion in damage in North Carolina alone. Scores of people have traveled from all over to help put these communities back together, and it'll take many more years to finish the job.