Evangelical charity organization Samaritan’s Purse is helping victims of a flood in Wisconsin, with one volunteer saying their relief efforts are helping those impacted by the natural disaster overcome a state of “paralysis and get hope.” 

In a statement shared with The Christian Post last Friday, Samaritan’s Purse announced that it had volunteers on the ground in Milwaukee County after heavy rains led to severe flash flooding in the area. The Menomonee River rose to record levels, resulting in widespread flooding that affected as many as 500 homes in the area and left approximately 2,000 people without power. Samaritan’s Purse first deployed a disaster relief unit, a tractor-trailer filled with relief supplies and equipment, to the area on Aug. 12. 

“Volunteers are helping homeowners clean out flooded houses by removing ruined walls and flooring, treating interiors for mold, and clearing out waterlogged furniture and belongings,” Samaritan’s Purse stated. “Teams will also help residents recover cherished belongings and keepsakes not destroyed by the floodwaters, all while sharing the love and hope found only in Jesus Christ.” 

Samaritan’s Purse is basing its on-the-ground operations in Wisconsin out of Elmbrook Church in Brookfield. The Rev. Franklin Graham, CEO of Samaritan’s Purse, shared a video highlighting some of his organization’s efforts in Wisconsin in a post on social media. 

The video featured volunteer Roland Johnson discussing how “Jesus tells us it’s more blessed to give than to receive,” adding that ministering to the victims of the flooding in Wisconsin is “an opportunity for us to give.”

“A lot of times, when people go through a storm, there’s a paralysis that sets in,” Johnson added. 

“When you can come into a situation like that and come in with 10, 15, 20 volunteers, it’s just very uplifting to them,” he said. “It helps them get out of that paralysis and get hope. That’s what we hope to bring is hope.” 

Katy Thekan, a West Allis resident who saw her home sustain flood damage, described how her neighborhood had become the site of “complete devastation.” She detailed how “the alarms came in too late and we all fell victim to something that we didn’t think would ever happen here.” 

“My foundation collapsed, really, really something that was unexpected and not recoverable for us,” she explained. “We just need help.”

As explained on the website of Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, “extreme storms” battered Southeast Wisconsin on Aug. 9-10, leading to “catastrophic flooding” in the region. Crowley declared a state of emergency in the county, the most populous county in the state, on Aug. 10, and Wisconsin’s Democratic Gov. Tony Evers declared a state of emergency throughout the entire state the following day. 

On Aug. 13, Evers requested assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. An ongoing damage assessment conducted by Milwaukee County emergency management personnel has examined 3,334 homes so far, finding that approximately 53% of properties surveyed have been “destroyed” or suffered “major damage.”