Prayers answered as storm passes by Arkansas church
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A UMNS Web-only photo by Gloria Dubar
A tornado leveled more than half the town of Marmaduke, Ark., on April 2
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tornado leveled more than half the town of Marmaduke, Ark., on April 2.
The Rev. Dan Walker, pastor of Marmaduke United Methodist Church,
ushered members into the church's basement moments before the tornado
struck the town and damaged the church. The tornado was part of a string
of tornadoes that were spawned by storms that raced through the Midwest
and South. A UMNS Web-only photo by Gloria Dubar. Photo #w06048.
Accompanies UMNS story #193. 4/4/06 |
April 4, 2006
A UMNS Report
By Jane Dennis
LITTLE ROCK, Ark.--Members of Marmaduke
(Ark.) United Methodist Church held hands and prayed in the church
basement during evening worship on April 2 as a powerful storm swept
through the community, wrecking homes, businesses and property.
Prayers were answered and the congregation remained safe. In the town of
1,100, an estimated 45 people were injured, but there were no deaths.
The tornado demolished the city’s school, a residential neighborhood and
a railroad car factory.
“It was about 6:15 and we had just started our Sunday night worship
service,” said the Rev. Dan Walker, pastor of the 150-member church. “I
don’t know why — I guess the Lord gave me some sense —but while everyone
was singing I went outside and looked and something told me to get
everyone in the basement.”
After about five minutes in the basement, Walker thought perhaps he had
made a mistake. “We didn’t hear anything, and I thought there’s nothing
to this. So I went outside and the tornado was about a block away. It
was huge — a big black cloud, two or three football fields wide. I could
see debris swirling around and white looking dust. It was so big and
massive that I was just floored.”
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A UMNS photo by the Rev. Bob Hager
The
Rev. Dan Walker, pastor of Marmaduke (Ark.) United Methodist Church and
Gene Reynolds, talk about an April 2 tornado that damaged the church
and leveled the city.
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Rev. Dan Walker, pastor of Marmaduke (Ark.) United Methodist Church and
Gene Reynolds, talk about how the church was damaged by an April 2
tornado. The tornado, part of a string of tornadoes that were spawned by
storms that raced through the Midwest and South, damaged most of the
homes in the town of 1,100 people. A UMNS photo by the Rev. Bob Hager.
Photo #06318. Accompanies UMNS story #193. 4/4/06 |
Seconds after he retreated and closed the basement door, “it hit,”
Walker said. The congregation was holding hands and praying as the storm
passed over. An eerie calm and a burst of sunshine followed. The storm
produced no rain, only strong winds and, in some places, golf ball-sized
hail.
“We looked out the door and saw that it got about 60 percent of our town,” Walker recounted. “It’s bad, real bad.”
The church and parsonage suffered “about $4,000 (to) $5,000 in damage,”
mainly roof shingles ripped away and blown out windows, Walker said.
The hardest hit area in the town is about two blocks away from the
church. “You look down Highway 49 at what I’ve always thought was a real
pretty little town and it’s barren, dead. The trees are stripped bare.
Streets are blocked with debris … It’s a mess. I would estimate that
we’ve probably lost 60-70 percent of our housing.”
The morning after the storm, with no phone service available, Walker
rode his four-wheeler on the few passable streets, trying to check on
elderly members of his church.
“We’ve got many elderly people in our church, and I know some of their
homes were destroyed,” the pastor said. “I don’t know what’s going to
happen to them. I’m worried about them.”
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A UMNS photo by the Rev. Bob Hager
A tornado hit Marmaduke, Ark., April 2, destroying homes and leveling more than half the town of 1,100 people.
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| A
tornado hit Marmaduke, Ark., April 2, destroying homes and leveling
more than half the town of 1,100 people. The tornado was part of a
string of tornadoes that were spawned by storms that raced through the
Midwest and South. A UMNS photo by the Rev. Bob Hager. Photo #06320.
Accompanies UMNS story #193. 4/4/06 |
City, county and state emergency response teams, along with the National
Guard, arrived almost immediately. Once initial assessments are
finished, Walker said he expects members of his congregation will need
housing, food, water, blankets and other basic necessities.
“We’ve already had lots of calls from churches throughout the state wanting to help,” Walker said.
The Sunday thunderstorm spawned tornadoes that damaged or destroyed
homes in the Shannon community in Randolph County, north of Searcy in
White County and south of Wynne in Cross County.
According to the Rev. Tom Hazelwood, disaster response executive for the
United Methodist Committee on Relief, 600 to 700 people took refuge at
First United Methodist Church in nearby Paragould, Ark. The church is
collecting relief supplies to assist in recovery response.
Youth ministry activities and the sixth-grade confirmation class were
gathered at Searcy’s First United Methodist Church when sirens sounded
the storm’s approach.
“Everyone was moved to safe areas — inside halls with concrete walls and
no windows – until we got the all-clear signal and went on with
activities,” said the Rev. Mike Morey. “It was about a 40-minute
interlude for us.”
*Dennis is editor of the Arkansas United Methodist newspaper, a publication in the Arkansas Annual Conference.
News media contact: Kathy L. Gilbert, Nashville, Tenn., (615) 742-5470 or newsdesk@umcom.org.
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Resources
Flood Buckets—United Methodist Committee on Relief
Arkansas Annual Conference
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