By Betsy Finklea
St. John Missionary Baptist Church fell victim to Hurricane Matthew this past October, but they are now on the road to recovery.
Rev. Dr. William J. Walker, pastor of St. John, said after the hurricane he got a call that the area was flooded, and they couldn’t tell if it had gone inside of the church. He had been told, however, that some people bad been evacuated from the area by boat. Living in Georgetown, it was two or three days before he was able to make it to Latta.
When Dr. Walker got there, he discovered that water had gotten into every room of the church. The water had come up through the floors. As a result of that, some of the wooden areas were damaged, the carpet, walls, and other areas were molded.
Now they are in the process of finding out what to do. The insurance adjuster visited, but approximately 60 days has passed with no response. The roof was damaged, and at one time, they thought they might have to start from scratch, but then learned they may not.
They couldn’t meet in their church because the odor was too much. The church is a sponsor of the Latta Education Foundation, and Dr. John Kirby who had learned of their plight, offered them a space to worship at the Ellis Performing Arts Center.
They have no idea how long they will have to meet there because of the extent of the damage. Another church, Weston Chapel A.M.E., allowed them to hold a funeral service at their church.
They have had to cut out the bottom part of the walls. They have gotten advice from a contractor and had a restoration service visit them.
They have some floor work to do and are trying to dry out some with dehumidifiers. They are seeing what they can do and what needs to be done with professionals. They have learned the structure was good enough to stay.
Dr. Walker said they are going to have to take a look at the drainage situation.
Dr. Walker said they are appreciative of the support of other churches, the town, and the school district. The support has been tremendous.
Dr. Walker said they will still be honoring the commitments and partnerships they have established. Dr. Walker told his parishioners that “We are not going to change who we are or what we do.” As they start the process of rebuilding, they are starting a fund to assist with their efforts. Those who wish to donate may send contributions to the St. John Missionary Baptist Church Rebuilding Fund, P.O. Box 631, Latta, S.C. 29565.
Their focus is getting the sanctuary to the point where they can get back in the then they will do other repairs.
Dr. Walker said while there is work to do, it is not as bad as they thought it was going to be. He said the hurricane was just one of those phenomenons.
If the professional people are correct, they could be back in just a few months. He said when they do return to the church, he wants the building to be safe and secure not just from the damage caused by the hurricane, but also from the standpoint of the people’s health.
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