With this being our first mission entry, I thought it would be good for our supporters to first hear how we went from an idea to an actual operational organization. Olive Branch Strategic (OBS) was officially formed in April of 2022. But as you might expect there is quite a difference between being formed and being operational. When our board met in late May to discuss timelines for an official launch, our expectations had us projected with a tentative operational date of late 2022, with the more realistic timeframe of early 2023. But as the Lord would have it, we found ourselves being called into service almost immediately.
Disaster Relief For Eastern Kentucky Floods
As many of you know, eastern Kentucky was devastated by floodwaters in the late summer of 2022. And upon hearing the magnitude of the destruction, OBS knew that we could not sit idle; that regardless of our readiness, we needed to respond and we needed to do so rapidly. So within a few weeks, OBS came up with a plan to respond to Pike County, KY with the primary mission of delivering emergency aid and conducting a recon for further volunteer disaster assistance operations.
So on August 7th, we loaded up our trailer with aid provided by our faithful donors and headed northeast on our inaugural mission. Upon our arrival, we successfully delivered aid to Connection Church in Pikeville, KY who was serving as a hub for distribution efforts in the AOR. Once off loaded, we then focused our attention to service and with the help of an embedded organization, we were able to locate a single mother whose home had been flooded with nearly 3 feet of water. So by God’s grace we were able to successfully muck and gut her home before packing up and heading back to Nashville.
On the drive back we were overjoyed with the opportunity that we had been given to share the love of Christ in this way. So after a quick turnaround and a thorough debrief with our team, we were poised to return to eastern Kentucky. And in late September 2022, OBS was on the ground again, this time in Jackson, KY. And it was in Jackson that we had the incredible opportunity to partner with New Hope Baptist Church who sent us to one of the most devastated areas in eastern Kentucky.
It was there that we came in contact with a man whose entire home was engulfed by the floodwaters. One of the first things he said to us was, “Are ya’ll believers?” Which, of course, we responded to with a smile and an enthusiastic, “Yes!” We immediately prayed with him and then started the process of determining his needs. In our short time there, OBS was able to get his electrical outlets replaced, which was a huge hurdle for him being able to reestablish his residency there. We were also able to successfully patch his roof that had been nearly displaced from the wind and rain. After a day and a half of getting to know this man it was difficult to say goodbye. We had come to try and bless him but we walked away feeling as though we were the ones who had been blessed.
A few weeks later after we had returned to Nashville, I reached out to the pastor of New Hope Baptist Church to check on our beloved friend and he said that he was recovering well. He said that our new friend was grateful for our help. We were grateful for the opportunity. As we look back on it now I think one of the things that we learned was that we do not determine our readiness, but God does. Perhaps you don’t feel like your ready or that God can use you. I encourage you to remember this: Whoever God calls, He equips. Make our mission your mission.
More to come,
Corey Mullins
Founder/President
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