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Tornadoes kill 22 in Oklahoma, Missouri and Georgia

Tornadoes killed at least 22 people in Oklahoma, Missouri and Georgia and left a wide swath of destruction May 10 as part of what the National Weather Service has said is the deadliest tornado year in a decade, reports Baptist Press.

A tornado in the Midwest with winds estimated at up to 175 mph tracked as many as 63 miles from Oklahoma to southwest Missouri, the weather service said.

Four Missouri Baptists were among the 15 people killed by tornadoes in that state.

Rick Rountree, 52, Kathy Rountree, 47, their son, 13-year-old Clayton, and Kathy's mother Ruby Bilke, 76, were killed when a tornado slammed into their car while they were driving to a wedding in Seneca. Rick had been serving as a temporary worship leader for Forest Park Baptist Church in Joplin, where they were all members. The family left behind a 20-year-old daughter, Kali.

"The Rountrees were very active in our church," Forest Park's pastor, John Swadley, told The Pathway newsjournal in Missouri. "We have three worship services each with a different style of music. Rick led our soft contemporary service."

He also acted as choir director, although his service was all voluntary. Rick's last Sunday serving in the positions was May 4, and the church's newly hired fulltime worship leader began May 11.

Swadley said the family was involved in much more than music and worship.

"Rick and Kathy were both leaders on mission trips our church takes to Mexico," he said. "She is an artist and did artwork in the church we partner with in Metamoros."

Steve Patterson, director of missions for the Spring River Baptist Association in Joplin, said at least seven homes belonging to Missouri Baptists had been destroyed by the storms.

"We've also had several members of our churches in Spring River and Shoal Creek who lost their homes. Please pray for us all," Patterson told The Pathway.

Patterson said a disaster relief volunteer from Bethel Baptist Church in Seneca who recently aided in recovery efforts elsewhere in the state lost her home. At least one family from the churches of Cave Springs, Oak Grove, Bethel, New Hope and Warren's Branch all had at least some damage. The interim pastor at LaRussell Baptist Church in Sunny Shumake lost his home, The Pathway reported.

Tommy Blair, director of missions for Shoal Creek Baptist Association, said he was not aware of any damage or injuries to churches or members in his association, although the town of Newtonia was severely damaged.

"The tornado basically cut Newton County in half, east to west," Blair said.

Saturday night, First Baptist Church in Diamond and First Baptist Church in Neosho opened as Red Cross shelters. Patterson said disaster relief crews were trying to set up a central base of operations at First Baptist Neosho.

"That's our plan for now," he said.

Rick Seaton, who oversees disaster relief for the Missouri Baptist Convention, said several units including chainsaw crews, a shower unit and a feeding unit are on call and will move into position as soon as the Red Cross gives the word.

Beyond the obvious need for debris-removal teams and volunteers, Patterson said Missouri Baptists need prayer.

"Please pray for the volunteer coordination," he said. "Pray that God will provide the funds it's going to take to buy fuel for the saws, trailers and generators. Most of all, pray for opportunities for us to show the love of Christ in a very real way, and that we'll be sensitive to the Spirit."

In Oklahoma, a disaster relief feeding unit has been set up in Picher, where six people were killed and at least 150 were injured by Saturday's tornado. The team is headquartered at First Baptist Church in nearby Miami, Sam Porter, disaster relief coordinator for Oklahoma, told the Baptist Messenger newspaper.

The disaster relief team responding to the Picher disaster expected to serve their first meals onsite at lunch May 12 and will provide food to be sent out to other communities in the area as well.

The LeFlore Baptist Association in Poteau, Okla., sent its feeding unit to Albion in the southeastern part of the state, which also was hit by a tornado Saturday evening.

The Baptist Messenger reported that the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma's chaplaincy office sent six chaplains to minister to victims in Picher, which once was a bustling mining town but has since dwindled to about 800 residents because of a government-assisted relocation effort that began after high levels of lead were found in the groundwater.

Overturned cars, smashed homes and twisted metal stuck high in trees formed a surreal scene of devastation in Picher, the Associated Press reported, and some wondered whether the town would even rebuild after the tornado.

Storms also killed one person in Dublin, Ga., just south of Macon, and Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue declared a state of emergency in six counties.

President Bush pledged federal support for the affected regions and said he was praying for those who are dealing with the tragedy.

"Mother's Day is a sad day for those who lost their lives in Oklahoma, Missouri and Georgia because of the tornadoes," Bush said before boarding Air Force One in Waco, Texas, Sunday. "We send our prayers for those who lost their lives. The federal government will be moving hard to help."

The National Weather Service said the 98 deaths attributed to tornadoes this year have made 2008 the deadliest year so far for tornadoes since 1998. Since January, the weather service has received reports of 819 tornadoes, compared with an average of 539 for the same time period over the last three years.

In related news, Dottie Rambo a gospel singer and songwriter who contributed to the Baptist Hymnal, died early Sunday morning when her tour bus ran off the highway and struck an embankment in Missouri, the Associated Press said. She was 74. Officials were not sure whether the accident was caused by the harsh weather conditions in the region at the time.

Rambo, of Nashville, Tenn., was traveling to a Mother's Day singing engagement in Texas, AP said. She had more than 2,500 published songs, including gospel classics such as "He Looked Beyond My Fault and Saw My Need" and "We Shall Behold Him."

[05/14/2008]

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