Georgia Teen Shares a Story of their Shelter from the Storm

A Salvation Army mobile feeding unit in Georgia headed to the parking lot at Swainsboro High School in Swainsboro, GA. After several days of service, the crew was wondering how they would manage, but they were greeted by 40+ volunteers, including students, the principal, and his family. As Christina Smith from The Salvation Army set up the meal, one of the teens shared their story. Molly said a storm shelter was built on the property long before her family moved into their home. Last summer she decided to clean it out and make it a cozy place to hang out. They never expected a storm to force them into the shelter ever, much less a few months later, but as Hurricane Helene escalated to a category 4, Molly’s father ushered them into the shelter.

“She said she grabbed her bible from the house and as her dad worried, she reassured him that all would be okay because she had been praying,” shared Christina Smith. “Their prayers were answered, and the family survived the storm. She thought she was cleaning the shelter for a hang-out spot, but I believe God was speaking to her, working through her to provide a safe space for her family. God used Molly to answer their prayers, months before they even asked.”

It’s not uncommon for Salvation Army disaster teams to hear stories like this when serving in a storm’s aftermath. Christina, who deployed from The Salvation Army of Clarksburg WV, shared this on her personal Facebook page, along with the photo of the high school volunteers. Despite the fatigue and the hard work, finding how God brings people through these tough times strengthens those assisting in the relief and recovery efforts and encourages them in the days ahead.