GLENALLEN – In the early morning hours of April 5, a tornado touched down in the Southeast Missouri town of Glenallen, beginning its path of destruction on the farm of Stanley and Kim Long. It crossed fields, passing by cows with newborn calves, ripping out trees and destroying farm outbuildings before hitting the adjoining family farm. Brenda Kay Long, Stanley’s mother, was thankfully taking shelter at his home.
The tornado, classified by the National Weather Service as an EF-2, continued into the town of Glenallen, with winds at 130 mph, tossing trailer homes, vehicles and trees. It stayed on the ground for 22 miles. Unfortunately, five people lost their lives during the destructive storm, according to the Missouri Highway Patrol Troop E.
GLENALLEN – Missouri Disaster Relief workers recovered this Easter sign following the April 5 tornado here, and they set it back up as a testimony to God’s presence amid every storm in life. (Missouri DR photo)
“My grandfather bought the farm in 1918,” said Brenda Kay Long. “We have been here ever since, for six generations.”
Long reported she lost a century-old smoke house, woodsheds, her brand new carport, fencing and a lot of trees. Her house sustained minor damage to the roof. She felt fortunate and blessed.
“It’s a miracle that there weren’t more killed,” she said. “There could have been hundreds.”
On a sunny Good Friday morning, Brenda Kay smiled as she watched two Missouri Baptist Disaster Relief (MODR) chainsaw teams at work putting her farm back together. Volunteers from Twin Rivers Baptist Association, Wright City, and Lynwood Baptist Church, Cape Girardeau, started working early Good Friday morning to bring the love of Jesus to the Long family with their helping hands.
“They are good people and good workers,” she said. “I’m not even sure how they knew to come here.”
That mystery was solved as Stanley told her the pastor of First Baptist Church of Marble Hill, Andrew Green, came to the farm Thursday evening and asked if a crew could come out and help.
Green, who has served the church in Marble Hill for eight years, immediately began canvassing the area to see who needed help as the skies cleared the morning after the tornado. He volunteered the church campus so teams from MODR could set up their headquarters there.
“If they need to use our building, they can use it. No question. It was a yes,” he said.
Toby Tucker, incident commander on April 7, said more than 110 households were affected by the tornado. Twenty-three were totally destroyed.
“This is a very giving neighborhood,” said Tucker. “Caring people are here working.”
Tucker said help was coming from everywhere. The Salvation Army delivered meals prepared by the MODR’s kitchen; the Red Cross opened a shelter at the church; food banks and restaurants offered meals. Volunteers far and wide descended on the area to help their neighbors.
MODR assessment teams, chainsaw crews, chaplains, shower and laundry trailers, and mass care volunteers were all on hand to offer help and healing to the survivors of the Glenallen tornado.
Tucker encouraged Missouri’s church congregations not to forget about Glenallen as the weeks pass and new disasters affect our nation. He said the real challenges for Glenallen survivors come later, when all the volunteers have gone home. MODR or another trusted charity of your choice are opportunities to put your money to a specific outstanding need.
To give to the relief efforts visit www.modr.org/give and select Midwest Tornadoes from the drop down menu, or mail a check to Missouri Baptist Disaster Relief, 400 E. High St., Jefferson City, MO 65101.
Thanks to the chainsaw crews, a destroyed Easter display designed by the Long family, was put restored and back in place for Easter Sunday. The “He is Risen” sign was found across the highway in the woods and lovingly returned to the Long family as a sign to everyone who drove by their damaged property that God reigns over the storm.