Thanking God

I want to begin by thanking God for all His Blessings toward NC Baptist on Mission and our Volunteers while I have been serving as the NCBOM State Disaster Recovery Coordinator. It has been an honor to serve God in this capacity. 2024 was a tough year but we arrived on the other side of it. God always takes us through the storms of life.

I am thankful that at the time of this letter, 2025 has been mostly a peaceful year for Recovery in NC. We responded to TS Chantal in Durham, Alamance, and Orange Counties, and a Nor’easter that caused some flood and roof damage in Columbus County. We also responded to Kentucky and Maryland for flood recovery. There were many other storms and hurricanes that we thank God for protecting us from, allowing them to steer away from NC and the USA.

On that note, please continue to support the relief and recovery efforts for Jamaica, Cuba, and others in the Caribbean. Hurricane Melissa was the strongest hurricane to make landfall in Jamaica, and they were devastated like NC was after Hurricane Helene. Please continue to pray for those in the wake of Melissa, knowing if God had allowed it, it could have affected NC or other neighboring states instead of Jamaica and Cuba!

I am thankful that I was able to go with Tom and Terry to San Paulo, Brazil in 2025 to speak during the Brazil Baptist Convention. We presented ways NCBOM is structured and how we set up and respond to disasters, and how they can be a disaster ready church. Best of all we got to worship our Savior with them. That blessed me most of all and taught me to “Speak Jesus” over every situation in life. After all it is HIS life I am supposed to live, not my own.

NCBOM has 6 DR training events scheduled in 2026, again adding one extra to allow more flexibility and increase in numbers wanting to take training in one or more ministries. We continue to train many volunteers in Recovery, Assessment, State Recovery Unit, and Recovery Administration, which is a new ministry we started near the end of 2024. We have Heavy Equipment training twice each year now which includes the Aerial Lift and Skid Steer. The Heavy Equipment training is by invitation, however if you have experience with equipment and want to take the training, speak to your Region Recovery Coordinator about that.

I want to thank everyone for all you do for our Savior through NCBOM. I look forward to continuing to serve with you!

But He said, “Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it.” Luke 11:28.

-Mark Hinson, NCBOM State Disaster Recovery Coordinator