Hurricane Katrina, Hurricane Sandy, tornadoes in Moore, Oklahoma – this country has had its share of overwhelming natural disasters and humanitarian aid crises over the past several years. There are those who watch the news of these and other catastrophes and send money to the Red Cross or other relief organizations simply because they do not know what else to do. This area, however, is home to a new team of crisis relief workers begun by Keith and Janice Berger of the Missionary Church’s East Central District.
“This mission was laid on my husband’s heart a couple years ago,” Janice said, “I wasn’t really interested.” Keith and Janice attend a local missionary church whose goal is to reach out to people in the community and around the world to “establish ‘Great Commission’ churches” and share the love of Jesus Christ. Several from this area, including Bergers, just finished a mission trip to Belize in South America where they helped to build a church. A relief team in the U.S., however, was not an idea Janice originally supported when her husband began to talk about the possibility. “We do everything together; so it was important to him that I be on board.” Janice said, “When those tornadoes hit Moore, Oklahoma this past summer, that was a turning point for me. I said, ‘Okay, I’m ready now.’”
Keith and Janice are Troy residents with full time jobs who decided it wasn’t enough for them to just support relief agencies. They want to go and provide relief in person. Right now, they are working to build the organizational infrastructure and gain the support they need to accomplish the vision laid on their hearts. Jeff Gurig, the director of ministries for the Missionary Church’s East Central District, said that a crisis relief team used to exist in the East Central District 40 plus years ago. “The administrators of the team 40 years ago passed it on and no one picked it up again,” Keith said, “We wanted to fill that void.”
“Keith and I sold a piece of property we owned and bought a huge trailer to take relief whenever it’s needed. It’s a construction trailer, fully equipped with water pumps, generators, tools, gloves,” Janice said, “That was really the beginning for us. The first thing we put in the trailer was a stack of 50 Bibles.” The passion in Janice’s voice was patently evident as she shared even some of the minor relief they have begun to provide locally, like helping a disabled man take down a barn on his property that had been condemned by the city. “We’re still working on implementing parameters. So far, we’re not turning anyone down,” Janice said “but we’re limiting ourselves to the state of Ohio for now. We don’t want to interfere with other emergency systems that are in place. We want to come alongside them.” According to Keith and Janice Berger, their whole focus in organizing this team is that they “want to be the hands and feet of Jesus, not only to help people who are within the church but anyone who has needs.”