Hurricane Michael

October 16, 2018

The Scope of Hillsdale’s Relief Team is Bigger Than We Imagined…

NOTE: This post is from http://www.HeartofaShepherd.Com

While we are praising the Lord the first team from Hillsdale is beginning a second day assisting Lighthouse Baptist Church, Panama City and their neighbors, the reality is the scope and demand is far greater than we imagined.

In addition to assisting many, especially widows and the elderly with removing trees from rooftops and driveways, our first team has begun to provide for 30-50 workers and neighbors at mealtimes. We planned financially to feed our work teams; however, the reality is, without electricity, food has spoiled and people are looking to Hillsdale for meals in the area.

We anticipate other groups, as well as the National Guard, will arrive toward the weekend; however, until they do our Hillsdale team encampment is the site for many to come for meals as they work to help themselves and their neighbors.

Our second team leaves Wednesday morning and we will send up coolers full of sliced meats, bread, and all the fixings for sandwiches. In addition, we are providing breakfast and require eggs, etc…

Pastor Peterman is working diligently, but he will welcome assistance as he is making purchases and packing (CALL THE OFFICE – 813-884-8250).  We are receiving a donation of Dry Ice, but we need large coolers today for tomorrow’s journey to Panama City.

We welcome donations either online at http://www.HillsdaleBaptist.org(look for the Donations button in the upper right corner, follow instructions, and at “Other” type in Disaster Relief).  Of course you are welcome to either mail or drop off your donation at our office at 6201 Ehrlich Rd., Tampa, FL 33624.

With the heart of a shepherd,

Pastor Travis D. Smith

October 15, 2018

Help Us Help Others In Need: Devastation and Suffering in the Florida Panhandle

(Photo by Mark Wallheiser/Getty Images)

October 15, 2018

Re: Emergency Aid is needed when natural disasters come at the untimeliest moments. 

Dear followers of Spiritual Minutemen,

Hillsdale Baptist Church was one of the first ministries to send a man into the Florida Panhandle to assess the path of destruction left in the wake of Hurricane Michael. The cost of lives and the loss of homes and businesses is incalculable at this time. What we do know is there are tens of thousands suffering without water, electricity, and shelter.

Sunday evening, October 14, 2018, Hillsdale’s first Disaster Relief Team arrived in Panama City with a large box truck filled with pallets of bottled water, non-perishable canned goods, paper goods, including diapers, and cleaning supplies.

Hillsdale’s team is:

  • Distributing bottled water and food to areas where no aid has reached to date.
  • Assisting families with removing downed trees from rooftops and driveways.
  • Identifying smaller outlying coastal towns that have received no assistance.
  • Giving aid and comfort.

Our current goal is to send two additional teams to the Florida Panhandle. Our first team is staged in Panama City at two sites: Central Baptist Church and Lighthouse Baptist Church.  I have been advised our second and third teams will thrust out from Panama City to small coastal towns devastated by the hurricane.

Our fellow Floridians are desperate for pallets of water, cases of non-perishable foods, paper goods (including diapers), and cleaning supplies. We welcome all donations, both financial assistance and cases of water and non-perishable goods.

For financial donations, go to Hillsdale’s website, www.HillsdaleBaptist.org, find the Donations button in the upper righthand corner, and follow instructions listing your gift under “Other” and typing in Disaster Relief (your financial donations are tax-deductible and anonymous to this pastor unless you communicate with me directly).

You have this pastor’s assurance that all donations will go directly to Hillsdale’s Disaster Relief Effort in the Florida Panhandle.

With the heart of a shepherd,

Dr. Travis D. Smith

Senior Pastor

Hillsdale Baptist Church