Columbus Christian counselor Nita Evans figured the eastern Kentucky flood victims and western Kentucky tornado victims, many of whom lost everything, needed something to hold onto spiritually. And Evans, a former Republic Faith section columnist who moonlights in disaster relief work, figured Scripture was a good place to start.
So she began raising money in early November for Bibles after returning from volunteer work in both parts of the state, counseling families struggling with loss and trauma.
In about four weeks, south central Indiana donors raised $6,515 while the Kentucky state chapter of Gideons International then provided 5,212 pocket New Testaments with Psalms and Proverbs to those families.
Evans acknowledged that she was overwhelmed with local residents’ response, complete with strangers approaching her in the grocery store to hand her cash for the cause. Some gave a $100 bill.
“I think people realize that we were putting God’s word into people’s hands,” Evans said. “But my overall reaction is that I am awestruck because our community already had given so much in money, food and clothes to these families.”
One of the more challenging aspects for Evans was seeing families still quite traumatized weeks after the disasters. Some in eastern Kentucky especially were not accustomed to opening up to strangers despite their obvious need. Truth be told, Evans acknowledged that she is often out of her element on these disaster relief excursions.
“But I think God just opened doors for me,” Evans said. “And I’m willing to do whatever it is that he asks me to do.”
Locally, Evans provides free counseling to ministry, military and law enforcement families. Most recently, much of her toughest work has been helping local families deal with addiction issues of younger family members.
Teddy Woods, vice president of Kentucky State Gideons International, worked with Evans on the Bible outreach.
“Whenever there’s a disaster, we’re there,” Woods said, adding that the ministry never seeks publicity or attention.
