A faith-based disaster recovery ministry continues its work in eastern North Carolina as it approaches the three-year anniversary of Hurricane Irene.

The United Methodist Disaster Recovery Ministry has been on the ground in eastern North Carolina since September 2011, rebuilding over 600 homes and building 10 new houses after Hurricane Irene. UMC Disaster Response Superintendent Rev. Cliff Harvell heads up multiple UMC Disaster Recovery projects across the region, and while work is being done to help victims of the April 25 tornadoes, he says the organization is still finishing up jobs from Irene.

The projects are funded through several channels: tax-based aide the homeowner receives from the state and federal governments, grants and donations from churches, individuals and other organizations, Harvell said. However, one of the most invaluable components of the entire campaign — its volunteers — has kept the projects going, Harvell said.

“The United Methodist Disaster Recovery is connected to the United Methodist Church,” Harvell said. “We are connected to all Methodist churches around the world. When disaster strikes, we are able to connect and handle it together.”

Harvell said the organization has had volunteer teams from 40 states and four provinces in Canada, which Harvell says solidifies its faith connection.

“I thank God that there are people who live in this country that look at their neighbor as not just someone who lives next door or across the street and who have caring hearts and look at those 3,000 miles away who are in need of help as neighbors,” Harvell said. “We have stepped out and set up this operation and we’re committed to bring in funding. We are enabling other people to answer the call God has given in their lives to help others. It’s not just pastors who are called into ministry.

This past week, the UMDR has hosted teams from Cherokee and Lexington, Harvell said. The team from Cherokee will send reinforcements that will arrive on Sunday and work next week. Projects continue on Whichard’s Beach Road, as well as several sites in Beaufort County and others across eastern North Carolina.

Harvell said the disaster recovery projects have received so much volunteer involvement due to the setup of the organization’s operation. The long-term recovery has been structured by what Harvell refers to as his “Field of Dreams” philosophy, a spin-off of the movie’s phrase, “If you build it, they will come.” Through the help of the organization’s funding and networking, Harvell has several long-term recovery facilities, which house the volunteer teams during their stints in aiding in the recovery. The fact the organization has accommodations at these facilities, giving the teams a place to cook, eat, fellowship and sleep, goes a long way, Harvell said.

“I always tell people, ‘If we build the right operation, the right facility, in the right way, then the teams will come and they’ll keep coming,’” Harvell said. “If you get them a good night’s rest, they’ll give you a good day’s work. They want to make a difference in someone’s life because they feel that’s what they’ve been called to do. They keep coming back because we set up the operation right and they know they’ll have those components to look for and they know we’ll have the work for them to do.”

If you would like to volunteer or donate, call the volunteer coordinator at 1-888-440-9167 or 919-610-8018, email at disasterresponse@nccumc.org or write to North Carolina Conference of United Methodist Church Disaster Response Committee at 120 Satchwell Rd, Grimesland, N.C. 27837.