Samaritan’s Purse serves families suffering after devastating flooding in Whatcom County.
Jess Horn, his brother, and their aging parents were trapped in the top story of their home. A helicopter whirred outside the upstairs window as they prepared to crawl out to safety above the flooding.
“Shingles were flying off the roof and everything from the helicopter blades. It was scary. My mother got out, and they raised her up,” Jess explained.
He helped lift his 88-year-old mother through the window so she could be strapped into the harness attached to the helicopter. Within just a few hours, their house had become an island in a current of dangerous flood waters.
Earlier in the day, the family planned to hunker down and ride out the storm, but, as the water swelled, their situation became more desperate. Jess described how in just a minute the water rose a foot, in just the time it took him to get from the bathroom to the stairs.
volunteers presented homeowner Tom Horn with a Billy Graham Training Center Bible signed as a reminder of the hope found in Jesus Christ.
“There were washers, dryers, and refrigerators floating around. They blocked the doors, so we couldn’t get out; we were actually trapped upstairs. The only way out was through the window into the helicopter,” Jess said.
From the roof, each member of the family was taken up in a metal basket attached to the helicopter. They were brought to dry ground, and though they were safe, they knew the community and home they would return to, would not be the same.
Samaritan’s Purse Teams Arrive to Help
Samaritan’s Purse deployed to Whatcom County, Washington on Monday, December 12, after historic flooding inundated large portions of North Washington. Less than two weeks away from Christmas, Sumas and surrounding farming communities are still reeling from the impact.
Working room by room, volunteers helped clear what the waters had destroyed
Jess and his family were born and raised in Sumas Washington, about 10 minutes away from the Canadian border. They have experienced many floods through the years, especially Tom Horn, their patriarch.
“I’ve gone through every flood they’ve had in Sumas since 1936, but this one topped them all,” Tom said.
Sonlight Community Church, Samaritan’s Purse host church for this deployment, had been housing some neighbors who had been displaced by the flooding. When our teams arrived, we met the Horns and they let us know they needed help. We worked on their home for the first three days of the response. Volunteers pulled out furniture, stripped away wet drywall, and cleaned the muddy floors.
When the work was completed, we presented them with a Bible signed by our teams. They were grateful and said they considered our teams as dear friends .
We’re Back
Mary Grant, her daughter April, and their family, like so many, did not expect the flooding to be severe. But, after their town issued a weather warning, they began to watch the river closely.
Surrounded by mud and debris left behind by floodwaters, Samaritan’s Purse volunteers paused to pray with homeowner Mary Grant—lifting her, her home, and her community before the Lord.
“I think it was nearing noon when the alarms went off saying we had two hours to evacuate town,” Mary said. “Water was coming in, so we had to grab things that we were going to need. We left. The waters came in and flooded the whole town.”
Four years ago, this same area experienced devastating flooding. Mary explained that rain in the mountains causes accumulated snow to melt and fill the rivers until they overflow. That affects the people in the flood plain below.
Mary remembers when Samaritan’s Purse came to Washington in 2021 and helped her, among many others.
Across muddy yards and water-soaked neighborhoods in Sumas, Washington, volunteers hauled ruined insulation and debris away from homes overwhelmed by rising rivers.
“We got flooded in 2021, and at first, we weren’t getting any help,” Mary said. “Then we ran into somebody from Samaritan’s Purse, and they were right over here the next day helping us.”
This week, our volunteers worked alongside Mary and her family once again, helping to pull out damaged furniture, rip out damp flooring and drywall, and shovel mud out of her home.
“The first thing my husband said when the house flooded was ‘Oh, I hope they come out again.’ And, yes, his prayers were answered. You all are here,” Mary said.
“Sometimes I feel like I’m being punished, but then I remind myself, no, God’s here wrapping His arms around us while we’re in this process,” Mary said.
Samaritan’s Purse volunteers worked shoulder to shoulder—scraping floors, tearing out soaked drywall, and hauling debris from room to room.
The first time this happened, Mary didn’t know where to begin. But this time, through the instruction she was given by our teams in 2021, she knew how to get started, and our teams were not far behind, ready to serve her once again.
“I love the fact that we can do this in Jesus’ Name,” said Karen VerBurg, a volunteer from the nearby town of Bellingham. “I just feel so compelled by Him to help wherever I can, and I’m just thankful I have that chance. I have wanted to work with Samaritan’s Purse for a long time.”
Crawling beneath flooded homes, Samaritan’s Purse volunteers removed saturated insulation and standing water that threatened long-term damage. Working in tight, cold conditions, they served in Jesus’ Name.
Each day this week, volunteers have gone out to serve those like Mary, Jess, and Tom in these communities–all in the Name of Jesus. Many from the communities surrounding Whatcom County have come out to volunteer with Samaritan’s Purse. They are helping their neighbors—sacrificing time with their families and time preparing for Christmas to be near to those who’ve lost so much.
It is often in life’s storms, when the flood waters surround us and we have nowhere else to go, that we cling to Christ and the Lord uses His people to be His hands and feet.
Please be praying for these families and the significant loss they have experienced. Pray for our volunteers as they continue to serve in cold, wet conditions and remember all the communities still recovering–that they may know more of God’s love and restoration.
