Giving Hope to the Hopeless
When news reports flash across TV with stories of lives, homes and businesses lost to devastating floods, tornadoes or wildfires, some people may say a prayer and think,“ There but for the grace of God …”
Cheryl Wettlaufer, a dermatology nurse at Baylor Scott & White Clinic – Round Rock, believes that because of God’ s grace, she should not only send prayers, but go to hardhit areas to offer aid.
“ God wants us to walk in others’ shoes, and that means doing whatever I can to help people – physically, emotionally and spiritually,” says Cheryl, who is a weekend disaster-relief warrior with the Austin Disaster Relief Network( ADRN) – a network of 165 churches that aids survivors through the disaster-recovery process.
As volunteers, Cheryl and her husband responded to the fires in Bastrop last fall that burned 4,500 acres. When devastating floods displaced thousands in the Baton Rouge area this summer, the couple canceled their vacation and deployed to Louisiana.
“ We didn’ t hesitate to change our plans. The moment we learned ADRN volunteers were headed to Louisiana, we had to go too,” Cheryl explains.
Physical labor is just one way Cheryl contributes. She is also a critical incident stress management resource, helping people deal with the stress and emotions that stem from tragedies.
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