A woman in western North Carolina received a camper and vehicle from Samaritan’s Purse.
The water continued to rise and Sherri Hughes panicked. She was visiting her sister when they suddenly noticed that the floor was wet. Before long, it was soaked.
Samaritan’s Purse provided Sherri with a car and a camper after she lost both home and vehicle in the flood.
“When we looked out the door, we saw nothing but water. I thought we were gonna die,” she said.
She could see across the street to her apartment and realized that her car was already under water. It wouldn’t take long for the water to begin surging through her apartment.
Sherri and her sister were trapped, with nothing to do except wait and pray that a rescue boat arrived before it was too late. She called Aunt Punky, her prayer warrior.
Over the phone, as Sherri watched the water rise and rise, they cried out together to God for His mercy.
Not Forgotten in Carolina
Sherri is one of thousands of western North Carolina residents who were left devastated by the ravages of Hurricane Helene. Her car and home, and nearly all of her belongings, were taken by the storm.
Our team celebrated with her all that God has done in her life.
“There was mold everywhere in the apartment,” she said. “I didn’t have any clothes, shoes, or food left.”
She was forced to bounce back and forth between a homeless shelter and the homes of family and friends.
Still, with nothing left, her focus wasn’t on herself but on how she could care for other residents in her community. She joined Aunt Punky in her church’s van to deliver food and water to help meet the overwhelming needs of other hurting people.
A few months later, still living out of homeless shelters and off the goodwill of others, reality began to set in for Sherri. She didn’t know how to restart her life or move forward.
“I was despondent,” she said. “I started having panic attacks. I felt like I was looking up from the bottom of a deep well and I couldn’t reach the top.”
I felt like I was looking up from the bottom of a deep well and I couldn’t reach the top.
Sherri feared that in her despair she would return to her destructive habits of drugs and alcohol. She had turned to alcohol five years ago after her 27-year-old son was killed. Instead of dulling her pain, drinking only sent her into a deeper depression. About two years ago, God rescued her from those strongholds. Praise God that He protected her from returning to them after the storm. In the catastrophic wake of Helene, the Lord’s voice overcame the others she had formerly been tempted to follow.
“As long as I’m alive, I have purpose,” she said. “I will always glorify God in everything I do.”
In recent years, in places where Sherri has lived, she’s placed notecards, on ceilings and bathroom mirrors, filled with Scripture, songs, and encouraging words to help keep her heart and mind focused on Christ. One of the most meaningful notecards reads “God still sees me.”
God Sees and Provides
Sherri didn’t know how it would happen, but she trusted that her Savior would meet her needs after Helene. Then, one day, He showed up in a very tangible way. A friend encouraged her to reach out to Samaritan’s Purse. “Before I knew it, y’all showed up and the blessings kept flying in,” Sherri said.
Our teams have been hard at work in Jesus’ Name for months cleaning up homes and properties, replacing mobile homes, repairing bridges and culverts, replacing furniture, and starting rebuild efforts.
In addition, we are providing homeowners with campers so they have a place to live after losing their houses. We’re also replacing vehicles destroyed in the storm.
Before I knew it, y’all showed up and the blessings kept flying in
Sherri was overwhelmed when she learned that Samaritan’s Purse was going to provide her a camper and a vehicle. “I’m blessed beyond measure,” she said. “I cannot even explain how thankful I am.” She received both, with no strings attached, at the end of April.
Sherri, like each recipient of a new vehicle or camper, was also gifted a Billy Graham Training Center Bible signed by Samaritan’s Purse staff.
The day Sherri received her Toyota Corolla, she couldn’t stop smiling and praising God, even breaking into song several times throughout the morning.
“I feel like I can breathe again,” she said. “I’m gonna be singing all day—I already know it.”
Staff chaplain John Freyler blessed Sherri with the gift of a Billy Graham Training Center Bible signed by members of our team.
