By Susan Sumrall, Stated Clerk, Presbytery of Mississippi
March 24, 2023 – It was a dark and stormy night… NO, it wasn’t; the high school prom was that night. People had gathered for Friday night dinner at Chuck’s Dairy Bar. It was life as usual until about 8:00 P.M. when the heavens opened and the tornado(s) blew through the town of Rolling Fork, MS, killing 14 and destroying 80-85% of the small Mississippi Delta town. Two hundred sixty (260) of the approximately 500 structures were destroyed.
The Presbytery of Mississippi has no congregations in the area but has partnered with an organization called Rolling Fork Rising to help rebuild the community. Through grants from Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA), we have paid the salary of their construction superintendent since December, 2023.
Now, almost two years after that night, this is the progress update: The fourth house will be dedicated and turned over to the new owners on February 25, 2025. Four more foundations are ready and seven more foundations are being poured in the week of February 24, 2025.
As of February 14, 2025, House #7 has the walls and roof on; house #8 has the walls and trusses up; and house #9 has the walls up.
After the dedication of the fourth house, the punch list (things left to do) for house #5 will be worked through. The exciting part is this is “The Presbytery of Mississippi House” in recognition of our work in the community.
Since the storm struck, the presbytery and our churches have provided cleaning supplies, bottled water, and canned goods; school supplies and uniforms for the public school system; handmade quilts for the nursing home residents; and the PW Casserole Caravan sends casseroles for the first night that a volunteer group arrives in Rolling Fork. This is in addition to financial contributions made to Rolling Fork Rising.
Rolling Fork Rising constructs homes which they sell to new homeowners following their application, training, and approval. The homes are 1,200-1,500 square feet and sell for approximately $75,000 on a 20-year loan with zero percent interest.
There is little or no disaster assistance for renters; it is the owners of the property who receive the benefits. Before the tornado, approximately 68% of the population of Rolling Fork were renters. Rolling Fork Rising is turning former renters into proud homeowners.
It is exciting to see God at work in Rolling Fork and to see the resiliency of the town and its people despite losing so much. The Presbytery of Mississippi is pleased to be a part of these efforts and looks forward to a long-time partnership with the area.