Greenfield parish opens arms for tornado victims
May 22, 2024
A series of tornados and severe weather ripped through central and southwest Iowa May 21 from Red Oak to Elkhart.
Greenfield took the brunt of it.
Still image of drone footage of the tornado that struck Greenfield and surrounding areas (credit Reed Timmer Extreme Meteorologist)
Before day’s end, the faith community of St. John mobilized to provide shelter, food, a place for the community to charge their phones, and rest.
“Initially, we served as a shelter for those affected by property loss and power outages,” said the pastor, Father Philip Yaw Bempong. “Last night, a local pizza truck served free pizza in our parking lot until 9 p.m. They will return this evening.”
Greenfield residents used the parish hall to charge their phones until 10 p.m.
“Our church has been designated as a collection point for nonperishable food and hygiene items, and providing meals,” said Father Bempong. “This morning, we provided breakfast for those impacted and our volunteers. Currently, we are distributing sack lunches, and local volunteers are cooking food in our parking lot.”
The parish is committed to helping as much as it can.
Water bottles, diapers, baby wipes, formula, and assorted baby supplies that have been donated for those impacted by the storms.
“We will continue serving warm meals three times daily and remain open as a place to eat, relax, charge devices, and access necessities such as hygiene products, food and water,” he said.
Volunteers cooking meals to provide local residents with breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
The parish is working closely with law enforcement, the local Emergency Management Agency, and other organizations. Roads into town are closed off by law enforcement so clean-up crews can do their work.
St. John is meeting both physical and spiritual needs. Father Bempong has been spending time with victims, offering prayers and reassurance as needed. A native of Ghana, he has never seen the kind of destruction the tornado wrought on his community.
The May 21 tornado damage came about a month after another tornado swept through Pottawattamie and Shelby Counties.
Many parishes want to support those who are suffering.
The Diocese of Des Moines is doing a damage assessment, inviting all pastors and parishes to send to the Communications Office what kind of damage their communities sustained and how the Diocese might be of assistance.
While we are aware of the massive destruction that took place in Greenfield, we know that these storms cut a path of ruin through the heart of the Diocese. We want to be sure we are aware of and responding to everyone who suffered appropriately as we rally around Greenfield and all those who woke up hurting this morning.
For example, there is extensive damage to farmland and farm equipment. Fathers Trevor Chicoine and Brad Robey rode around their four parishes in the central part of the Diocese. They found that lots of water moved through and took with it a lot of topsoil, eroding a good bit of the planted crop. Many fields have pools of standing water.
The worst damage was a few miles south of St. Timothy in Reno approaching the little town of Carbon. A tornado tore through the countryside and leveled at least two farms clean through to the ground.
"Everything’s gone; just piles of rubble," said Father Chicoine. "Power lines and utility poles were thrown about as if they were children’s toys in an unkempt playroom." St. Timothy Church at Reno was still without power as were many parishioners as of Wednesday afternoon.
Bishop William Joensen will be with the Greenfield community on Saturday celebrating the 5 p.m. Mass at St. John Parish.