The roar of chainsaws and scent of fresh mulch fill the air as the team slowly but steadily cuts, gathers, and processes each fallen branch and limb through a large woodchipper. It’s hard and heavy work—yet the day is punctuated with smiles and good conversation. This team is serving with joy.
Between March 28 and 30, prolonged freezing rain dumped as much as an inch and a half of ice across wide swathes of central Ontario, toppling more than 2,300 hydro poles and making it the most severe weather event in the province since the historic ice storm of 1998. Fallen trees blocked road access and caused widespread damage to thousands of properties.
Off the highway just outside the town of Lindsay, orange shirts can be spotted across the property on a small family farm as a Samaritan’s Purse team clears debris.
Towering maple trees fronting the large barn were planted as saplings by the homeowners when they bought the property more than 30 years ago. As thick ice weighed down every limb, branches snapped like twigs, and one of the trees cracked at the trunk.
Two Samaritan’s Purse team volunteers clearing debris from a home.
Grateful for Help
The size and scale of the debris was beyond the capacity of municipal services to address and left the homeowners unable to access their barn or farm property. They are so grateful to receive help from Samaritan’s Purse.
The roar of chainsaws and scent of fresh mulch fill the air as the team slowly but steadily cuts, gathers, and processes each fallen branch and limb through a large woodchipper. It’s hard and heavy work—yet the day is punctuated with smiles and good conversation. This team is serving with joy.
Under the direction of Phil, an experienced arborist from Huntsville, Ontario, who has been serving with Samaritan’s Purse for nearly seven years, the cracked tree is carefully dismantled in sections using a process called “tree rigging.” Each piece is methodically cut and then lowered to the ground using a system of ropes and pulleys. Watching from a safe distance, the homeowners are visibly relieved to see it come down safely.
During a disaster response, Samaritan’s Purse teams have many opportunities to hear residents’ stories and show them God’s love.
Volunteers loading branches onto a truck to haul away from the area.
Finding Eternal Hope
Eric,* another homeowner in the area, desperately needed that love. After his home was damaged in the storm, he had also received devastating medical results.
God brought our volunteers to Eric’s side at the right time. They removed fallen trees from his property and took time to sit, listen, and talk. Before leaving, our team presented Eric with a Bible signed with encouragement from each member.
Later that day, the team returned to check on Eric. As they continued their conversations from earlier, our volunteers had the privilege of praying with Eric as he decided to put his trust in Jesus Christ. Praise God!
Less than a month after losing his wife, Dean* was also struggling emotionally and physically to manage the storm cleanup on his own. After hearing about Samaritan’s Purse through a family member, Dean was grateful to receive help clearing debris from his property. That Sunday, he decided to go to church—his first time attending in more than 15 years!
Reconnecting with church was also an unforeseen blessing for Sarah,* who loves the Lord but has had a hard time finding a local congregation where she felt at home. As our Samaritan’s Purse team worked on Sarah’s property, Rapid Response Team chaplains from the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association of Canada connected with her and located a church in Sarah’s community. They attended together the following Sunday. Sarah is delighted with her new church; this week, she is bringing a friend who doesn’t yet know Jesus.
As our team prepares to go home, they are grateful for the doors God has opened during this response. When asked what he loves about serving with Samaritan’s Purse, Perry—who drove nearly four hours from Pembroke, Ontario, to serve—answers without any hesitation.
“We’re God’s hands and feet,” he says.
“Jesus said to go out into all the earth—and 2000 years later, here we are!”
Please pray for our team as they travel home, and for each Ontario homeowner who was impacted.
