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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