Emergency ministry group visits Clarksville to provide assistance,
comfort.

The Emergency Ministry Services arrived in Clarksville Thursday to
offer whatever assistance is needed and to provide comfort and
spiritual support. This disaster response ministry from Southern
California.
The group provides training in disaster response to equip the church to
respond to crisis events, disasters and environmental or ecological
catastrophes.
Some of the EMS outreach services in addition to training include
chaplaincy, counseling, incident stress, grief and loss counseling and
speaking engagements to inform the Body of Christ of this unique
ministry.
The group came to the State of Missouri after seeing news of the flood
on television.
Richard Yeomans, pastor and chief chaplain, said the group believes in
using prayer to decide where God wishes them to serve.
“We basically hit three different locations and didn’t feel as if that
was where God wanted us to be. Then, we ran into a young man who works
for the City of Clarksville who told us to go see the mayor because
they could use our help,” Yeomans. “All of us just felt his was the
place for us to be. We went around visiting with people, praying with
people and just letting people vent and kind of tell their story of
what’s happening with their lives.”
In addition, they are assisting to keep the pumps running and
monitoring the walls.
“We have a servant’s heart and just want to do whatever we can to
help,” Yeomans said.
Mandy Hernandez and Ron Shrout serve with Yeomans in Clarksville.
Yeomans said this is their fifth deployment responding to natural
disasters since they began with the ministry in August.
“Everyone has been very receptive to everything we’re doing,” Shrout
said.
Yeomans said everyone has been extremely friendly.
“If you go to California, there is a kind of resistance if someone
doesn’t know you they don’t trust you. But here people have just side
open and express their thanks over and over again,” Yeomans said.
As of Tuesday, the river level in Clarksville was 34.23 feet, and it
was expected to fall to 33 by Thursday, July 3.