Toni (above left) was just one of many members of the Sipsey community who were greatly affected by the tornado. Volunteers and workers from Restore Sipsey help rebuild destroyed homes (above).

Restoring Hope in a Small Town

Posted September 9, 2011

TONI, A STORM SURVIVOR in the small town of Sipsey, Ala., often has flashbacks of that terrible evening. On April 27, a tornado ripped through, terrifying everyone in its path and leaving her and her daughter, Haley, with nothing remaining of their house but the foundation.

But these days it is often hope, rather than fear, which causes her sleepless nights. On Fridays she’s just too excited to rest as she anticipates the Saturday arrival of volunteers from Restore Sipsey Co-op, an interdenominational cooperative among churches, which are working to rebuild her house.

Restore Sipsey is led by retired Alabama physician Dr. Donnie Cantley who cut his teeth in relief work nearly 20 years ago by taking part in missions to Jamaica led by his church, Riverchase United Methodist. He later co-founded Isaiahsixeight, an ecumenical, nondenominational mission organization which takes its name from the Bible verse, “Whom shall I send?... Here I am. Send me.” Through Isaiahsixeight, volunteers and supporters expanded their reach to include building houses and schools as well as churches for Jamaica’s desperately needy communities.

When tornadoes ripped through Alabama in April, Donnie saw the need to bring his skills and resources home. He quickly honed in on Sipsey, a tiny community northwest of Birmingham.

“After the tornado, people were so eager to help that some communities were actually overwhelmed with volunteers and supplies,” he says. “I thought, ‘Let’s find a town that isn’t getting much attention and really needs our assistance.’”

Working with a local church, Pisgah Baptist, Donnie and his team identified families like Toni and Haley who lost their homes that day. They also met Ray, who in spite of losing his own trailer, spent the weeks following the storm helping his neighbors clear debris and doing make-shift repairs.

Restore Sipsey Co-op signed on to build brand-new homes for these Sipsey residents. Along the way, they also began building life-changing relationships.

Toni and Ray both say they feel lucky even to have come through the storm alive. Not everyone did. Toni is still mourning the loss of two close neighbors who died that afternoon. But Toni and Ray also believe that the storm brought an unexpected blessing in the form of kinship with people, “who came as strangers but will leave as friends,” Ray explains. 

As Toni puts it, “It’s more than just getting a house. I feel like I’ve met and made a lot of good friends; good Christian people who were willing to give.”

Every Thursday and Friday, Donnie and a small group of volunteers, mostly retirees, come out to work on the houses, which are within a block of each other. On Saturdays, they are joined by a huge crew of volunteers, a group representing several different churches, from various denominations and parts of the country. It’s truly a team effort. For every person who wields a hammer, there’s another who comes just to hand out water bottles or make sandwiches.

“Sometimes someone will say, ‘I can’t do much, but I’ll do whatever I can to help,’” says Ray, who works side-by-side with the volunteers. “I tell them even if they can move a piece of wood, that’s helping.”

On other days, a women’s group from Restore Sipsey Co-Op visits the homeowners to help them select paint colors and ask about their other needs, such as furniture, bed linens, and silverware.

Sometimes they come just to visit. Toni recalls the day she casually commented to one of the women that she had a “shoe fetish” but had lost all but one pair of shoes in the tornado. “A couple of days later, she sent me a brand-new pair of shoes,” she says. “And then they kept giving me more. I’ve almost rebuilt my collection!” Toni says she’s already planning a Girls’ Night to celebrate with her new friends once the house is ready this fall. “I hope one day I’ll be able to give back like this.”

What’s most remarkable about workdays on the construction site is just how unremarkable it seems. Though strictly volunteers, the workers go about their business just like it’s a regular day on the job, but with a quiet sense of a higher calling.

“There’s a saying that you should find where God is working, and go there,” Donnie says. “This is the right place for us to be.” 

For more information on these organizations, visit RestoreSipsey.org and Isaiahsixeight.org.

Donnie Cantley's wife, Michele Cantley, is Chief Information Security Officer for Regions Bank.

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