Dennis and Cindy have been part of the Helps Ministries family for many years. At first, Dennis served out of our Asheville home office overseeing MedEquip, a project that sourced, refurbished, and distributed quality medical equipment to areas in need around the world. In 2009, the McCutcheons realized that God was calling them to Guatemala to serve under Vine International – receiving and distributing supplies and medical equipment to ministries in the area.
After several years, Vine International no longer needed Dennis and Cindy to receive containers of equipment. Yet with a heart for the fatherless, the McCutcheons still felt called to continue ministering in Guatemala. They partnered again with Helps, focusing their efforts on the local relationships they had built. The poured into their home fellowship, and served prisoners, vulnerable children, and others in need through local ministries.
After the pandemic arrived in 2020, life and ministry around the globe changed drastically. With some of their ministry doors starting to close in Guatemala, Dennis and Cindy sensed that God was leading them on to a new chapter. They also realized that returning to Western North Carolina would give them an opportunity to help their youngest daughter, Peggy, a foster mother to four children. Prayerfully, they decided to close their chapter of 15 years in Guatemala this year.
Dennis and Cindy arrived home in Swannanoa, NC on September 26. They had not even unpacked their belongings as the rains and winds began to strengthen; Hurricane Helene was arriving that night, too.
“Most missionaries, when they come home for a sabbatical or come off the field, take some time to rest, relax, and recover. That wasn’t in God’s plan for us,” Dennis mused.
Peggy, also in Swannanoa, called her parents the next morning in a panic – her water pump had failed and there was flooding in her home. Emergency workers came and told her to evacuate. Dennis and Cindy had no vehicle and were unable to come help, but they told Peggy to heed the warnings and leave. Then, the cell towers went dark.
Most of us in the Asheville area experienced similar feelings of helplessness – unable to communicate, travel, or learn how our friends or family members were doing. Many of us didn’t know the extent of the devastation in our region for days. Dennis and Cindy, not knowing if Peggy or any of their other children and grandchildren were safe or even alive, felt that same sense of loss of control – a reminder that they, like all of us, must always depend on God.
The Swannanoa River, typically not much more than a stream, overflowed its banks that day by over 26 feet. The French Broad River in Asheville also flooded nearly 25 feet. Homes, businesses, vehicles, and even entire neighborhoods were washed away by floodwaters and landslides. Power, water, and cell service was cut off for the entire region. A boil advisory remained in place for nearly two months. Most tragically, there were over 100 confirmed deaths in Western North Carolina alone.
Thankfully, Peggy and her family did make it out of Swannanoa and to a shelter by bus. It took three hours for the bus driver to make it across town. Peggy’s home suffered damage, but was not destroyed. Dennis and Cindy, along with many in our home office and throughout the community, got right to work. Peggy and her family moved in for a month while her home underwent cleanup and repairs – eight people crammed into a small house with no running water.
Jeff and Heather Pott jumped in to serve with Operation Blessing, distributing food and water in Asheville, and even hosting one of their team leaders from New Jersey. Paul Kendall teamed up with The Red Truck Men, rising before dawn every morning to serve breakfast in Black Mountain and Swannanoa. Nick Slagle, who had also served alongside the McCutcheons in Guatemala, helped with the emergency response, debris cleanup, and repairs. Many of our churches pivoted to serve as relief hubs.
“From the beginning, everyone was in the same boat. Some lost more, but everyone helped each other,” Cindy recalled. “It didn’t matter if you were Democrat, Republican, or anything, there were no thoughts about it. People took the time to make sure their neighbors were ok and could get the help they needed.”
The McCutcheons were surprised to hear that their friends expected them to be upset about the timing of the disaster upon their return from Guatemala. Instead, Dennis responded, “God’s here, and He’s in control.”
Indeed, God sent scores of people to help. Family members drove in with generators, chainsaws, bottled water, and other supplies. Friends came from out of state to serve wherever they could. Those located outside of the area searched for updates and resources online, getting critical information back to those in the disaster zone while internet access was down. Relief organizations showed up. Linemen came from Canada to help get power restored. Strangers from Charlotte even came to haul trash out of the area.
At Helps Ministries, we are constantly amazed at the privilege we have of serving ministries and missionaries all around the world. We are humbled at the opportunity to play a small, yet critical role in growing and advancing God’s kingdom, coming alongside believers like the Dennis and Cindy, helping them to serve in whichever way God calls them.
“The nation will move on and forget about this,” Dennis says. “There will be other disasters and news events. But we’re still here, and it’s a good time to share Jesus. It’s a God-sized problem, and God will use His people.”
We know many of our friends and supporters have gone through this disaster with us – perhaps even you, your friends, or family. Helene was a reminder that we all have an important role as we follow God’s leading and serve, both in our local community and in partnership with ministries around the world.