After monstrous Winter Storm Fern moved out of North Mississippi over the weekend, Eight Days of Hope rolled out of Tupelo and headed to nearby Oxford, the picturesque college town that got hit hard by ice accumulations measuring over an inch.
Eight Days founder Steve Tybor told American Family News the ice storm was so bad in Oxford that 80 percent of its homes still have no power from downed power lines. Almost half of Oxford’s homes, he estimates, have tree damage from the crushing weight of the ice.
“With this power outage that, as of this morning, was still affecting 120,000 families in Mississippi, the need for food was great,” he said.
Eight Days quickly ramped up one of its ministries, its feeding ministry, and started handing out meals.
“We very quickly made thousands of meals, shipped them out, connected with some churches, some fire departments,” he advised, “and were able to bring food to those who didn't have the means to go get food themselves.”
On the scene in Oxford, AFN spoke to Eight Days volunteer Emma James. After serving beans for one meal, and handing out butter the next, she quickly learned to jump in and help wherever the help is needed.
“This is my first experience with their mass feeding,” she said. “It's very easy. If you can hold a spoon, you can serve.”
Tybor advised that Eight Days is accepting more volunteers in Oxford for the mass feeding ministry, which is on the scene now. It is also accepting volunteers for its “Rapid Response” crews that will help with clean-up in coming days and weeks.
The volunteer sign-ups can be found here.
