When floodwaters reached a catastrophic 14.5 metres in Lismore in 2022, the city faced its worst natural disaster in recorded history. People woke in the night with water in their homes, forcing thousands to crawl onto roofs and wait to be rescued. In the aftermath, Convoy of Hope arrived to coordinate a massive relief effort that continued for 18 months.
The 2022 flood was unprecedented. Lismore sits on a floodplain where two rivers meet, and residents were familiar with flooding – but no one imagined the water levels would surpass the 1974 flood by over two metres.
“People had packed to a certain level and then people woke up through the night and they put their legs and their feet out of their bed into water,” recalls Rebekka Battista, associate pastor of CentreChurch Lismore. “It’s pretty devastating.”
When Convoy of Hope arrived, the scene resembled a war zone. Dead livestock, overturned cars, boats in wrong places, and debris covered every street. Locals wandered in a daze, trying to comprehend what had happened to their city.
Convoy of Hope's response was immediate and comprehensive.
After connecting with Rebekka – who had been kayaking down the main street just hours before – the Convoy of Hope team secured the post office as a base and connected with community leaders, church groups, and business partners to coordinate the massive relief effort.
Volunteer Brittany Molloy describes the devastation: “Every house, every street you would look down was just horrific. But being a part of a team that really cared for people and just put everything on the line – everyone dropped whatever they were doing and we were just here and present – was something I can’t really put into words.”
Convoy of Hope provided essential supplies, purchased tens of thousands of dollars’ worth of vouchers from local businesses to distribute to residents, and even used cardboard boxes as temporary wall protection for damaged homes.
Lismore resident, Irene Bailey’s home was flooded up to the windows. She says “Convoy of Hope was our main helper.”
As winter approached, Convoy of Hope provided tents and sleeping bags, setting them up inside gutted homes so families could begin living in their houses again.
Convoy of Hope’s ability to respond quickly comes from their network of hubs across Australia and around the world. Their mobile operation centre – a purpose-built, air-conditioned trailer with kitchen, shower, and toilet facilities – means volunteers aren’t a drain on the already devastated communities they serve.
“Within a couple of weeks, people move on to the next story,” says Joel A’Bell, National Director of Convoy of Hope Australia. “But the devastation was so widespread that we were here for months, up to 18 months, still working with locals.”
For Rebekka, Convoy of Hope's presence meant everything: “It actually gave me hope that someone out there cared.”
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