Bill Wright is about to descend the stairs into the basement of Marianne’s home in Wallington, N.J., when he pauses to give an etiquette lesson.

In his Southern drawl, Bill tells Marianne the only time it’s OK for a gentleman to walk ahead of a lady is going downstairs.

“So if she falls she’ll land on him,” Bill says.

Marianne laughs, and asks what part of the South he’s from. The Bronx, the North Carolina native replies.

A few minutes ago, Marianne was weighed down by anxiety. Her home was damaged by floodwaters from Hurricane Irene. She’s afraid there is mold growing in the basement. Her brother lives down there. He refuses to move upstairs with Marianne and their aging mother, and she is worried about his health. She is worried about water damage. She didn’t know where to turn for help.

But now, this Southern gentleman with the silver beard, folksy humor, and easy manner has put her at ease. He assures her that God loves her, and that Samaritan's Purse will do everything we can to help.

“We’re there to give them hope, to let them know that the light at the end of the tunnel is not an on-rushing train,” Bill said. “We’re there to love them and let them know God has not forgotten them.”




Bill deployed when Samaritan's Purse responded to Hurricane Irene in New Bern, North Carolina. He soon moved to our base in Wayne, N.J., and stayed there for about four weeks until we wrapped up our work last weekend.

Bill isn’t retired, or independently wealthy. He’s a volunteer who takes time—without pay—from his job as a truck driver in King’s Mountain, N.C., to work with Samaritan's Purse.

“I have a very kind, understanding boss,” he said.

He has volunteered with Samaritan's Purse at least 18 times since 2005, when he helped with our Hurricane Katrina response. He’s done a little of everything—chainsaw work, patching roofs, mud-outs, team leader. These days, he mostly serves as an assessor.

When the Samaritan's Purse team arrives at a disaster site and begins to receive calls from storm victims who need assistance, assessors visit the home to determine the extent of the damage and to see how we can help. They write a work order, which is then given to a volunteer team.




The job requires an eye for detail, knowledge of the work that needs to be done, and thorough familiarity with Samaritan's Purse procedures and how we can help. Bill has all that, plus something even more important. An attitude of love and caring.

“You want to work on the house, but it’s about more than that,” Bill said. “It’s a ministry. The assessors are normally the first people to make face-to-face contact. God uses these things to get us into a home. A lot of times they don’t know Jesus. It’s giving you an opportunity to witness. It’s being able to show God’s love.”

Bill takes his time with every homeowner. He could do a quick walk-through, jot down notes, and move on. Instead, he begins a conversation, and lets them tell their story.

“It’s best to not be in a hurry, to take as long as you need with each homeowner,” he said. “Sometimes it’s not about the damage. They just want somebody to talk to, somebody to listen.”




In New Jersey, some homeowners had more than a foot of water inside their house. Others had a few inches in their basement. All received assurances from Bill.

“Whether you had 5 inches of water in your house or 5 feet, you have been damaged and your world has been turned upside down,” he said. “We want to come and show the love of Jesus. Jesus never said you’re only paralyzed in one leg and someone else is paralyzed more, so I’m not going to help you.”

When the assessment is complete, Bill has one more task. He prays with the homeowner, asking for God’s help, protection, and blessing.

A Samaritan's Purse team will arrive soon to begin the physical work. The spiritual foundation already has been laid.