Larry & Elaine Koch on American Samoa

Kentuckians Larry and Elaine Koch are now on their way back home after serving for the past three months as coordinators for Southern Baptist Disaster Relief teams working in American Samoa to help the people there recover from a devastating earthquake-generated tsunami that swept the island last September. Larry is retired as disaster relief associate for the KBC and Elaine, a nurse, is a seasoned disaster relief volunteer. The couple coordinated volunteer teams from Southern Baptist state conventions for the North American Mission Board.

Even though the Kochs are coming home, the work goes on. They turn over the coordinating role to Clara and Russell Hohmann of the Utah/Idaho Baptist Convention. Here’s what Elaine had to say about their departure in a recent e-mail:

“Our time is short now, less than a week and we are facing our departure with mixed feelings. Sure, we are anxious to get home to family, friends, and church but it will be hard to say goodbye (“fa” or “fa fa” in Samoan) to so many who have endeared themselves to us. The heat and humidity have been real tests and that is one thing we will not miss, but God has made it possible for us to endure. We go home to new challenges and to serve through Kentucky Baptist Disaster Relief, Kentucky Changers, our church and other opportunities as well. Our prayer is that somehow we have touched some life in such a way that God will be honored, some soul saved, or some believer challenged to walk closer to Him.”

As of March 31, Southern Baptist Disaster Relief volunteers have contributed 1,526 volunteer days to American Samoa and have seen 19 professions of faith on the small island.

Thank you, Larry and Elaine, for a job well done!

To see a photo album of the Kochs’ time on American Samoa, visit the Kentucky Baptist Convention’s Facebook page at: www.facebook.com/kybaptist.

– Robert Reeves