(5/10) The worst storm in 70 years hit the Oklahoma City metro area early Monday evening (5/3) doing more than three quarters of a billion dollars in damage and claiming more than 40 lives. All but one of the missing persons reported have been accounted for.

The killer storm was only one of seven separate storms tracked across the Oklahoma City area. All seven storms had at least one tornado reported; two of them, including the killer, had multiple vortices. In all, 76 tornadoes were reported on May 3rd, making it one of the biggest tornado days in history.

The Resource Development Center of the IPHC, located in a northwest Oklahoma City suburb of Bethany, escaped the effects of the killer storm. At one point during the evening, one tornado was projected to pass directly through Bethany, but veered off toward the north.

Family and friends of RDC employees lost their homes in the storm. Thankfully, no severe injuries or loss of life have been reported. One family member, who had taken shelter in a hallway of his house, reported the roof was ripped off, the house moved off its foundations and into the back yard and the auto from the garage ended up where the kitchen used to be.

Students at Southwestern College have also been directly affected by the storm. One student reported the destruction of the apartment complex where she and her daughter lived. Her daughter was unharmed.

None of our local churches suffered damage; however, thirty (30) families from IPHC churches had their homes completely destroyed. One older couple from one of our churches was killed in the storm. Many others have reported some kind of damage, but their homes can be salvaged. The Heartland Conference has opened its campgrounds for shelter for those affected by the storm damage. The Mobile Kitchen, operated by the IPHC Disaster Relief USA ministry, is here to help provide hot food for relief workers clearing the debris left by the storm. The RDC employees are participating in clothing and food drives, as well as giving cash contributions and volunteer time to help those in need.

You can help, too. Disaster Relief USA, a ministry of the IPHC, has created a special relief fund to assist in the recovery and rebuilding in Oklahoma City and surrounding areas.