Lawrence County residents affected by recent floods got some help cleaning up this week.

Volunteers from the Mud-Out Unit, a part of the Southern Baptist Association’s disaster relief programs, have been working in the area since last week.

“We feel the calling of the Lord to go out and help people,” Scott Klepinger, team leader, said.

Klepinger and his wife Debbie come from New Carlisle. Other members of the group came from Lewisburg and Loveland. Sixteen people from the group have worked in the area at different times this week.

“Some could only give us an afternoon, some one day. Some two days,” Klepinger said. Others came for a few days, left and came back.

The team worked on three houses on State Route 93, County Road 128 and County Road 108 that were damaged in recent flooding. The workers have cleaned out mud from basements and removed rotting material from the houses.

Klepinger said more than helping to repair damaged houses, the project gives them a chance to talk to people about their faith.

“This is what we do but the Lord Jesus Christ tells us to spread the word,” he said. “This gives us an opportunity to go out and talk to people.”

The team, which has been spending nights at First Baptist Church in Ironton, plans to go home today.

“You can only last so long and I dare say that every one of us is over 60,” he said.

In their three years of involvement with the team, the Klepingers have been to several natural disaster sites including areas damaged by flooding, tornados and hurricanes.

Larry Bays, of Loveland, has been involved in the team for two years.

“We share Christ, that’s our main goal, just to help people and to give people a cup of cold water in Jesus’ name,” Bays said.