Rick Green

Welcome to the WallBuilders Show where we're taking on the hot topics of the day from a biblical, historical and constitutional perspective. Rick Green here with David and Tim Barton. A little later in the program we have a pastor in North Carolina. That's right in the middle of some of the worst damage there in Asheville, North Carolina. We're going to get a report from him on the ground and talk about how folks can help David and Tim. Of course you've had a lot of calls with folks and we saw Glenn Beck and JP Decker go out there. There's just a lot more damage than what people are hearing about.

Tim Barton

Yeah, it's so much worse than what has been largely reported or covered. There's people you can follow on social media that have been on the ground. Tim Kennedy is one of many people that I follow on social media and he's with the Sabre Allies. He was there on the ground and he's kind of given day-by-day after-action reports and one of the things he said just a couple of days ago is that the media and even kind of government individuals involved in this are so drastically under-reporting the death toll that is there. And, as he pointed out, the first two, three, four days you're trying to do rescue operations, rescue missions, but once you get to day five you're doing much more of kind of body recovery, where at this point, if you've been without food and water for four days, it's very unusual and unlikely that people are still around. And when you look at some of what is there, the fact that cities are just gone and roads are gone and people some that are are still alive have been trapped in locations where they couldn't get out and couldn't get help and there was no clean water and it's just far worse than, again, the media, the government's reported and then you add into the fact where we have seen the government say, hey, we're sending $157 million over Lebanon, the stuff going on, we're still helping fund so many of the illegal immigrants that are coming across the southern border, but we only have $750 that the government's offering to people that have lost everything. And, as we already heard, and I think we even identified on the show last week where Mayorkas said that that money's even now gone away. It's just.

This is such a tragedy, such a catastrophe, and not just catastrophe in what happened with this the weather, the flooding, the natural disaster. It is the most embarrassing, abysmal response from the government and, as a lot of people pointed out on social media, when FEMA has as one of their number one priorities this idea of equity and this kind of DEI, critical race theory, social justice movement, that they want to give equity in their help and their aid. I mean so many problems, what's going on, but not to focus on the failure of the government right now. What's happened for those people on the ground is beyond what most Americans have any understanding of. Unfortunately, we do know a lot of firsthand things that have happened. We've talked to a lot of people on the ground. Mercury One has been very involved. Our good friend JP Decker, has gone and spent several days there. He went with Glenn Beck, and so we've heard a lot of firsthand reports, but ultimately the media and the government have done a terrible job in covering this and in responding to this disaster.

David Barton

You know the whole region of North Carolina and up through there that's part of the battleground states that are going for the election, and so one of the things that happened was, a few days ago, Chad Conley and I were out doing meetings in those states and going to churches, et cetera, not hearing much in the way of national news, which has left us alone. And so we actually started calling pastors out there, places where we've been churches, we've been to people we knew, and as we were calling pastors, oh man, the stories were, I mean, much more than what we're getting on national news. We're talking one of the pastors and the cadaver dogs are so mixed up because there's so many cadavers they're not able to just track and isolate. On an ascent there are piles of trees and things that have washed up and they're just full of bodies, and so it was just horrific. And then we were talking to Pastor Winston in Asheville, North Carolina. We're going to have him on in just a minute and he's got probably 1,500 in his church and his sanctuary has been totally converted into a housing facility for all the emergency workers there.

And, Tim, as you mentioned, the feds have been MIA in this thing. They're absolutely AWOL, which I don't think is a bad thing, necessarily, because we're used to the feds doing things. Now what we have seen is churches and Christians and groups step up like Glenn Beck, mercury One, and they are knocking it out of the park. They're getting stuff done that I don't think FEMA even knows how to think about.

Tim Barton

Well, and there is more of a federal government response now.

It took them over a week approximately to get there and you have guys, even like Elon Musk, that have identified as he's tried to do things and help on the ground and even get Starlink right, try to help people have the ability to have outside contact.

He's had to fight FEMA along the way, and so, instead of right FEMA working with people that are on the ground and they're trying to help and do things, there have been times this is the first time FEMA's done this there have been times when they have stopped people from trying to do the right thing, so there is more of a government presence there now. It's just taken them so long and there is, unfortunately, in some places, some levels of bureaucracy. Now, fortunately, some of what we heard from Winston is that God's done some miracles to help them in some of those areas of bureaucracy, but he's a person who has had to navigate through this from the very beginning and God is using him in incredible ways, and so we thought we definitely want to get him on the program and let him share part of the story, testimony and then let people know what they can do to help in this situation. 

Rick Green

All right, guys, we're going to take a quick break.

We'll be right back with Pastor Winston Parrish from Asheville, North Carolina.

Rick Green

Welcome back to WallBuilders. Thanks for staying with us. We are really honored. This is not a show to take lightly, folks. This is going to be one you have to take action on. Pastor Winston Parrish is with us and he is in the middle. I mean literally ground zero, right there in North Carolina. Pastor, thanks so much for coming on. Man, I know you've got stuff going every direction possible, but we want to let people know what's going on and find out how they can help. So thank you for your time.

Pastor Winston Parrish

Yes, sir, thank you for being willing to talk with us and more than anything, before we get started, I want to say thank you for praying for Western North Carolina and praying for our people as we continue to heal and to look for our missing people here in Buncombe County and especially in Western North Carolina as a whole.

Rick Green

Amen, amen. Well, and you spoke with David Barton, I guess, a week or about five days ago almost, about a lot of what was going on there and David said man, we got to get Winston on. Most people in the country have no idea how bad it is. I would assume it's getting frustrating to y'all that are on the ground. Or can you even tell that the national media is just not covering it and most people don't realize just how horrific it is?

Pastor Winston Parrish

I'll be very honest with you. I haven't consumed really any national international media, mainly because there's not been cell service to facilitate data. You can't download data on your phone data. You can't download that on your phone, and so, if it's not for Starlink or for some service that's getting set back up, you have no way of connecting to the outside world. That's starting to get better in the greater Asheville area. If you go outside of Asheville, if you go north at all or south at all excuse me, east at all, there's not really any reliable cell service. So we've been so busy doing what we're we're doing and there's so much damage uh, really at this point, so much heartache, that everything else going on outside our, our, our little area here, um, really it's become irrelevant.

Rick Green

Pastor, let me ask you about your church. Trinity Baptist, you know been there for a long time. Was your church actually damaged? I mean, are you guys able to use the church as a staging ground or what's your situation there?

Pastor Winston Parrish

Yes, sir. So the church sustained very minimal damage itself, for which we are very thankful. Our street sits up on a bit of an elevated ridge Now, right below us. There was flooding and obviously trees down everywhere, but compared to certain places in Asheville, just a few miles from us, is the famed Biltmore Village, which you saw on national news, I'm sure that had been damaged. There was nine feet of water and mud from the river that had taken over a lot of Biltmore Village.  Got an image that someone sent to me recently of water up to the roofline, to some of these businesses, and we're just a few miles from that.

But God spared our campus and thankfully we were able to get generators in and begin the process of housing first responders from all over the nation. As the response began to grow and intensify and really as the damage was revealed, we didn't know for days just how bad it was. Because of no communication, if you can't call on a cell phone, and if the radio system, even for emergency services, which it was here, it was down in many places. We were completely and totally in the dark, and I mean that figuratively and literally. We had no way of knowing what was happening, and so as the local government began to understand the breadth of the situation and how dire the emergency was, teams from all over the country began to pour into western North Carolina and because of Trinity's location, we're right here near I-26, i-40, i-240, which I-240 became a very important road, really the only thoroughfare to Asheville and beyond, because of flooding on I-40. So Trinity, god, just strategically had us here to be able to house these people and as time has gone on, the operation here has grown into something quite substantial.

There's teams from Vermont here, there are teams from Illinois that are here. These are task force strong men and women who have very special skill sets to locate missing people. There are USAR and collapse teams here. There are cadaver dogs here and my sanctuary is full of cots and beds and bunks and air mattresses and it definitely doesn't look like it did back on September, the 25th, and that's okay. We're thankful that we're able to facilitate that and we just chalk it up to being part of a greater picture of God's people and the church is very well alive here tonight in Asheville, North Carolina. God is still in control, he's on the throne and we're thankful that, even in all of our heartache and this tragedy. We have many, many, many people who are dead, many, many more who are missing. But we do not suffer tonight as those with no hope. We have much hope because Christ is still King and God is in control. We're just honored to be a part of our little part here at Trinity in Asheville.

Rick Green

Wow, pastor Winston, what a good word, man, and what a good attitude, as you said, that we can have in the Lord, and I mean I just think the church shines in these moments and talk about for such a time as this. I mean, you know God knew this was going to happen and put you for a decade in emergency management and emergency services. It was like you've got exactly the right demeanor and mindset for this, let alone your church being perfectly positioned.

Pastor Winston Parrish

That goes all the way back to a good dad and mom, and I had parents that surrendered to the mission field when I was six, seven years old and lived in places like Cuba, costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, back and forth, and then finally permanently in Costa Rica for many years and watching my dad work, who was a deputy sheriff and was in the Army and the Special Forces and just his background, and then for God to put me in a place to serve my community and really never thought that we'd be a part of ministry at this capacity. But God knows what he's doing and we belong to him and he's got us here to help our people. I'm not trying to build a name. We're not trying to do anything other than to help anyone who needs the help. To build a name, we're not trying to do anything other than to help anyone who needs the help. And if I wish, I could let you see what all is happening here. The national guard is now here. We have a detachment that's been here, another detachment coming and then tomorrow.

The great emergency right now in ashville is that there is no running water.

Our, our water department is doing all that they can to get the water systems back up, but there is no water in Asheville and we're expected to not have water in Asheville for quite some time.

So prayerfully, but very quickly, we ask God for wisdom and discernment. We prayed over a very specific spot in our parking lot and told the well driller to come, and we're proud to report tonight that we have two wells on property. They're crystal clear, they've been tested no bacteria, no hard water. It's sweet, cold mountain water, and tomorrow the entire community here in Asheville is going to get invited to come fill any jug that they can carry, and if they need food, there's food here for them. If they need a hot shower, we have shower trailers that are here. If they need to wash laundry, there's a laundry trailer, a mobile laundry trailer here. And so not only are we now taking care of our neighbors and the first responders that are here, but now tomorrow Trinity will be the hub in Western North Carolina for amenities, for service. And we're not doing it for a political party, we're not doing it to build a name. We're doing it for the glory of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, to the best of our ability.

Rick Green

Wow, wait a minute. Wait a minute. Back up, pastor Winston. You prayed over a spot in the parking lot and drilled a well in it. Now I'd be nervous if I were you. Did God say you know to speak to the rock or to hit the rock?

Pastor Winston Parrish

Because that is remarkable, it wasn't that dramatic, but it was a very emotional prayer of desperation. Wow, and with tears rolling down my cheek, I said God, we need water in our city and, in Jesus' name, give us water. And at 285 feet, 35 gallons a minute. And all of the permitting and EPA stuff. There's so much regulation and red tape. You know, we just gave it to the Lord. God knew our heart, our motivation, our intention there. But come to find out and I didn't even know this the gentleman who is over that process in our city. I knew he worked for the city, but I did not know his job or his function. His primary job, his primary function, is to approve the permitting process if you want a well in the city of Asheville. And he came by and was a part of that prayer and he said preacher, you do what needs to be done, you dig the well and we'll worry about paperwork later. So I'm thankful that God had all of that set up.

Rick Green

Brother, I don't know which is the greater miracle the fact that you struck such good water or that a bureaucrat waved the paperwork? Those are both miracles.

Pastor Winston Parrish

I believe that God is able to do more in one second than we can do in a lifetime of manipulating and trying to work for ourselves. God has just opened incredible doors and our area is hurting. They're broken. There's many that are missing that at this point. Unless God just does something miraculous, most of them, I'm afraid, have perished and we're dealing with that day by day.

We had church today on our campus. For the first time. There's finally some gas back in the city so that folks can get out a little bit. As far as I know, there's still a curfew in the city, but we did meet in our park that's here on our campus. But we did meet in our park that's here on our campus, and we had church today and we were able to worship.

We sang, we opened up the Word of God, we had an opportunity to fellowship and then we got to work and some of the folks, even on my staff, have not left this campus. They've not given up anything of their personal time. They've been here to serve and their old homes are destroyed and trying to figure out what the next few months of their lives look like. So there's a lot of personal sacrifice that's being put into this effort and we're just thankful for you, we're thankful for the network and for David, all that's happening, and we're honored to be on the program and we would ask you that you would pray, that you would give and that God would sustain this local church to be a beacon and a lighthouse in an otherwise dark city.

Rick Green

Amen, amen, brother. Well, you read my mind. My next question was just what specifically? Well, what's the biggest need that you guys have that people that are listening from around the country can help with? I mean, obviously, dollars are necessary to do a lot of this. We've got, I know.

I talked to my friend, Steve Maxwell at Citizen Defendant Freedom. They've got like 12 truckloads of stuff that's headed that way and I think some of it's already there and helicopters and all that stuff. But what do you tell people right now? What can we tell people to do to help? Should they donate to Mercury One, donate directly to your church? What's the best way for us to help?

Pastor Winston Parrish

So I'm thankful for Mercury One and all they're doing, and JP Decker and for Glenn Beck and for all they've done for us already just having us on their program. And I think through the last few days we've heard from folks all over the nation who heard that program and I know more will hear tonight. My heart would be this number one that anyone that gives to our local church that they would do so prayerfully and that they would do so knowing that everything that's given that it will go to sustaining this effort through this local church. I'm not giving money to any other charity or entity, but it's staying right here within the local church to do as much good as possible, and we are already seeing great needs met. We have gone through chainsaws like crazy, we've gone through generators like crazy and I'm down to the last two or three generators on campus.

As I was getting ready to do this interview with you, one of the teams that is searching for bodies here in Buncombe County came to our church staff. They went to Pastor Allen, who's our family care pastor, and they said Pastor Allen, do we have an extra chainsaw? We found more victims today, but our chainsaws are cutting so much they're broken and we need another chainsaw. So we gave them one of the chainsaws that we purchased and that has nothing to do with federal money. That has nothing to do with state money. That's just the local church doing what it can. So if anybody listening wants to log on, they can go to tbcasheville.org. That's tbcasheville.org Trinity Baptist Church here in Asheville, north Carolina, and right there on the front page there's a link to give securely and we're thankful we really are for anyone who wants to be a part of this effort here in Asheville and beyond.

Rick Green

Well, it'd be a great way for us to marshal resources from our particular audience here on Wall Builders. So, folks, we do, we encourage you right now to go to tbcasheville.org, that's Trinity Baptist Church. So tbcasheville.org, that's Trinity Baptist Church. So t b as in boy casheville.org. You can make your donation right there. They're doing an amazing job and, just as Pastor Winston said, I mean literally have turned the church into a bunkhouse and a staging center for that entire community. Does it help at all? If people have, I guess it wouldn't be wise to get on Amazon and buy a chainsaw and have it sent to you. It'd be better to send you cash, because I'm guessing there's no way to know if it arrives that sort of thing. Right, I mean, it's better to make the cash donations than you guys can order what you need. I would think that's easy, yes, sir.

So at this point, at this stage, we're starting to get lines into people, suppliers directly who are willing to supply us in bulk at discount, and we're able to procure those items cheaper than you'd be able to find online even Amazon and we're thankful for some of those businesses that are willing to do that. So if they prayerfully consider they want to give, they want to be a part of it, then absolutely we can go directly to the supplier to get some of these items that are needed. One of the things that is so costly and we've had some help with this and facilitating even more of that is boots. They're going through boots, waterproof boots, boots at an exorbitant rate and so we're getting the sizes from fire chiefs directly. What size boots do your people need? And we're trying to keep them supplied.

There's a cold front that's coming. Uh, that'll bring our mountain towns and our higher elevations down into the mid to low 30s at night, and there's a lot of places that still do not have power. Uh, trees hit their house, our house, bring our mountain towns and our higher elevations down into the mid to low 30s at night, and there's a lot of places that still do not have power Trees hit their house. Their house is exposed to the elements, so one task that we have this weekend, going into the beginning of the week, is to procure 20-pound propane bottles that can be used as a heat source safely, and so that does cost a lot of money, but we're doing it in any capacity that we're able to.

So I appreciate everyone on WallBuilders. I appreciate all of the prayer, and if you can't give, please pray. That would be the main thing more than anything is please pray. Our minds are tired, our bodies are physically tired. These first responders are coming back in even tonight. As we're trying to feed them supper at this very moment, they are telling us some horrendous stories of what they're seeing, and we're just trying to do our part as a local church to support them and to support our surrounding community, those fire stations and for shamaners that are here.

Rick Green

Yeah, yeah, all right folks. Tbcashefield.org. Listen, I know everybody listening right now wants to do something. You've seen some of the stories. It's worse than you can possibly imagine and you want to do something, and a lot of times when these things happen, there's a lot of scam artists out there and there are people that crop up. It's just, unfortunately, the depravity of man, and so you hesitate to donate sometimes because you don't know where it's going. Listen, Winston’s I'm not exaggerating here. Great grandfather started this church, so this is a family affair for 60 something years. They are well known in the community, trusted in the community. This is a great way for you to be able to help and donate and know that it's going to be spent well, that it's going to be managed well and it's going to get right to the wound, right where the need is. So, tbcasheville.org. Tbcasheville.org. Pastor Winston, I know you got a million people asking for your attention right now, so thank you so much for giving us some time on Wall Builders. We're praying for you guys donating. We'll do everything we can.

Pastor Winston Parrish

Thank you again for everything you're doing.

Rick Green

That was Pastor Winston Parrish. We're back here with David and Tim Barton now and David, you've been there in that church so you know exactly where it is and the people there I got to tell you guys I was quite literally tearing up when he's telling about the well, because that is just that's an incredible miracle. I mean that's just amazing that that happened and that they got good water and it happened so quickly. And then you know, I was only halfway joking when I said, and a bureaucrat waved the paperwork. I mean this is the kind of stuff where the church shines and where God just kind of shows off.

David Barton

Yeah, the church has really stepped up on this one and we need to again. I was talking to Winston and so much of what they're having to do is they need cash because they get all these unusual requests. It's not for water, it's not for food, they get that. But like a fireman said, hey, my house was wiped out, washed away. I don't have any blood pressure medicine anymore. Can you guys help me get some blood pressure medicine? And that's the kind of stuff they need the money for. So you've got the website there and it's TBC Trinity Baptist Church, tbc Asheville. And, by the way, asheville is with an E A-S-H-E-V-I-L-L-E Asheville, North Carolina, tbc Asheville. And go there, make contributions.

Rick Green

They're using it for the right purposes. It's going the right direction. We'll have more information for you throughout the week. Folks, Thanks so much for tuning in today. You've been listening to the WallBuilders Show.