From communications to cooking, this Disaster Relief volunteer makes Jesus known

God called Marie Godfrey to Arizona Disaster Relief while she was standing in the lobby of a church after a moving sermon. Her prayer was simple: “Here I am. Lord, send me.” 

“That’s when He put DR in front of me,” she said. “It fills my heart to be able to come alongside somebody who’s gone through a disaster, being able to just love on them and help them to at least see the light. We need to be representing Jesus. We need to be like Him; we are His hands and feet.”

Since 2017, Godfrey and her husband Jim have faithfully served Arizona Disaster Relief (AZDR). Jim serves as a chaplain, providing support and encouragement to team members and people impacted by disasters. He also provides Chaplaincy Training and, as AZDR’s “Tim the Tool Man,” Jim is responsible for the management and maintenance of a variety of tools and equipment.

Marie Godfrey currently coordinates callout notifications and makes sure volunteers have up-to-date medical information and liability release forms and that the Blue Hats (team leaders) have their team’s information before they head out. She is also one of the lead cooks for the feeding teams and assists the Command Center.

Marie Godfrey

Godfrey performs communications duties before, during and after deployment. This includes making certain that faithful prayer partners receive prayer requests (often through the Arizona Mission Network’s office staff), managing the Facebook page and notifying volunteers to either respond, stand by or stand down based on the types of work that need to be done. 

Outside of Arizona, Godfrey has served across the country, from Fort Myers, Florida to Lake Charles, Louisiana to Ruidoso and Roswell, New Mexico to Los Angeles, California and Maui, Hawaii.

“Disaster Relief allows me to share the Word and make Jesus known and just be there for people in their dark time,” she said. “I met an individual who lost everything. They were going through that tragedy, but the rest of their story was heartbreaking. It was more complicated than the current situation. It’s also about the story you don’t know.”

The average age of an Arizona Disaster Relief volunteer is about 72. Last year, 112 volunteers from Arizona served 12,105 hours. They provided 9,399 meals, 1,165 showers and 892 loads of laundry. They also made 1,239 ministry contacts with weary souls.

More volunteers are needed.

Although volunteers are needed for long-term and distant responses, there are local events and disasters that allow a person to serve one or two days. It’s an opportunity to gain experience in the field.

Godfrey’s advice to anyone interested in joining the Disaster Relief team is: “Pray! If God says go, then you need to go. Get trained. If you have some limitations, we will find a place for you to serve.”

The opportunities are many. Teams include chainsaw, chaplain, feeding, recovery and shower/laundry, among others. 

From heavy equipment and chainsaws to mobile kitchens and meal deliveries, Disaster Relief is never boring. Volunteers also help as first responders and in field training. They pick up supplies, serve in relocation centers and pray for each other as well as those who have lost everything. Volunteers comfort those impacted by disasters, share the gospel and hand out Bibles (signed by Disaster Relief team members).

Arizona Disaster Relief’s budget is provided through the annual Arizona Mission Offering as well as individual and group contributions. 

The goal for the 2026 Arizona Mission Offering is $225,000 with $32,142 going to seven areas of ministry, including Disaster Relief. The theme for 2026 is We Connect, based on Galatians 6:2. 

To learn more about Arizona Disaster Relief and how to volunteer, visit azmn.org/disaster-relief. To learn more about the Arizona Mission Offering, visit azmn.org/amo

Irene A. Harkleroad, a freelance writer living in Carefree, is a member of Black Mountain Baptist Church, Cave Creek.