Providing Hope through the Flood

In June 2024, torrential floods swept through Northwest Iowa, decimating portions of Rock Valley, Alton, Spencer, and other nearby towns.

Bri Holt, a junior elementary education major, was at work when the flooding hit Spencer. Her family was gone for the weekend, so she was the first one to enter her home post-flood.

“I found all of my personal belongings floating in a basement full of water,” she says.

Holt and her family received an outpouring of support from all kinds of organizations, including Dordt.

“A few days later, I got a call from Campus Ministries asking how they could support me, including in helping me return to Dordt in the fall,” she says. “They helped me replace school supplies, shoes, bedding, and more items needed to live in an on-campus apartment. That was amazing.”

While there is still significant work needed to restore the affected towns, the Dordt community has rallied to support those like Holt who have been severely impacted by the flooding.

“As soon as the floods hit, we emailed all current students, employees, and alumni who lived in the those areas to see if they needed temporary housing,” says Rev. Aaron Baart, chief of staff and dean of chapel. “We also reached out to emergency services in Rock Valley to let them know we had on-campus housing available.”

Fifteen families from Rock Valley, Alton, and Hawarden moved into Dordt’s apartments for a few weeks.

“Additionally, we offered the use of the Rec Center locker rooms to those without water or power and needing showers,” says Baart. “Groups like the Social Work Department made meals and delivered food to our guests, too.”

Dr. Jim Schaap ('70), professor emeritus of English, and his wife Barb ('70) were among those displaced families housed on campus. The Schaaps lost the bottom floor of their house in Alton when the Floyd River sent a flash flood into their neighborhood.

“We were in the Squares Apartments for almost three weeks,” he recalls. “I can’t begin to explain how wonderful it was for us to be offered housing until we could get back into the upper floor of our house.”

About 40% of homes in Rock Valley were impacted, including the home of Professor of Language Studies Dr. Rikki Brons ('04).

“Our house was one of two on our street that had the lights on; the rest were dark,” she says. “There were entire sections of the city that were empty.”

Many volunteers, including Dordt colleagues and friends, stepped up to help Brons clear out her house and make progress in the recovery process. Months later, she and her family—like many others—continue the work of rebuilding.

The flooding caused near-total devastation of Rock Valley Christian School (RVCS), with only a couple months left before the academic year was supposed to start.

The Center for the Advancement of Christian Education (CACE) at Dordt had a chance to walk alongside RVCS. Volunteers showed up to clear out mud, power-wash and bleach the cement walls, and more. There were many material losses, including teacher-created materials, students’ original artwork, and musical instruments. It was difficult to see those precious items thrown away. CACE helped raise over $1.5 million for RVC'S rebuilding efforts to help restore what had been lost.

“On July 2, the Corps of Engineers gave their approval for RVCS to use their physical campus,” says Dr. Tim Van Soelen ('90), CACE director. “It is incredible to think that what was four feet deep in mud and water in June opened its doors to over 200 students on September 4. God’s grace and the work of hundreds of His people are welcoming these students back to school this year.”

As her family continues to deal with the flooding aftermath in Spencer, Holt is still processing what happened. “I have had times of anger, times of questions, and times of gratitude. Ultimately, I know that throughout such a fluctuant time, my constant was in the Lord. When everything felt like it was working against me, the Lord was working all things for His good.”

This academic year has been a blessing for her. “Being at Dordt after this experience has been amazing,” she says. “I have a place I can call my own again. I have an amazing support system here. And I am back doing the things I love.”