Amanda Cheatwood
Mar 1, 2025
In the wake of Hurricane Katrina’s devastation in 2005, Todd Terrell lost everything — his family’s historic seafood business, their boats, their livelihood. The business, a testament to pioneering spirit, had been started by his great aunt in 1932 during the Great Depression. But from those troubled waters emerged something extraordinary: a calling that would transform personal loss into a mission of hope and restoration through the United Cajun Navy.
“When you lose everything, sometimes you get angry at God,” Terrell reflects. “But my faith was such that it was like, ‘You know what? There’s got to be a better calling for me.’ And then next thing you know, we’re helping people, and it turned into this. God had a better plan for me.”
“When you lose everything, sometimes you get angry at God,” Terrell reflects. “But my faith was such that it was like, ‘You know what? There’s got to be a better calling for me.’ And then next thing you know, we’re helping people, and it turned into this. God had a better plan for me.”
That better plan has evolved into a remarkable disaster response organization that embodies the principle of beauty rising from ashes. The United Cajun Navy doesn’t just respond to natural disasters — they’ve created a year-round community of care that brings together an unlikely alliance of churches, bikers, boat owners, and volunteers from all walks of life.
A Symphony of Service: Diverse Communities Unite
The organization’s strength lies in its ability to bring together people from all walks of life, creating an extraordinary tapestry of service. “You forget that this guy over here is a biker, and the biker forgets that this person over here is a little church-going lady, and they’re all working together,” Terrell explains. “You would really have to see it to really understand it, how it kind of meshes and gels together.”
This diversity extends to their volunteer base. “We have several different kinds of volunteers,” Terrell shares. “The first volunteer is someone who may have a boat or a big jacked-up truck or a four-wheeler or an ATV to go rescue somebody. Well, a lot of times those are guys that drink beer, or they smoke cigarettes, or they have tattoos — and no disrespect to any of those people, but sometimes those are the ones that are the big help during a disaster when there’s flooding and trees are falling everywhere.”
But the organization needs more than just rescue operations. “Those same people don’t want to come in a warehouse and sort clothes or store food. So we go to these churches and church groups and schools and say, ‘Hey, we need help.’ And they come in and help us on that end of it. When you have a disaster, everybody kind of gets together, and it kind of blends everybody in.”
Coast to Coast: A Growing Mission of Mercy
As of early 2024, the United Cajun Navy’s operations span the continent, demonstrating the organization’s remarkable growth and adaptability. In the Carolinas, they’re helping communities recover from Hurricane Helene with a focus on winter preparedness. “Right now, we’re in the Carolinas continuing to help over there,” Terrell explains. “A lot of that is warm winter clothes, coats, jackets, heaters. We had a lot of campers that were donated, and we’re going back and making sure that they’re winterized so the pipes don’t freeze.”
Simultaneously, they’ve launched a significant operation in California, responding to devastating wildfires. Through a partnership with the Dream Center in Los Angeles, they’re providing crucial support to affected communities and first responders. “We’re in California bringing supplies –PPE stuff, masks for them to be able to get around the smoke, and snacks and stuff for the first responders.”
“I would never be sending three 18-wheelers to California because of the expense. But during a disaster such as these fires, it’s like we don’t even think about the money. We’re just like, ‘Let’s do it. God will provide.’ And sure enough, He does.”
The logistics of such far-reaching operations might seem daunting, but Terrell’s faith remains unwavering. “I would never be sending three 18-wheelers to California because of the expense. But during a disaster such as these fires, it’s like we don’t even think about the money. We’re just like, ‘Let’s do it. God will provide.’ And sure enough, He does.”
This faith has been repeatedly affirmed through unexpected support. When faced with the challenge of transporting supplies from Baton Rouge to California, they reached out to UPS, hoping for help with one or two trucks. The company responded by offering three trucks and free transportation. “We reached out to them, and they said, ‘How many trucks you want?’ I said, ‘Send me one or two.’ They said, ‘We’ll send you three. Load them up.’”
Miracles Among the Ruins: Stories of Hope
Throughout their years of service, the United Cajun Navy has witnessed countless moments of divine providence. One of the most memorable occurred after a devastating tornado. “There was a church,” Terrell recounts, his voice filled with awe, “and I mean to tell you, the tornado took the roof off of the whole town, and the church was totally destroyed.”
“When we walked to the pulpit, the sun was shining through the roof that was off, shining on the pulpit. And on the pulpit was the open Bible, where the pastor had said services earlier that day, and that was the only thing that wasn’t destroyed in the church – the pulpit and the Bible.”
The pastor, distraught over the destruction, asked for help recovering items from the church office. As they made their way through the debris, they discovered something remarkable. “When we walked to the pulpit, the sun was shining through the roof that was off, shining on the pulpit. And on the pulpit was the open Bible, where the pastor had said services earlier that day, and that was the only thing that wasn’t destroyed in the church – the pulpit and the Bible.” The image, which Terrell still keeps, serves as a powerful reminder of hope persisting through devastation.
Another profound moment came during a 2016 flood rescue operation. In pitch darkness, with water levels reaching ten feet, Terrell and his team felt drawn to check one particular house. “The water was rolling through there, and we were holding on to the eaves of the house,” he recalls. “We looked in, there was about a foot of gap, and I saw this couch up against the corner.”
Something prompted them to investigate further, despite the dangerous conditions. “We busted the windows and we almost drowned going in there. There was a lady in there that was alive on a couch, and she had about a foot of air.” The woman later told them she thought angels were coming when they reached for her. “It’s pitch black dark, seven foot of water, and the lady only had a foot of air, and she grabbed onto my hand.”
Beyond Disaster Response: Year-Round Community Impact
The United Cajun Navy’s work extends far beyond immediate disaster relief. Through partnerships with organizations like Restoring Purpose Ministries, they operate comprehensive rehabilitation programs that transform lives. “We work with rehabs, faith-based rehabs,” Terrell explains. “The men have to go through another program for 30 days, and then they come through one of our partner programs, and it’s a faith-based program where they go for a year.”
The success rate speaks for itself: “We’ve got a 90-plus percent ratio, a success ratio, of people going through these programs.”
These programs address multiple aspects of recovery and reintegration. “We get them a job, help them if they have back child support, license issues, or whatever. But they have to go to church every Sunday, and they have to attend Bible study throughout the week.” The success rate speaks for itself: “We’ve got a 90-plus percent ratio, a success ratio, of people going through these programs.”
They’ve also developed innovative programs to address contemporary social challenges. “We work with a group called Grandparents Raising Grandchildren,” Terrell shares. “That in today’s society is a big problem, where grandparents, at an alarming rate, are having to raise their grandkids.” Through this initiative, they organize activities like fishing trips and hunting excursions for troubled youth, combining outdoor activities with spiritual mentorship.
Through this initiative, they organize activities like fishing trips and hunting excursions for troubled youth, combining outdoor activities with spiritual mentorship.
“We take these kids fishing and different things, and we give them Bibles, and we have pastors that are out there actually praying over them and guiding them,” Terrell explains. “A lot of times these kids are troubled, and they don’t want to go to church. But when they’re around other people and they’re around counselors and pastors, it’s almost like they’re like, ‘Wow, if I’m good, and if I become more faith-based, I get to go fishing.’”
Spiritual Support in Times of Crisis
The organization’s approach to disaster response includes a strong spiritual component. Their chaplaincy program, led by a mass casualty chaplain, provides crucial support during and after disasters. Recently, their chaplain has been working with families affected by a terrorist incident in New Orleans, providing daily spiritual support and practical assistance to hospitalized victims and their families.
“Our chaplain is in there counseling them, making sure that they go through the process,” Terrell explains. “We help them get a wheelchair and stuff, and he prays with them every day and counsels them. You gotta understand, a lot of people get angry at God... but you learn and you grow and you realize it’s part of the process.”
You gotta understand, a lot of people get angry at God... but you learn and you grow and you realize it’s part of the process.”
A Network of Faith and Service
The United Cajun Navy has developed strong partnerships with various faith-based organizations across the country. They work closely with City Impact, Dream Centers, and local churches nationwide, maintaining a network of warehouses stocked with essential supplies. This preparation allows them to respond quickly when disaster strikes.
“We have several warehouses throughout the country that have supplies in it,” Terrell explains. “When a disaster hits, all we have to do is put the trucks on the road with the supplies, and that’s what we do.” Their approach to disaster preparation varies depending on the type of emergency. “Every storm is different. You have snow storms, you have tornadoes, you have floods, hurricanes. Not every hurricane has a flood. Hurricane Michael in 2018 wasn’t flooding that was a problem – it was trees down everywhere.”
Join the Mission: A Call to Service
For those feeling called to disaster relief ministry, Terrell’s advice is straightforward: start with your local church. “Many churches throughout the country and the world have some form of disaster ministry,” he explains. “If you don’t have a church, get involved in one and see if they have a disaster ministry, or if they have a ministry to help people.”
“If you don’t have a church, get involved in one and see if they have a disaster ministry, or if they have a ministry to help people.”
Even between disasters, there are always opportunities to serve. “There’s always somebody in the church that needs help,” Terrell notes. The organization works year-round with local churches to identify and assist community members in need, from elderly individuals requiring home repairs to families facing temporary hardships.
“Everybody has used clothes in their closets,” Terrell suggests as a simple way to start helping. “Go pick out some used clothes and bring them to church, and we’ll pick them up. And while you’re at church getting a free jacket and bringing your clothes there, we’re trying to get the communities in, especially in the Christian communities, to help back if you can, because they love to give back.”
The United Cajun Navy stands as a testament to how faith can transform personal tragedy into community triumph.
The United Cajun Navy stands as a testament to how faith can transform personal tragedy into community triumph. Through their work, they demonstrate that the greatest revival often happens in the midst of serving others, as diverse groups come together with a common purpose of helping those in need.
“Money was tight, and I was like, ‘You know what? God, if this is meant to be, make something happen,’” Terrell reflects. “Here would come a big check, or here would come a big donation, and it keeps me going. So I have to be true to my word to keep helping, because I asked for it, and He gave it to me, and I can’t run away.”
To learn more about the United Cajun Navy or to support their mission, visit their website at www.unitedcajunnavy.org. The organization welcomes volunteers and donations to support their ongoing disaster relief and community support efforts.
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