Disaster Relief: Hurricanes Katrina, Rita & Wilma

From David, Houston

This past week we were able to work with “Harmony for Youth” to help with the Hurricane relief. (See “On the Wings of Love”) A local trucking company agreed to drive the donated goods to Waveland, Mississippi (ground zero for Hurricane Katrina), but because the planes arrived in Houston just before Hurricane Rita was due to hit, the company decided to hold the shipment until next week. At that time, Houston and Texas’ south-east coast were considered the probable entry point for what was then a hurricane as big or bigger than Katrina and they were concerned about the safety of their truck and driver.

With this change of plans we decided to send a small team ahead to get a first-hand view of the situation and prepare a place to receive the donated goods. We had just received 90,000 Activated magazines and thousands of other gospel posters and literature which were donated by Activated Ministries and we were itching to share them with Katrina’s victims. Although our main job on this trip was to prepare the way for the shipment, we also wanted to encourage the hearts and minds of the Katrina survivors we met.

The drive from Houston to Mississippi went quickly. We met people all along the way that were still reeling from the experience they’d just had with Katrina and anxious about what this new hurricane might bring. Although 3 weeks had transpired and the immediate need for care and protection was past, the future still held many questions that only God could answer.

When our little team of 5 (Gary, Jeff, Rory (who’d come all the way from Portland, OR to help), Jono and Michelle) arrived near Waveland, we were informed that there was a 6 pm to 6 am curfew and here it was, 7:30 pm already. Where could we stay? We’d brought tents, as we had been told that 70-80% of the buildings had been destroyed by Katrina but some security guards we met told us that there was a NASA base just a few miles away that had been housing many of the FEMA and EMS workers that were helping in the area. After prayer, we went to see if there might be an open door for 5 more weary travelers too.

In answer to prayer, although they ‘weren’t suppose to’, God touched the heart of the head of security for the base and he sponsored us in, fed us and gave us an air-conditioned room to sleep in. That first evening we were able to witness to and minister to many of the first responders to the Katrina disaster. One of the officers at the fire station said, “In the first 30 minutes that your team was here, I heard more about Jesus and the Gospel than I’ve heard from all the other organizations combined that have been here over the last 3 weeks. We need what you’ve come to give more than anything else right now! Thank
you!”

The next morning, we were up and out early to see the situation and minister to as many as we could. It was such a privilege to bring comfort and salvation to all that we met and we did see that although the destruction was terrible and many organizations and groups were there with material aid, only God and His unfailing promises can give faith to carry on and strength to begin again.

After spending the rest of the day in Waveland and meeting with several relief officials about what the current greatest needs were and where we could be a blessing in our shipment, the Lord told us it was time to get back to Houston, before Rita arrived; to be there in Houston’s hour of need. Less than 5 miles along on our journey home, we had a blow out on the deserted highway with not a car in sight but, after prayer, a Florida State Trooper pulled in, coming along the road in the opposite direction, and he helped us change the tire. He’d been in Waveland for 3 weeks and was going back to Florida the next day. He said that he was on his way back to his station but had decided to take a different way back-when he met us. Isn’t God good? He takes care of everything if we just follow Him.

From Suzy, East Texas

Nick, Joanna, Sonia and Mei helped at the shelter again this week, working from 6am-2pm — and even longer most days. This shelter was the first one open and will be the last and next week they will take in about 5O more people from another shelter closing down. There were about 2O children there on the weekend, and they have been quite bored and in need of encouragement & something fun to make them smile! We spend most of our time playing with the kids and getting them involved in fun activities. Our efforts were greatly appreciated.

By Robert Haskell:

The Lord is wonderful how He engineers so many things through His Spirit. How He unites different groups to work as His hands and His fingers to help the needy. All we did was say, “Yes, we’ll help!” A Canadian children’s charity Harmony for Youth that had helped us in the distribution of the toys that arrived last week from Miami, was approached by Canadian businesses and individuals who wanted to help Hurricane Katrina’s victims. They contacted a medical charity, Hope Air, that arranges medical mercy missions in Canada, and they agreed to deliver those needs thousands of miles away-to Houston.

They delivered them here in Houston as the New Orleans airport is closed, and they asked our Family International team if we could make sure that the supplies reached the needy. It was beautiful to see the Lord’s fantastic timing as we organized the arrival and unloadin. When we arrived one plane had already arrived, and then the 40 ft. container truck arrived shortly afterwards; so we unloaded everything into it. We then unloaded our two vans full of 250 “love buckets” from Global Vision. These “love buckets” are wonderful things to receive if you’ve ever been through a disaster.

They have everything you need (Personal toiletries, snacks, deck of cards, small games for children, writing equipment, religious reading materials.) Then the second plane arrived, we unloaded it and no sooner had we finished but the third plane landed. We were helped today by some teens of Family International that recently arrived from the Philippines. They have been volunteering for the last two weeks in a shelter in Pasadena, Texas. Our team of Family International Volunteers, working together with Harmony for Youth, Hope Air, Global Vision and others was truly a work of God’s hands. We were planning to leave tonight with the truck, but Hurricane Rita is temporarily changing the plans as officials are blocking West I-10 from Houston so people from Galveston can evacuate first. However a small team of five was able to make their way to Waveland, Mississippi to scout out the need and prepare the way. (more…)

Pandita, San Antonio

I have learned a lesson on how all things work together for good. We had been disheartened when we had to move out of our house before being able to find a new one and had ended up staying at a pay-by-the-week motel. It was sufficient, but not really “home”. Then Katrina struck and we got really busy with the relief efforts, visiting the shelters. One goal of our work in the shelters was not to just have a one time impact on people by to continue with them, even as they moved out of the shelters and into other housing. We knew it would take time for them to heal and they needed to know they could count on us. Imagine my surprise when I went by to pay my weekly rent and the motel manager told me he had been looking everywhere for me and really wanted to talk with me. He said, Ï see by your badge that you are working with the Red Cross as a chaplain in the shelters and I really need your help. I am just swamped with evacuees moving in here and asking me all kinds of questions. Can I
send them to you?” The next morning he referred me to Wanda and her family of 18 who had recently moved in.
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From Joy, San Antonio

Abby and I went to the Windsor Park shelter on Friday. Every time I go I am amazed at the army cots stretching across these huge spaces. I couldn’t help but wonder how people could handle living altogether with hundreds of strangers. Meeting Linda gave us insight into why so many are still in the shelters while others have moved on to begin their lives again.

We saw Linda sitting on her bed with her leg up. When we looked across the room, she called us over to sit down with her. She
explained that she had been bitten by spiders and her leg had swollen so much she had to keep it elevated. She said she had been sick most of the time since her evacuation. Her resistance was so low that she needed strong antibiotics or she would have had to have her foot amputated. (more…)

From Pandita and Ira, San Antonio

We went back to the Windsor Park Shelter on Sunday to announce the winners of the coloring contest and meet some of the parents. We had a box of presents, children’s posters, and Pudding the Clown (Ira) entertained the children. The chaplain in charge was very thankful for the encouragement we were able to share with the families. We had been praying with different people there, including a 16 year old girl who wanted to get involved in helping us. Ira also went around to the medical and service volunteers giving balloon bracelets. That caused a wave of inspiration and good humor with all the workers.

On our way out we were stopped by the chaplain because he knows we want to minister to the children but the environment is not conducive to a peaceful atmosphere. He gave us the phone number of a bishop and said this man is trying to set apart a place for us to have Sunday School with the children and classes with the teens and adults.. That would be a real answer to prayer because it would be a place where we can separate ourselves from the noise and confusion that exists in most of the rooms. There was a rumor that this shelter would be closing soon, but at this meeting the chaplain said they have a commitment of a year for the shelterto be open and we will be able to continue to be an encouragement to those there.

From David, Houston TX

This week a number of teens and young people from the Family International in Houston went to the Astrodome and Reliant Center to take time talking personally to the evacuees to lend a listening ear and an understanding heart. At first we didn’t really know what to expect but it seemed that to many, the biggest need was having an opportunity to talk to someone who cared and listened and lent a helping “heart”.

Going cot to cot we were able to talk and listen to many and we also prayed with 114 evacuees who received Jesus into their hearts. Living so close together day to day, people knew each others state and weaknesses and needs a lot more than usual and after we were there a while, people started pointing out their friends and family they felt really needed Jesus.

We saw many immediate answers to prayer, including one woman who was distraught because she couldn’t find anyone she knew, but shortly after having prayer to locate her loved ones, she found them. Thank the Lord!

* Jason, 18, on the left, has spent hours ministering and sharing God’s Word with 100’s of Katrina’s victims, listening to their heart-cries and giving them God’s answer- Jesus.

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From John, New Orleans:

Upon entering New Orleans we saw despondent 6 year old Nicolas sitting on the curb beside all the flood debris. We stopped to talk with him. He explained what he had experienced as Hurricane Katrina roared through and shook his house. We prayed with him to receive Jesus and left him with a poster called, “Heavenly Helper,” and a coloring book; we also prayed with him for Jesus to protect and supply for him and his family.

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Today 3 volunteers from the Family International —Leilani, Maria, and Charity—volunteered at the George R. Brown Convention Center. We had actually done several Christmas shows at the center this past year, so for us it was really quite amazing to see how different it looked.

Hundreds of cots and mattresses filled the huge rooms for quite a distance, but the convention center was actually quite organized in comparison with the Astrodome.

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Astrodome witnessing to the evacuees from New Orleans had become one of our favorite things to do, as we would always meet such precious people who had gone through so much. Our songs to them, and listening to their stories, had been the medicine that had healed so many of their hearts.

Tuesday on our way to the Astrodome, we got a call asking if we could help distribute three 40 foot trucks full of toys. When we got there we found out a FM radio station from Miami had been petitioning its listening audience for 5 days for toys for the children in the Astrodome in Houston, Texas. When the trucks had arrived at the Astrodome, officials wouldn’t let the truck unload their goods because they thought the distribution of the toys would cause a riot inside the Astrodome.

As it’s pretty hard to corral and control thousands of screaming children. One of the representatives from the Family International persuaded them that with barricades and sufficient personnel it could be done safely, and this would bring such cheer to the children. So radio listeners, Family members, Red Cross representatives and police were able to bring the joy of Christmas a little early this year.

Each child was able to fill up a big bag of the toys of his choice. How wonderful it was so see the smiles on the faces of these children who had gone through so much. Most of them had lost their homes and had no idea what the future would hold for them. So Christmas, a little early, is just what Jesus ordered for them.