Texas, Louisiana churches offer shelter to flood victims
6/12/2001 News media contact: Linda Green · (615) 742-5470 · Nashville, Tenn
By United Methodist News Service
Two United Methodist churches in Houston became emergency shelters as rains from Tropical Storm Allison brought the nation's fourth-largest city to a standstill.
First, Humble and Bellaire United Methodist churches offered shelter and relief to victims as the storm drenched southeast Texas. The storm, which formed during the week of June 4, flooded more than 20,000 homes and businesses in Texas and Louisiana, killing at least 20 people. In Houston alone, it caused more than $1 billion in estimated damages, and the destruction in Louisiana is estimated at more than $15 billion. The storm had moved on to parts of Florida by June 11, and at least one weather-related death was reported in Jacksonville.
In Louisiana, the American Red Cross set up its operation center in the fellowship hall of First United Methodist Church of Thibodaux. Red Cross workers will remain there in the coming weeks, providing disaster relief to the area. They are assisting the United Methodist Church, the National Guard and various state and local agencies in planning relief efforts.
The sanctuary of First Church sustained damage after nearly six inches of water entered during the night and receded before morning, according to the Rev. Wybra Price. The extent of the damage was not known as of June 12.
Before the storm, Louisiana Gov. Mike Foster had called on residents to pray for rain to end a three-year drought. During the week of June 4, up to 28 inches of rain in some areas caused havoc in the bayous and swamps along the coast. Levees broke and rivers overflowed their banks.
"The flooding was unbelievable. Residences and business in the Acadiana District have been hard hit," said Tony Fontenot, Louisiana Conference disaster incident coordinator.
Jan Spreen, emergency shelter team member at Bellaire Church in Houston, said a team of 70 people had received training from the American Red Cross on how to turn a church into an emergency shelter.
"The community as a whole is OK," Spreen said, "but we have seen at one time over 100 people come into the church for shelter." On June 10, two busloads of youth who were stranded at Six Flags used the shelter, as well as several families and travelers who were delayed in Houston.
Bellaire Church was the only official shelter for the city's southwest region. It received ample supplies, and Pastor Richard White encouraged the community to quit taking supplies to the church because storage space was not available.
Another church serving as a shelter for the Houston community was First United Methodist Church of Humble.
Susie Crafton, a church member, was on the parish committee to welcome the new associate pastor and ended up volunteering as a disaster relief coordinator.
"You would have been proud of all of our Methodist churches in the community," she said. "They all came together to assist and give us the supplies that were needed in an emergency situation." Nearby churches donated more than 75 cots for people to sleep on, plus blankets, food and games for the children.
More than 200 people from surrounding areas were dropped off at the shelter. A postal truck transported at least 70 people for emergency assistance, and several medically fragile people had to be transported to an area hospital. The Interfaith Hospital Network also provided support.
The Texas Conference's United Methodist Committee on Relief team is gathering information to assess the flood damage sustained by United Methodist congregations. "The conference is working with the district superintendents to make assessments on how many flood buckets will be needed. Our prayers go out to all our Methodist Church families as well as the Houston community," said Danny Wayman, chairman of the conference's committee on relief.
Flood buckets are part of the churchwide United Methodist Committee on Relief's efforts to help flood victims. The buckets contain supplies for cleaning up homes damaged by high water, such as individual cleaning agents, brooms, mops, sponges, gloves, trash bags. Work teams will be organized later after all the disaster areas have been assessed.
More information about flood buckets to assist victims in Houston is available by calling Aldine First United Methodist Church at (281) 442-4961. The church is accepting completed flood buckets at its fellowship hall.
Louisiana Bishop William Hutchinson appealed to UMCOR for flood buckets to assist in recovery efforts. More than 800 have been released to assist 20 of the state's 64 parishes that have been declared to be in emergency situations.
One of those, Assumption Parish, has been "devastated" and is still experiencing high waters, said the Rev. John Locascio, of Patterson United Methodist Church, who serves as district coordinator for Louisiana United Methodist Disaster Response.
Locascio, Fontenot and Sue Pugh, conference coordinator for Louisiana United Methodist Disaster Response, are working closely with the Rev. Terry Willis, Acadiana District superintendent, to coordinate relief efforts. Local businesses have donated food and other items to those in need. Fontenot noted that teams of youth and adults might be assembled to assist with future construction and repair needs in the flood-stricken areas.
"The Red Cross will be assessing the damage once all the waters have receded," said Larry Norman, director of Louisiana United Methodist Disaster Response. Federal agencies and insurance companies will need to see the damage before cleanup work can really start. The formation of relief teams will begin after the Red Cross and other agencies have finished their assessment, he said.
Houston is cleaning up, but power lines of communications are down in some areas, according to Kathryn Childress, editor of the Texas Annual Conference's Cross Connections newspaper. The first stage of recovery will be restoring families to their homes, bringing in flood relief efforts and working together to restore the community, she said.
People interested in assisting Houston and Louisiana in their recovery efforts may designate donations for "Hurricanes 2001," UMCOR Advance No. 982350-4. Checks may be dropped in church collection plates or mailed directly to UMCOR at 475 Riverside Dr., Room 330, New York, NY 10115. Credit-card donations can be made by calling (800) 554-8583.
Other information is available from Danny Wayman of the Texas Conference UMCOR, at (281) 478-4673; and Larry Norman, (225) 346-1646, or the Rev. John Locascio, (985) 446-2630, both with Louisiana United Methodist Disaster Response. # # # *Annual conference editors Kathryn Childress of Texas and Betty Backstrom of Louisiana provided information for this story.
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