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Post-Ike Reflections
Published: 9/16/2008
On behalf of the Texas Annual Conference, thank you for your prayers and support in this time of relief and recovery from Hurricane Ike. While this hurricane was very bad in places, we are also grateful to God for the limited loss of life.
Thousands of United Methodists in the Texas Annual Conference are in the process of relief and recovery from Hurricane Ike. The eye of the hurricane landed on our shores and tropical force winds extended all the way to the northeast edge of the conference, before exiting to the east. As of yesterday, September 15, we began work here in the conference office to coordinate the recovery process. Beginning today, September 16, we will be updating the website regularly.
Yesterday, Dr. Richard Burnham and I toured the Southeast District. He had already checked out a number of churches in the Beaumont area. Here is a quick report with photographs. Your bishop is not a great photographer, but you’ll find some poignant pictures here: http://www.txcumc.org/ikegalleries.
The worst winds seem to have been around the Anahuac area. At First UMC Anahuac, the chapel wall has collapsed and some stained glass windows are broken. At St. James Anahuac, the walkway roof collapsed, an opening occurred in the back wall, and there is some water in the fellowship hall area. There is considerable damage to homes.
The worst damage in the Southeast District is from the flooding in Orange and Bridge City. The back-up caused by storm surge flooded a great deal of Orange and most of Bridge City. Salem UMC in Orange had approximately 12-18 inches of water in every part of the building and throughout the parsonage. First UMC Orange had water in all its buildings except the sanctuary, which is built at almost second floor level. Most of the water there appeared to be at the six to twelve inch level. You can see the tracks we made on the white tile floor in the fellowship hall. Damage to homes is major and mold and mildew were already appearing.
First UMC Bridge City sustained major damage in Rita.They have re-located away from the downtown area near a school. Only the foundation has been poured. Even though the slap is several inches above buildings in that area, the water poured over it as well. The parsonage there is also flooded.
One of the saddest sights is at Wesley UMC in Beaumont where the winds peeled back the metal roof covering the Praise and Family Life Center as though someone had opened a can of pork and beans. This building houses Rita Recovery and a childcare facility and fellowship hall. Children’s artwork, their cots, and teaching supplies are covered with wet insulation and ceiling tiles. It is a mess. However, given the indomitable spirit at Wesley, more than 20 volunteers worked all day yesterday to clean up the water, move Rita Recovery to the choir room, and begin putting their facility in order again. Rita Recovery will be open again today.
The leadership at UMCOR began planning with us before the storm, and they have continued to work with us by email and phone. Sandra Kennedy Owes will arrive in Houston today. They are sending flood buckets, kits and money. We will be grateful for help in this recovery process – particularly with homes. Contact information is available elsewhere on this page.
We expect the worst damage to be in the Houston South District. Dr. Don Waddleton and I will be touring that area today. I’ll post another report tomorrow.
If you have electricity and can send us photos of damage or United Methodists involved in recovery, please email them to ecolvin@txcumc.org. We’d like to share them with United Methodist friends and neighbors around the world.
In the midst of all the devastation, the sense of neighbors helping neighbors is a joy to behold. Our faith that God is with us and that tomorrow will be better than yesterday is alive and well. Our gratitude for your love and support is heart felt. Please continue to keep us in your prayers.
Grace and peace,
Janice Riggle Huie |
