As we were working in Baton Rouge, Hurricane Ike began to build in the Gulf of Mexico. We returned home and regrouped. We waited to see what the damage path was going to be from the 600 mile wide storm. After it passed, our assessment team left Dallas and headed to Houston. There was amazing amounts of damage as you can imagine. We started our assessment at Calvary Chapel Houston. There were a few Calvary Chapels already there. They had moved over from working in LA from Gustav. Praise God for His provision. Samaritan’s Purse was coming on scene and the massive cleanup operation had already begun. Feeding, cleanup, and most importantly God’s love was flowing form the church parking lot. We began working to get more support sent.
Our assessment then lead us to the Port Arthur/Beaumont area. God allowed us to be in the right place when a family came looking for milk to feed their two babies. We heard of a call for help on the radio from a small community called China, TX. We left camp and traveled through more debris and destruction on the way toChina. When we got there, there wasn’t much to find. It was a very small town BEORE Hurricane Ike came through. By the leading of the Holy Spirit, we were able to find the voice that called for help. God lead us down a county road to an elementary school that had little to no supplies to sustain the people left in the storms wake. As we began to pray, He began to provide. Within 48hrs, food, supplies, even dry ice began to roll into town. A team from Vancouver, WA began moving forward to come and help feed the people of this small town. We were blessed to hear that they were warmly welcomed and were able to love on these people as God has called us to do. God provided food, shelter and everything needed.
In October, we went to another small community called San Leon, TX devastated by Hurricane Ike. Over a month after the storm, the town was still trying to deal with debris. Several Calvary Chapels along with other ministries from around the country began working all around the small fishing community sharing God’s love and spreading the gospel by cleaning up what the storm had destroyed. We worked out of a small Baptist church that was a huge blessing. By our actions and examples of faith and love, a new fire was kindled in the church. It was a real blessing to see.
