Update on Disaster Relief Efforts
From Stan Martin - Irma, September 13:
The members in St. Petersburg, Tampa, Vero Beach and Ocala, Florida, were very blessed that Hurricane Irma did minimal damage to the area. There were a number who lost power (some of which still do not have electricity) and many fallen trees and tree limbs, but no one was injured and to my knowledge no homes were significantly damaged. The forecast early in the week predicted major damage toward Vero Beach, but then the hurricane changed course toward a direct hit of the St. Petersburg/Tampa area. Devastating destruction was predicted up until late Sunday afternoon, when the path changed course again and went further inland. The members were able to see the power of God and answered prayer despite the issues that Hurricane Irma caused in the area.
There does not appear to be any major damage to Jekyll Island that would impact our ability to enjoy the Feast of Tabernacles there in a few weeks. Power should be restored to the island in the next few days, and clean-up efforts are progressing well.
From Rick Shabi - Irma, September 14:
Along with the rest of the state of Florida, Hurricane Irma battered the Orlando and Jacksonville areas with high winds and heavy rainfall this past Sunday and Monday.
I am happy to report that all church members in the area that I've been able to contact are safe and well, with no reported injuries as a result of the storm.
In the Orlando area, wind gusts of up to 80 mph and rain totals of 6-12 inches caused minor damage to some member homes, but has not left any home uninhabitable. Mobile homes are always vulnerable in these storms, but in this area we have seen God's protection as no member mobile homes suffered significant damage.
The biggest impact of the storm was widespread power outages. Just about all members were without power for some period of time. Today, there are several who are being advised that power will likely not be restored to their homes until Sunday or later.
Jacksonville had high wind gusts of 85 mph and rainfall totals of 15 inches or more around the area, including into southern Georgia, where several members live. One member had a tree fall onto their kitchen area, but no one was hurt. Others had only minor damage, if any. Power outages are widespread but most seem to have had power restored by today.
When it seemed the worst was over, historical flooding developed quickly downtown and all along the St. John River. One member commented that floodwater came within a half block of her home and then receded.
Just a few blocks from my own home, it was quite a sight to see the river rushing over its banks like ocean waves and a rescue boat traveling the streets we often drive. I am happy to report, though, that to my knowledge no member in the Jacksonville (or Orlando) church areas suffered any water intrusion in their homes.
The magnitude of this storm was enormous and reminded us of the power that God has built into the universe and the power and commitment He has to protect His people. We all learned lessons of faith and reliance on God from this experience, and we all have much to be thankful for as He has watched over all of us and truly seen us through this storm.
From Chuck Smith - Irma, September 11:
The winds finally began to calm here in the Miami/Ft. Lauderdale area late Sunday evening. I have contacted most of our brethren in this area. All are safe and have minimal damage. A couple are still without power.
In the Caribbean, our brethren were spared, as well. However, some islands were practically demolished, including St. Maarten, Barbuda and St. John. We don't have members there, but those people need our prayers. It will take them years to fully recover.
From Braden Veller - Irma, September 13:
Greetings from the Tallahassee and Ft. Myers congregations. God was extremely merciful to the western side of Florida with the arrival of Hurricane Irma. Before coming here, Irma was heralded by the experts in the highest superlative language possible: "Worst hurricane in a century", "More Powerful than Katrina" (New Orleans), "Worse than Hurricane Andrew" (Miami), "Equal to or Greater than any other Category 5 Hurricane on Record" and "Devastating Storm Surge Projected on Sea Coast."
As Irma hit Cuba, just south of south Florida, its greatest inner winds around its center swirled around the tight eye of the storm at a sustained speed of an unprecedented 225 m.p.h. Most other Category 5 storms never reach such high wind speed. This implied that the outer bands of the storm would smother all of Florida at minimum wind gusts of 75-120 mph, hundreds of miles away from its center.
Hours later it crossed the Florida keys and rammed into the towns of Key West, Naples and Fort Myers--but as a Category 4 with a projected bee line over the Fort Myers, Tampa-St. Pete, and Tallahassee church areas. One fourth of the state of Florida evacuated. A number of our brethren in the direct line of fire in south Florida drove 200-600 miles to escape far enough to secure safety and available lodging.
No doubt, with the supportive prayers of many people during this trial, the key component of the hurricane, the eye of it, began to wobble and become loosely oval shaped instead of a very tight, compact circle. This oblong oval shape managed to create increasing wind shear and pulled Irma's winds down to a Category 3 storm with 120 mph winds at its center. Here it slammed in Naples and Fort Myers, doing its worst damage. Five hours later it drifted north near Sarasota as a Category 2 storm, and 5 hours after that it dropped to Category 1 with occasional 70 mph winds when it hit Tampa Bay. Just past Tampa, what was left of the eye of Irma had disintegrated. Also at this point the storm turned enough east to further alleviate the populated regions on our west coast since the worst hurricane damage always occurs on the north and east sides of the storm.
During the projected "zero hour" when the storm passed east of our home, I marveled that the winds had died down to an eerie silence only to be interrupted by an occasional patter of light rain. Later, the winds north of us were no higher than gale force of under 70 mph. By the time Irma reached between Tallahassee and Jacksonville the storm carried substantial rain in places that caused flooding but wind became a non-factor.
The brethren in the state give a collective cry of thanks to the Great God who spared so many from devastating destruction.
In summary, 60% of Floridians temporarily lost their electricity. Ft. Myers and Naples may not have electricity for another 10 days. There are still flooding issues there and considerable tree damage plus beach erosion in certain places. Our members seem to be okay but enough inconveniences including safe highway travel may force us to cancel church services in Ft. Myers this coming Sabbath.
From Gary Smith - Harvey, September 12:
Houston as a whole is in many ways up and running, but various areas are still dealing with the after effects of the storm. For example, my son's home was spared but the office where he works is inaccessible because of the flooding. He doesn't expect to be able to get back in until after the first of the year. Fortunately, he can work from home. A number of large employers and businesses have been impacted in this way. Most of the roadways are open again or will be soon.
In regard to local members, here is an update:
A woman living along the Brazos River is back in her home and 13 of her cattle survived, including their $10,000 bull. Some chickens and all of her ducks survived. Two rescue donkeys haven't been found. That doesn't mean they are gone for good. They just haven't been found to this point. Her home was not flooded, so she and her family are getting things back in order.
A man in Clear Lake was flooded. He thought that the water just got his carpet. Unfortunately, when they began to remove the baseboard and the drywall, mold was found in a large portion of the home. Was it from this flood or from previous flooding? We don't know, and he doesn't either. He has flood insurance and is using that resource to get things back in order. He has moved out of his home because of the mold and will be out of his home until after the Feast. Work on the house should be done by the end of the Feast. Part of the time away from his home will be spent in a hotel. Insurance will pay for part of this.
A man living near the church building was flooded. He was out of work for a time because of the flooding. He is getting things back in order. We gave him $1000 to help him in the process.
A lady living in Alvin was flooded. She just recently bought her home. The bank said she didn't need flood insurance since she didn't live in the flood plain. Needless to say, she was flooded. In any case, she, her family and neighbors got the carpet out. A day or two later her drywall was removed. Drywall was donated from a member in East Texas and the work to install is planned for the near future. All of the expenses are coming out of her pocket.
Finally, a lady living in Humble was flooded out. She had to be rescued. The flooding got her car and her trailer. When we talked to her about the situation she had $42 in the bank and had lost her license. So we gave her $500 to pay off her car note and included money to get a new license. She is working with FEMA to see what can be done. At present she is living with her daughter and has transportation to her job. We are working to get her a car at no cost although it may need a few repairs.
September 8, 2017
From Mario Seiglie - Mexico Earthquake
I thought I would let you know that, thankfully, the earthquake that hit the southern Pacific side of Mexico did not harm the brethren who live in the area, notably in Chiapas. We don't have members in Oaxaca, the closest land to the epicenter. Those in Mexico City felt the quake but it was more of a horizontal and not a vertical movement, so it was softer.
We have sent $12,000 in immediate aid from the home office to the Houston and Corpus Christi church areas. Our brethren have also provided in-kind help to their neighbors.
Houston pastor Gary Smith wrote two days ago:
Hurricane Harvey has passed and the waters have begun to recede. At present, all the brethren and the church hall are in pretty good shape. We had five brethren who were impacted by the flooding. Four of the brethren are in various stages of removing carpet, flooring and damaged drywall. Once the damaged material is removed, the restoration process can begin. The fifth person entirely lost her trailer and her car. I did not learn of her situation until Sabbath. She has a place to stay, access to her job, and we provided for her so that she would have some operating money to begin the rebuilding process.
A member, one of the five, who lives close to the Brazos River in Sealy, Texas, feared the flooding got into her home and killed her livestock. However, in talking to her yesterday she mentioned that the flooding did not get into her home and neighbors indicated they had seen her bull and a heifer. She did not know the status of the other cattle or her chickens. While being flooded has caused damage, her situation is better than she originally feared.
At present, the primary need of those impacted by the flooding is financial. They all have shelter, food, water and other basic needs. The generous donations of church members will go a long way toward helping the rebuilding process. Thanks to everyone for their prayers and generous donations to the Good Works program.
Elder Mark Sappington also wrote this past week saying:
The Brazos River crested at a stage of 55.19, which is 4 feet below what was predicted. The levee was not breached, so 200,000 more people did not flood. One of the families in the congregation lives behind the levee, so their home will not be flooded.
Houston is drying out, and it is now a city where everyone is helping each other. There is no Republican, Democrat, white, black, Hispanic, or Asian in Houston. We are all Houstonians and Texans, and we are all working together to get through this.
August 31, 2017
From Gary Smith, pastor, Houston, TX:
The Hurricane Harvey experience has been a gut-wrenching catastrophe for Liz and I personally as well as for the members here in Houston. Right now all the members are okay and they have been able to go out and get supplies. Circumstances in several parts of the city are getting back to normal. We live southwest of Houston and things are improving. In the Houston area, there are still communities worried about the levee’s that run along the Brazos River holding. The hope is that the crest of the river will be less than expected and the threatened communities will be okay. Additionally, there are many homes that lie along the path of water that is being released from a couple of reservoirs. There is a fear that the reservoirs may not hold so they are hoping the release will better the situation. Sadly, releasing the water is going to cause flooding. I don’t believe any members are in jeopardy from this at this time.
The church hall in Huble, Texas is dry. The water got up to a point near the door, and then began to recede. We lost a couple of ceiling tiles to a little bit of roof leakage, but we were considering how to address these issues with roof repair when the storm hit. Thankfully, we can make roof repairs as things are drying out. We had a few members who were flooded but they are already in the process of cleaning up. In one case repairs are being undertaken by the community. Neighbors are working on one house and then going on to the next. One member has learned of a church group that is willing to come in and help clean out, do drywall, carpeting and flooring that has been damaged. Another member flooded out has already removed damaged carpet, flooring and furniture. They have someone from East Texas lined up to do repairs. An additional family that was forced to leave home will have to wait until the Brazos River recedes before they can get back in to their property. It will be some time until the river gets down so they can get in. They are now living in their RV until things improve.
The amazing thing in Houston has been the outgoing concern that neighbors have shown. They have gone out to rescue those trapped, volunteer at the shelters, provide food, water, blankets, pillows, clothes. It has been amazing to see people help their neighbors. More of this type of community service is going to be crucial to Houston’s recovery. The brethren here appreciate your prayers. They are in good shape as far as water, food, and the basics. Now they must go through process of repairs and making their homes livable once again. Thankfully, only a handful of brethren were impacted. Please pray for that the repairs and restoration efforts will go well.
August, 30, 2017
Mark Sappington, elder, Houston, TX:
Greetings from water soaked and flooded Houston. Between 30 inches and 50 inches of rainfall fell in the Houston area between Saturday morning and Monday night. As shown on the news, there is widespread massive flooding of hundreds of square miles of the Houston area. Tens of thousands are in shelters which have been set up around the city.
To our knowledge, only three members have had water in their homes. One member had two inches of water in his house. We are still trying to contact one member. Another member has a ranch. She and her family evacuated late last week due to rising water in the rivers to the west of Houston. They had to leave behind their cattle, so they most likely have lost all of their livestock to the flood.
I drove to the Church Hall this morning and found that the building suffered no flooding damage. From the high water mark in the debris, the water rose up to within just two inches of flooding the building. The flood waters of Cypress Creek are receding, and this morning the water level is about 3 to 4 feet below the building slab elevation. God has been gracious to us! We expect to have Sabbath Services there this Sabbath.
The Houston area has over 6,000,000 residents. Over 200,000 residents live behind a levee along the Brazos River. The Brazos River is expected to crest above the top elevation of the levee tomorrow or Friday. If it does, 200,000 more people will suddenly be flooded in a situation very much like New Orleans in Hurricane Katrina. One family in the Houston congregation would be affected by this.
More flooding is anticipated in the central parts of Houston, because the two large reservoirs in the west side of Houston are full, and the Corps of Engineers is releasing massive flows from the reservoir, which will most likely flood hundreds of homes downstream for about 12 miles, all the way to downtown. Houston is not "out of the woods" yet, and it is being announced that it may take two years to fully recover from the flooding.
Please pray for the continued safety and well-being of the brethren here and for relief of the widespread suffering of the millions of residents in the region.
August, 30, 2017
Tom Kuver, pastor Corpus Christi:
Here is synopsis of damage to the Corpus Christi brethren. No brethren were harmed physically and all are well. Three homes had damage due to falling trees. FEMA is helping one and insurance is helping another. Friends helped the third. Port LaVaca wind damage blew off siding and roofing to one member's home.
In Victoria, a shut-in widow had fences and several trees blown down. Members were there to help in cleanup. We have one family not yet returned to their home to assess damage and they are close to Rockport where the highest damage was reported.
A family who attends in Corpus and live outside of Pt. Lavaca, got hit pretty hard. They evacuated and came back to see the damage along with huge trees uprooted front and back and things scattered all over the place. We did have a member whose rental unit got a lot of damage to the inside from the ceilings caving in and water coming in.
August 29, 2017
Many Church members are wondering how they can best help their brethren and others who have been affected by the disastrous flooding and damage caused in the wake of Hurricane Harvey in the Gulf Coast region.
The Good Works program of the United Church of God has had a standing disaster assistance fund expressly reserved for situations such as this. Members can immediately begin sending in donations at www.ucg.org/members/service-projects/us-disaster-assistance. You can also keep track of any updates to the situation by reading this running blog.
The Good Works disaster assistance fund has maintained a standing balance of $10,000 at all times so that we can immediately begin relief efforts when a disaster strikes. In the wake of Harvey we are raising that cap to help in a bigger way.
We'll be working with pastors of churches in the affected areas to determine how to best serve our brethren and others in the short and long-term period of this catastrophe. We are still assessing the effect of this ongoing storm. We will give you more information as we communicate with those on the ground.
Thank you so much for your support and for your ceaseless prayers for God’s deliverance at this time.
Victor Kubik, president, UCGIA
August 28, 2017
From Gary Smith, pastor, Houston, TX:
Since Houston and Hurricane Harvey have been prominent in the news, I thought I would pass along an update. Thankfully, we have been spared torrential rains like those that pelted the area on Saturday and Sunday. Those rains really overwhelmed the drainage system causing flooding and great damage in the area. In general the flooding has made it hard to get around, roads have been closed, and roads have been damaged to the point where they will be impassable when the rain stops. In regard to rescue situations, the main method is by boat as you can see if you watch the news.
The situation with the Houston brethren is fairly positive. Most of the brethren have not been flooded out. Church members are hunkering down in their homes or with family waiting for the rain to stop. One family was forced to leave their home because they live next to the Brazos and it is expected to flood. Two other families have gotten water in portions of their homes. One family moved in with another family because of the potential of the Brazos overwhelming the levee. There are also some families that have left the area to ride out the storm.
As one individual I think correctly observed, “A lot of people are going to need a lot of help for a long time.” We have been contacted by brethren and ministers from all around the country and greatly appreciate the concern, the prayers, and the offers of shelter and assistance. The Houston area continues to need your prayers. Our primary focus is to ask God for His mercy in moving the storm to where the area can drain and begin the recovery process.
August 27, 2017
From Gary Smith, pastor, Houston, TX:
The rain stemming from Hurricane Harvey continues in the Houston area. There are many low-lying areas that are now flooded, some roads are flooded, and several rivers have reached flood stage. Rain is to continue off and on through the day adding to the flooded conditions. The situation will only improve as the rain ceases and the waters can drain away. Your prayers that the rain would abate and the storm would move out away from the area are needed. Your prayers for the brethren in the area are also needed since some live in areas that can flood.
August 25, 2017
From Tom Kuver, pastor, Corpus Christi and Harlingen, TX:
Please remember your brethren in the direct aim of hurricane Harvey. Our widows have been moved to safer areas, and several members have left the coast to visit relatives out of harm’s way. Many have boarded up their windows and will tough it out. Much of the Texas coast will be targeted with a lot of rain. Widespread flooding is expected.
