HOUSTON, TX (August 30, 2017) — Several Covenant congregations in the Houston area are serving as drop-off and distribution points for goods needed by residents who have been forced from their homes by flooding. Another church has provided shelter.
Centro Cristiano Las Buenas Nuevas, an ECC church plant, and the church where it meets, Ashford Community Church, will become a distribution center for support supplies being delivered by semi-trailer trucks coming from Dallas.
Hope Covenant Church will become a command post later this week to collect and pack bags of food for Bridging for Tomorrow, a community partner that operates a food pantry.
Lifepath Covenant Church in Houston opened its doors to become a shelter for 50 people. On Tuesday, pastor Elliott Scott posted a video saying the church needed basic supplies for Harvey refugees and volunteers to work four-hour shifts.
Baxter and Margie Swenson, retired co-directors of missionary personnel for the Covenant, have been visiting family in the area and have started helping local residents who are able to begin cleanup efforts by pulling up carpeting and throwing out damaged household items.
Although rains are diminishing, flooding is expected to worsen still in some areas. Water has breached at least two levees, including one south of Houston yesterday morning that forced Covenanters who attend Life Church of Fort Bend to evacuate. After one levee was breached, Brazoria County tweeted that residents should “Get out now!”
A special fund has been set up for Covenanters to give to relief and recovery efforts in the Houston area.
Numerous Covenanters throughout the Houston area have been among the thousands of people forced from their homes. One home likely affected is the residence of Life Church’s pastor Mike Baker, who is visiting his daughter in Seattle. Houston airports closures prevent him from returning home.
Jeff Lindner, a meteorologist with the Harris County Flood Control District, tweeted yesterday morning, that one trillion gallons of water had fallen on the county over the previous four days. That’s enough to power Niagara Falls for more than two weeks, he said.
“There are a lot of low-income families in the community who will be hit hard by not being able to get to work for days because of the flooding,” said Midsouth Conference superintendent Garth Bolinder.
Bolinder asks Covenanters to pray for the churches of the Midsouth Conference and their surrounding communities that have been affected by the storm.
To give to Hurricane Harvey Relief visit the giving page. Details regarding specific areas of care will be provided in the days ahead, particularly as the flooding subsides and needs on the ground can be more clearly assessed.
