Efforts continue at Church of God Ministries (CGM) to obtain detailed assessments on the extent of damages to Church of God congregations affected by Hurricane Ike. While some churches have been able to provide initial assessments, contact has remained difficult with several congregations in the most severely affected areas due to power outages, closed roads, and downed phone lines.
“Contact with the Churches of God in Port Arthur, Orange, and Beaumont, Texas, has been difficult,” reports Robert Pettit, hurricane relief coordinator for our churches in Texas. “They were hit hard, and at this time we are unable to make contact to assess the situation. As soon as information is available, we will be able to have a better understanding of what type of response to initiate.”
Initial reports from other churches in Texas were previously announced and can be found here.
New information on Ike’s effect on Louisiana was provided this week to Rev. Obadiah Smith, coordinator for compassionate ministries for CGM. “Don Coleman from Camp Pollock informed us the camp grounds became a temporary evacuation center/shelter for about ten days,” said Smith. Coleman relayed that seventy patients from a local nursing home were housed at the Camp Pollock. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) provided air mattress for the patients, who slept in the sanctuary. The camp grounds also hosted additional evacuees from Louisiana who had taken shelter at the camp grounds during Hurricane Katrina.
Elsewhere in Louisiana, Dale Fontenot from Camp Palmetto informed Smith that the camp grounds had received damage from uprooted trees. Fontenot said, “We are basically back to normal; power has been restored. We are making an effort at this time to remove the trees off the grounds.”
Additional information will be available as the extent and scope of damages to our churches and their congregation members is learned. In anticipation of the need for assistance to our congregations, Rev. Smith encourages individuals and churches to prayerfully consider making a donation to the hurricane relief fund.
Church of God Ministries is accepting donations for the hurricane relief fund. To contribute online, click here to give with your credit card. You can also send checks made payable to “Church of God Ministries” to Church of God Ministries, PO Box 2420, Anderson, IN 46018-2420. Please write “Hurricane Relief, Project 45.04506” on the memo line.
Your gracious donation to the hurricane relief fund will be used to support this crisis through the replenishment of those funds initially advanced that provided an immediate assistance to those affected by this situation. Funds received above and beyond the initial disbursement and designated for this specific situation will be forwarded on to provide additional assistance to those in need.
CGM maintains small but limited hurricane and disaster relief funds in order to provide an immediate response to disasters and crisis. Replenishment of these funds is necessary so CGM can continue to respond to future disasters in an expeditious manner.