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United Methodists assess hurricane damages

Aug. 30, 2005

NOTE: Photographs and related coverage are available at
http://umns.umc.org.

A UMNS Report
By Ciona Rouse*

As Hurricane Katrina moved inland after pounding the Gulf Coast, United
Methodists resolved to provide whatever help they could to the most
affected areas.

"Southern Mississippi has been devastated by Hurricane Katrina, but in
these difficult days, United Methodist people are confident of God's
love and care for all, and we seek to be a healing presence for all
affected by the storm," said Bishop Hope Morgan Ward of the Mississippi
Area Aug. 30.

Officially declared disaster areas by President Bush, parts of Alabama,
Louisiana and Mississippi were devastated by the Category 4 storm, which
made landfall on the Gulf Coast Aug. 29 after striking Florida a few
days earlier. The death toll by late Aug. 30 was estimated at nearly
70-mostly in Mississippi-but state officials predicted the final number
would be higher.

United Methodist conferences were beginning to assess damages, but their
efforts were hampered by limited access to the most affected areas.
Volunteers were asked to stay away until initial rescue work was
complete.

"We're preparing to move when we're allowed to move," said the Rev. Jeff
Pruett, Mississippi Conference disaster response coordinator. "There's
nothing worse than sending servants into an area that is dangerous."

Ward heard reports of damaged and destroyed churches but could not
confirm them. "From what we hear, the water was all the way to I-10, and
we have a lot of churches between I-10 and the gulf," she said. "I
haven't seen any of this with my own eyes yet, so I hesitate to say
anything more specific."

The bishop, her staff and members of the disaster response team planned
to meet with the Rev. Tom Hazelwood, disaster response executive for the
United Methodist Committee on Relief, about damage assessment. Ward and
a team were going to fly across the state Sept. 1 to survey the damage.

The storm devastated the Biloxi area, where the Rev. Jerry Beam is
district superintendent. He and his family evacuated their home in
Gulfport, Miss., two days earlier. News reports indicated Gulfport homes
and businesses were leveled by Katrina.

"I hear downtown Gulfport is like a Nagasaki zone," Beam said, referring
to one of the Japanese cities destroyed by atomic bombing in 1945. "We
don't know the condition of our house. We're just waiting, and it's one
of the hardest things to do."

He also did not know the condition of the churches in his district, he
said. Most cell phone lines were not working and land lines were busy,
so he was unable to reach pastors.

"I feel badly," Beam said, noting that some of the clergy in his
district might be stuck in the disaster area. "I can't communicate with
them."

Damage to the conference's senior facilities in Biloxi was being
assessed, but most residents were evacuated, according to reports
received by Senior Services Director Steve McAlilly. There were no
reports from Gulfside Assembly, the conference retreat center in
Waveland, which survived Hurricane Camille in 1969.

In Louisiana, New Orleans pastors contacted the conference office in
Baton Rouge throughout the day Aug. 30. Some had no idea how their
churches and homes had fared. Flood waters continued to rise in the
city, and people remaining in the city's shelters were asked to
evacuate. Others awaited rescue on rooftops.

The Rev. Darryl Tate, pastor of St. Luke's United Methodist Church in
New Orleans, reported that he and his family evacuated to his parents'
home in New Iberia, La. He said his house and church were probably
flooded.

June Sanchez and nine other members of her family - all members of
Hartzell United Methodist Church in New Orleans - traveled 20 hours to
Galveston, Texas, to find hotel rooms.

"My parents, aged 90 and 92, are also with us," said Sanchez, who has
experienced many hurricanes. "We came through Hurricane Betsey years
ago. If there's one thing I've learned, as long as you have life,
nothing else matters. You can always acquire material things."

The Rev. Don Cottrill, provost of the Louisiana Conference, said, "The
conference is very appreciative of everyone's prayers throughout the
connection. We will be working closely with UMCOR throughout the initial
assessment process and the following recovery."

Congregations throughout the conference were providing food, shelter and
comfort to evacuees from the storm. Nearly 200 New Orleans-area
residents sought shelter at the Wesley Center, Louisiana's United
Methodist conference center in Woodworth. Pastors and church members
called in offers of bottled water, flashlights and other supplies.

The Alabama-West Florida Conference Disaster Recovery Center in Mobile,
Ala., was unable to operate because of massive flooding. Still, United
Methodists in the conference were working on disaster recovery from the
conference resource center in Andalusia.

The conference seeks self-sustaining, early response teams for immediate
relief work.

Alabama-West Florida is "relying heavily" on UMCOR support to
accommodate the needs of the conference as they wait for volunteers and
staff, said Meredyth Earnest, conference communicator.

"We are thankful for help from UMCOR," she said. "We're doing the best
we can and encourage callers to contact the conference office to
volunteer."

Florida United Methodists were hit by Hurricane Katrina Aug. 25. The
storm was a Category 1 hurricane then.

"It's not the kind of destruction with Hurricane Andrew," said Bob
Ladner, disaster response coordinator for the conference's South East
District, which includes churches in Fort Lauderdale, the Miami area and
the Keys. "We don't have the kinds of things you saw with (hurricanes)
Andrew or Charley."

Most areas of the conference experienced debris and flooding, so
district response teams were organizing clean-up efforts.

The Florida Conference planned to focus its efforts on areas still
recovering from last year's hurricanes, and communities in and around
Apalachicola affected by Hurricane Dennis, said Marilyn Swanson, who is
directing the storm recovery center for the conference.

Some districts in Florida were putting together work teams to help
hard-hit areas of Louisiana and Mississippi once United Methodist teams
are finally allowed in the area.

Donations to support the United Methodist response to the Hurricane
Katrina tragedy can be made online at www.methodistrelief.org and by
phone at (800) 554-8583. Checks can be written to UMCOR, designated for
"Hurricanes 2005 Global," Advance No. 982523, and left in church
offering plates or mailed directly to UMCOR, P.O. Box 9068, New York, NY
10087-9068.

*Rouse is a freelance writer in Nashville, Tenn. Annual conference
communicators Betty Backstrom of Louisiana, Gwen Green of Mississippi
and Tita Parham of Florida contributed information.

News media contact: Tim Tanton, Nashville, Tenn., (615) 742-5470 or
newsdesk@umcom.org.

********************

United Methodist News Service
Photos and stories also available at:
http://umns.umc.org

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