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[NewsDesk <NewsDesk@UMCOM.ORG>]

Houston church becomes 'ark' for stranded family, animals

Sep. 30, 2005

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

By Cynthia Harvey*

HOUSTON (UMNS) - Members of Memorial Drive United Methodist Church had
begun to breathe a sigh of relief as Hurricane Rita made a turn to the
east.

Little did they know their church in far west Houston would soon be
called upon to become an "ark."

When Kenneth and Cora Price made the decision to evacuate their Rosharon
home on Sept. 21 and head to Brenham, they knew it would take several
hours. With thousands of others, they were under a mandatory evacuation
order for parts of the Texas Gulf Coast. What the Prices didn't realize
was that after three days, they would still not be in Brenham, a trip
that would take two hours on a normal day.

Complicating the trip was the load they were carrying. Along for the
ride were the Prices' five children, ranging in age from 9 to18; five
goats; two cows; three dogs and about 50 chickens. The Prices own Sweet
Pea Farms in Rosharon, and their children raise many of these farm
animals in their local 4-H Club.

After more than seven hours on the road, the family was only about
halfway to Brenham and low on gas. They stopped to look for gas but had
no luck. They were stranded.

With no other choice, the Prices knew they had to let the animals out of
the trailer. A shopping center parking lot became a makeshift petting
zoo.

Word spread quickly in the community, and several members of Memorial
Drive United Methodist Church went to offer help.

"The church was wonderful," Cora Price said.

"The last thing people want is animals in their parking lot," she said.
"Dogs are one thing, but having an 800-pound cow is different." Church
members put the animals on their soccer field and "didn't mind them
eating the grass."

The family found the church was a place where they "were received with
love and comfort."

The congregation and church staff have become experienced at helping
those in need. Since Hurricane Katrina devastated Louisiana Aug. 29,
church members have assisted thousands of families by serving hot meals,
helping them find jobs and housing, and providing essential household
items. Helping the family with the farm animals just seemed natural.

The church's youth director, Steve Cragg, and his family were able to
get enough gas to move the family to the church parking lot, where the
animals were unloaded. A Sunday school classroom became a shelter for
the human members of the Price family as everyone braced for Hurricane
Rita.

After spending so much time in the trailers, Price said the animals
"were depressed." Church members responded to that need by bringing in
their children to pet the animals.

After the storm passed Sept. 24, the family loaded up and headed back to
Rosharon. This time the trip only took 30 minutes. Once they got back
home, they found they had no power or water and began to think they
should have stayed put at Memorial Drive United Methodist Church.

"I firmly believe God is not going to leave us short, and he did not,"
Price said.  "He put those people there (at Memorial Drive Church) to
take care of it."

During their evacuation, Price was concerned about one of her sons who
has cystic fibrosis and had no place to plug in a necessary machine.
They were able to eventually do that at the church.

The son, who is adopted, also learned that his biological sister and
other family members died during the evacuation. There are 17 children
in his biological family. A brother remains in intensive care following
a high fever that developed during evacuation.

Normally, Price said, she is the one who cares for people. "But this
time, I was on the other side. I had nothing. I was the one in need, and
the Methodists helped us get through it."

*Harvey is pastor of Memorial Drive United Methodist Church, Houston.

News media contact: Linda Green, (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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