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United Methodists assess hurricane damages

A UMNS photo by the Rev. Charles Sigman Sandra Pankey and Margo Uehling of Arkansas assemble items for flood buckets to help those affected by Hurricane Katrina.

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."

Web-only image by John Bazemore/FEMA Neighbors navigate floodwaters in Gulfport, Miss., following Hurricane Katrina.

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."

Photo courtesy of Marvin Nauman/FEMA Many mobile homes like this one in Davie, Fla., were destroyed by the high winds of Hurricane Katrina.

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."

Courtesy of Leif Skoogfors/FEMA Volunteers are distributing relief supplies to victims of Hurricane Katrina.

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.