Having talked with local organizations and now having the ability to see first hand the magnitude of the flooding, Hope Force International has decided to deploy Reservists to the hard-hit area of Lake Charles. What is particularly heartbreaking about this deployment is that many of the homes we applied tarps to after Hurricane Laura are the very homes now damaged by the flood waters. Many residents are in a state of shock, gripped by the reality that after many months recovering from the hurricanes, they now find themselves with over a foot of water in their homes. The sheer span of the flooding is beyond words. Whole neighborhoods have been flooded out. Local organizations are tired and worn out. The people here are resilient...but this being the fourth disaster in less than a year, they are emotionally empty.
(Watch the video above where HFI Disaster Services Coordinator, Joey Stoltzfus, shares the heartbreaking reality of the situation.)
As we walk in the aftermath of this flooding, we will need many hands on deck to muck out homes. We also need chaplains present as residents process, grieve, and recover.
