Lake Charles Flood Response Continues -- Help Needed! |   | ...
 
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Lake Charles Flood Response Continues -- Help Needed!

Situation Report #3

June 8, 2021

It has been three weeks since seventeen inches of rain fell on Lake Charles, LA; four months since winter storms and sub-zero temperatures caused frozen and burst pipes; eight months since Hurricane Delta made landfall; and nine and a half months since Hurricane Laura (with hundred and fifty miles per hour winds) slammed into this beleaguered city.

Hope Force has been on the ground in Lake Charles, once again, for two and a half weeks — serving the residents of Lake Charles by mucking out flooded homes.  "Mucking out" involves removing parts of the house compromised by water; drywall, insulation, cabinets, and home contents. Without the removal of these elements, mold will grow and the home and living conditions will become unsafe. It is dirty, hot, and humid work — and it is an incredible way to offer tangible compassion to these amazing people who have been so traumatized by four major weather events in just ten months.

Mucking out is simply a tool.  None of our Hope Force Staff, Reservists or volunteers would show up if all we did was muck out homes. Many times, it has been heard: “You couldn’t 'pay me'enough to do this!” The reason we are here is for people like Miss Nancy — a homeowner who in just the last few weeks had finished remodeling her home which Hurricanes Laura and Delta damaged. Miss Nancy, who is in her early nineties, watched out her window as we mucked out her neighbor’s house. When she saw us gather to pray, she hurriedly walked across the street — with the assistance of her cane — to pray a blessing over our team.  No one present will soon forget that prayer.

We are inspired by survivors such as Rev. Clifton and Miss Flora, who at almost seventy years old have experienced flooding in their home seven times since 1980. They have prayed words of hope over our team, and in faith, they are trusting and praising God through these recent storms. “All this stuff we are throwing away is only stuff.  My reward is in heaven, and I don’t need any of this because I have my Jesus” Miss Flora told us as we were clearing out ruined items from her home.

PLEASE WATCH AS REV CLIFTON SHARES AN ENCOURAGING WORD

Hope Force is "a ministry of presence"; we muck out not only because it is needed, but also because it is a pathway to compassionate action.   As we continue this deployment, we want to ask you if you could join us...if even for a few days?  We can use more people to love and serve people like Mr. Clifton and Miss Flora. If you can get here quickly, you might even be able to meet Miss Nancy and work on her house.  If you get to spend even a few minutes with her, her faith will inspire you, and she will be a person you will not soon forget.  To learn more, please contact: deployment@hopeforce.org

If you cannot come, we ask that you would consider entering into our efforts by giving. When you contribute financially, it equips us to go into disasters and stay on the ground longer. The need is great, and your partnership allows us to continue this powerful "ministry of presence."