Houston

What an amazing week down in Houston! It was hard work but so worth it. Going down, I wasn't really sure what to expect. We met up with our team of twelve others, from eight states across the country. Driving from the airport to the church we stayed at, there were no visual signs that there had been a hurricane and flood. But we soon saw evidence as we went into neighborhoods where every house had been flooded.

On the first day we cleared the yard of a single mom and her daughter. Her house had flooded and is now infested with termites. We cleared 4 feet around the entire house to prepare so that it could be treated for termites. It took us all day because the house was buried in vines and bushes and trees! It was a good first day to get to know each other as we worked together.

The second day we volunteered at Free Indeed church, where they have a shelter and distribution center. We showed up and jumped right in to help, as people were lined up out the door. We loaded carts with boxes of food, bottled water, toiletry bags, baby supplies, etc., and walked people out to their cars. I loved getting to serve in this way! It was sad to hear some of their stories, but I'm so thankful that the church is doing it's part to help! Just in that one morning, we served over 100 people. Some had to be turned away until the next day, which was heart breaking. After lunch we helped unload a truckload of boxes that were filled with food items, then repacked each box so they were ready to go for the next day. One of my favorite parts was seeing how hard-working and joyful the members of the church were throughout the day, and seeing the church and body of Christ doing what we're supposed to do: help others.

On Wednesday and Thursday, we worked on the house of an elderly couple. The Williams family had lived there for over 40 years. Their house flooded during Harvey, but no one had helped them yet - their house sat in the water and heat for almost a month before we showed up to help. EVERYTHING was covered in black mold - we all wore coverall suits and masks for protection! The first day we carried everything out to the curb... while Mr. and Mrs. Williams watched a lifetime of memories turned into trash. It was hard physical work, but even more so it was emotionally hard as we pulled out all their belongings and realized they had lost everything. Finding things like her jewelry, plates collected from around the world while he had been in the military, and normal household items ruined... it was heart-wrenching. We were able save things like dishes, which some of the girls washed and boxed up.

The second day we tore out the cabinets, sinks, countertops, door frames, and other things to prepare for the drywall to be removed. We got the drywall out of the garage, but weren't able to finish the house. More teams are coming with Adventures in Missions over the next several weeks, and they are finishing the house this week!

In the midst of all this, Mrs. Williams still had joy. At the end of our last day with them, we got in a circle and she asked us where we were from. She was happy and joking with us as we told her. It made my day to see that she didn't let her circumstance get her down - she still had joy because she knows the Lord!

The lowest part of the trip for me was on Thursday afternoon after we said goodbye and piled in the van. The whole neighborhood had been flooded, and as we drove by we saw household items and drywall piled on the curb sides. Then we saw a house with someone inside. People are still living in houses infested with mold, dirty water, termites, and cockroaches, with no electricity or running water, because they have no where else to go! It broke my heart. I CANNOT go back to living a normal life and forget about what I've seen. There are people in need and I believe it is our responsibility as followers of Jesus to help them.

Even in the midst of tragedy, one of my favorite parts of this trip was seeing how people are coming together. Churches, communities, organizations, and individuals are partnering together to rebuild their city. Because of the tragedy of a hurricane, believers are reaching out to help and a strong unity is being formed that never would have happened before. There is HOPE even in the midst of hardship.

Please consider helping the people of Houston. I know there is so much need all around the world - but YOU can make a difference by doing SOMETHING, even if it's small. Prayer is huge; there are thousands of people whose lives will never be the same. You can also give - they are in desperate need of funds to rebuild their homes and lives, and it's going to take a long time. If you'd like to give, you can connect with the Dream Center Gulf Coast. We worked with Holly Renken, the founder of the Dream Center, and she is doing amazing work there! Check out her website at hollyrenken.com. You can donate there, and I am sure 100% of what you give will go toward helping those in need!!

Thank you for your prayer and support this past week. It was an eye-opening trip for sure, and I'm glad for the opportunity to share it with you :)

"And do not forget to do good and share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased."

-Hebrews 13:16