Thank you for your continued prayers and ministry in the aftermath of hurricane Laura. While the majority of Laura’s impact was felt in Louisiana, churches from Beaumont to Orange were affected. It’s a wonderful testimony to the Savior that the churches hardest hit are among those front and center in the response, with congregations across GTBN coming beside them to help carry the Load.
As the Network continues supporting our local churches affected by Laura, we have also reached across the Sabine to our neighbors in Louisiana. The Carey Baptist Association in Lake Charles welcomes our partnership and has asked us to take a particular focus on the communities of Vinton, Starks, and DeQuincy. If your church has already established partnerships outside of this area, we respect that and encourage your continued ministry. Please communicate those efforts with us, and we will pass that along to my counterparts there. Our goal is to foster church to church partnerships with affected congregations on both sides of the river, walking with them through the recovery process. As we know from Harvey, this is a marathon, not a sprint.
As the Network continues supporting our local churches affected by Laura, we have also reached across the Sabine to our neighbors in Louisiana. The Carey Baptist Association in Lake Charles welcomes our partnership and has asked us to take a particular focus on the communities of Vinton, Starks, and DeQuincy. If your church has already established partnerships outside of this area, we respect that and encourage your continued ministry. Please communicate those efforts with us, and we will pass that along to my counterparts there. Our goal is to foster church to church partnerships with affected congregations on both sides of the river, walking with them through the recovery process. As we know from Harvey, this is a marathon, not a sprint.
So, what can we do NOW?
Give
The financial needs are great. The Carey Baptist Association works with 70 churches across the communities most deeply affected by the storm. Gifts there will support the ongoing relief efforts to and through those churches.
Carey Baptist Association Disaster Relief Donations
While needs across the eastern end of GTBN are not as great as those in Louisiana, they remain substantial. Ten GTBN churches received major damage from the storm, with over 3000 requests for assistance recorded. To assist with these needs, you may give to the GTBN Disaster Relief fund. Funds received concurrent with our Laura response will support the relief ministries of GTBN churches, including our work in Louisiana. To give, click here.
Give to the GTBN Disaster Relief Fund
You can also give to Texas Baptist Men or Southern Baptist of Texas Disaster Relief ministries. Both are great partners with us. Here are their links.
Give to TBM Disaster Relief
Give to SB Texas Disaster Relief
While needs across the eastern end of GTBN are not as great as those in Louisiana, they remain substantial. Ten GTBN churches received major damage from the storm, with over 3000 requests for assistance recorded. To assist with these needs, you may give to the GTBN Disaster Relief fund. Funds received concurrent with our Laura response will support the relief ministries of GTBN churches, including our work in Louisiana. To give, click here.
You can also give to Texas Baptist Men or Southern Baptist of Texas Disaster Relief ministries. Both are great partners with us. Here are their links.
Supplies
Lists abound for supplies needed on the field, but the highest priorities, as communicated to us by leaders in Lake Charles, include:
Please do not collect nor deliver clothing of any kind, toys, bedding, furniture or perishable food items.
- Bottled water
- Personal hygiene items
- Non perishable foods, preferably foods that do not require cooking, like MREs
- Baby items (food, formula, diapers, wipes)
Please do not collect nor deliver clothing of any kind, toys, bedding, furniture or perishable food items.
Volunteer / Work
Conditions in the Lake Charles area remain primitive, with several areas lacking essential services. Authorities say it will be weeks until electrical service is restored over the area. Landlines are down, and cell service is slowly being restored, spotty in most areas, non-existent in others. Presently groups should not expect lodging on the Louisiana side of the Sabine. Groups that work for the day must be completely self sufficient, including gas, water, meals.
Given the ongoing recovery on our side of the river, we are not in a position for groups to stage in Orange for ministry in Louisiana. There is housing available in Port Arthur, but these groups must be otherwise self sufficient.
There remain many requests for assistance across the area hit by Laura, and multiple ways for you to engage. Southern Baptists of Texas and Texas Baptist Men are currently focused on priority 1 requests in Texas and Louisiana. If you are a trained Disaster Relief volunteer you, please deploy through your usual channels. If you are new to SBC Disaster Relief or need to re-certify, both groups offer basic “yellow hat” training online from their convention websites. Both will deploying newly trained volunteers.
GTBN is utilizing Crisis Cleanup (crisiscleanup.org) to process residential cleanup, temporary roof, or chainsaw assistance requests not otherwise assigned to SBC disaster relief crews. Pastors and select staff have received an email inviting them to log in and access requests. Completing your account through this link allows for immediate approval to view, claim, and report projects when completed. Be aware that this site includes requests received through the GTBN Disaster Referral line as well as other public sources. Needs are spread throughout the area affected by hurricane Laura.
Texas Baptist Men has a Labor Day missions project focused on Orange. Individuals or groups interested in this will find more information at the following link.
TBM Hurricane Laura Labor Day Weekend
Finally, Samaritans Purse will work with individuals or groups. Non-local volunteers must show proof of a COVID 19 negative test. Volunteers who sleep in their own beds each night may serve daily as often as they are able. They are working from multiple sites in Louisiana. This is a great option for the individual or small group unable to register with Crisis Cleanup. For more information, follow the link.
Samaritans Purse Volunteers
The North American Mission Board’s Send Relief will deploy teams out of FBC Vidor in October. We will send you more information on this as details are released.
Given the ongoing recovery on our side of the river, we are not in a position for groups to stage in Orange for ministry in Louisiana. There is housing available in Port Arthur, but these groups must be otherwise self sufficient.
There remain many requests for assistance across the area hit by Laura, and multiple ways for you to engage. Southern Baptists of Texas and Texas Baptist Men are currently focused on priority 1 requests in Texas and Louisiana. If you are a trained Disaster Relief volunteer you, please deploy through your usual channels. If you are new to SBC Disaster Relief or need to re-certify, both groups offer basic “yellow hat” training online from their convention websites. Both will deploying newly trained volunteers.
GTBN is utilizing Crisis Cleanup (crisiscleanup.org) to process residential cleanup, temporary roof, or chainsaw assistance requests not otherwise assigned to SBC disaster relief crews. Pastors and select staff have received an email inviting them to log in and access requests. Completing your account through this link allows for immediate approval to view, claim, and report projects when completed. Be aware that this site includes requests received through the GTBN Disaster Referral line as well as other public sources. Needs are spread throughout the area affected by hurricane Laura.
Texas Baptist Men has a Labor Day missions project focused on Orange. Individuals or groups interested in this will find more information at the following link.
TBM Hurricane Laura Labor Day Weekend
Finally, Samaritans Purse will work with individuals or groups. Non-local volunteers must show proof of a COVID 19 negative test. Volunteers who sleep in their own beds each night may serve daily as often as they are able. They are working from multiple sites in Louisiana. This is a great option for the individual or small group unable to register with Crisis Cleanup. For more information, follow the link.
Samaritans Purse Volunteers
The North American Mission Board’s Send Relief will deploy teams out of FBC Vidor in October. We will send you more information on this as details are released.
Church to Church
As stated above, all of us in SETX remember Harvey and how lengthy the recovery and rebuild process was. In partnership with other Harvey hit associations and our counterparts in Louisiana, we are working to establish church-to-church partnerships with the congregations most affected, both in Texas and Louisiana. With communications down across much of Louisiana and many pastors unable to live at home, I continue efforts to connect with each church in our assigned area. And the nature of these partnerships remains in discussion. While encouragement and spiritual support will naturally be part of these relationships, I expect there will also be a degree of resourcing. This may come through the partner church directly, or with the partner serving as catalyst and channel for God’s provision.
What you can do now is 1) Please let me know by email if you are already working with a church affected by hurricane Laura, 2) who and where this church is, 3) is this a long-term or short-term partnership. When I have a more complete assessment of the needs in our area of responsibility, we will advance the discussion.
If you are a church on the Texas side and believe a partnership beneficial to your recovery, please inform us. It is very important that we stand together with you as we serve our neighbors to the east.
If you have any questions, please ask. As the situation improves, many of the needs will change. I will update you as they do.
What you can do now is 1) Please let me know by email if you are already working with a church affected by hurricane Laura, 2) who and where this church is, 3) is this a long-term or short-term partnership. When I have a more complete assessment of the needs in our area of responsibility, we will advance the discussion.
If you are a church on the Texas side and believe a partnership beneficial to your recovery, please inform us. It is very important that we stand together with you as we serve our neighbors to the east.
If you have any questions, please ask. As the situation improves, many of the needs will change. I will update you as they do.
Conclusion
In the wake of Laura, God is at work among His people across the region. I hate that we’re going through this again, but I am glad that, since we are, that we’re going through it together. May God honor the ministry of His people, and may we faithfully take this opportunity to not only show His love but proclaim His gospel.
Blessings,
Bro. Jim
Blessings,
Bro. Jim