USA (MNN)–Hurricane Katrina left a huge swath of destruction in her wake, with an estimated $16 billion in damages. That would make the storm second only to Hurricane Andrew in 1992.
President Bush has declared Louisiana and Mississippi disaster areas, making federal funds available to affected residents.
Officials in hurricane-affected areas are urging evacuees and others to stay put. Many roadways and airports are still underwater. That makes getting aid to the Gulf Coast challenging.
Operation Blessing’s Kristin Vischer says they, along with the other relief groups, are waiting for government clearance to go in when it’s declared safe. “We’re going to be providing about 310-thousand meals a day in those affected states. Along with the Salvation Army, we need to place four trailer kitchens and 38 mobile feeding canteens with them. We’ll also be using our new tractor-trailer sized mobile kitchen.”
OBI is working with local churches and others to determine how best to bring help to those struggling to cope in the aftermath.
Often, their staff is asked why they do what they do. That allows them to verbally share their faith with the storm survivors.
During a time when most of the survivors are struggling to cope with knowing their homes are gone, it’s the cup of cold water in Jesus’ name that softens people.
Vischer says, “I think it’s just more of being a light where there is darkness and giving hope where people are just completely and utterly hopeless. They’ve lost everything. Just more in deed than word.”
If you’d like to help, go to: http://www.ob.org
