Texans on Mission Disaster Relief has deployed five teams to respond to widespread flooding in Southeast Texas and has many more lined up to serve in a multi-site relief effort.
More than 800 structures have been flooded from Trinity to Houston after it was hit by a deluge of rain plus runoff from heavy rain in North Texas. Gov. Greg Abbott recently issued a disaster declaration for 99 counties, many due to flooding.
“People are watching the lives they built being ruined by up to 23 inches of rain. Neighborhoods that weren't even affected by Hurricane Harvey are suffering,” said Mickey Lenamon, Texans on Mission chief executive officer.
“Rain is seeping into homes and hope is seeping out of people's hearts. It's truly a sad situation.”
The ministry sent shower, laundry, incident management, electrical and electrical support teams to Kingwood and Conroe. They will meet chaplains and assessors on site to begin canvasing the area. Flood recovery and feeding teams from across the state will follow shortly after.
Under Texans on Mission’s coordination, Louisiana Baptist Disaster Relief will be serving in Hubbard and TXM is looking at the possibilities of other sites. The relief effort will be lengthy and the recovery process even longer.
"The breadth of the flooding is astounding," said David Wells, Texans on Mission Disaster Relief director. "It's difficult to even fathom it. Not only has it rained so much, but the water has just remained for days."
This relief effort continues an extraordinarily busy time for Texans on Mission Disaster Relief. In the past few weeks, volunteers have responded to flooding in Kirbyville, tornadoes in Port Arthur, tornadoes near Abilene and flooding in Rising Star. The Port Arthur and Rising Star efforts continue.
“This has been an extreme weather season for Texans,” Wells said. “A lot of people are struggling. But in the midst of it all, God is moving. His people are out there serving. They’re encouraging people. They’re helping them recover. They’re sharing the gospel. Lives are being changed.”