Several Christian relief organizations are on the ground in Louisiana to help victims of Hurricane Ida.
Since Saturday, nearly two dozen volunteers and staff from Convoy of Hope in Springfield, MO loaded 19 emergency-response tractor-trailers on the ground in Shreveport with supplies to respond in the first hours after Ida made landfall. When the storm subsided, 23 volunteers and staff from the organization began the response by providing food, water, hygiene items, chainsaws, cleaning items, shovels, rakes and other supplies to many residents in need.
Ida struck Louisiana with 150 mile-per-hour winds early on Sunday, 16 years after Hurricane Katrina devastated the state and Mississippi. After making landfall, the hurricane weakened into a Category 1 hurricane and then to a tropical storm early Monday. The storm winds destroyed homes, infrastructure and multiple buildings. Many houses have been flooded. Nearly all of southeast Louisiana and areas in New Orleans have lost electricity and will remain without power for days.
The devastating situation in #Louisiana following #HurricaneIda is far from over. Convoy of Hope is committed to helping hard-hit communities for the long-term. Follow this response and learn how you can help at https://t.co/BTLj9fVUZW. pic.twitter.com/OynJdECLIi
— Convoy of Hope (@ConvoyofHope) September 4, 2021
“It was a major catastrophic storm, and many people are trapped in broken-up and damaged infrastructure everywhere,” said Ethan Forhetz, vice president of public engagement for Convoy of Hope. “It’s heartbreaking. When you are part of Convoy of Hope efforts, oftentimes, you see people on the worst day of their lives, in a helpless and hopeless state. And you realize how important little things are, such as food and water.”
In the wake of natural disasters, Convoy of Hope works in partnership with churches where natural disasters occur. Volunteers from churches typically help distribute the items that Convoy of Hope provides.
“The Lord put us here to help bring comfort and to be the hands and feet of Jesus during a time when so many people are in dire need,” Forhetz said. “We call on the local church to help with our efforts, and it’s a great partnership in these circumstances, because they know the area better than we do since their churches are in the communities where the natural disasters happen.”
Another organization partnering with churches to aid victims of Hurricane Ida is Samaritan’s Purse, an international evangelical humanitarian organization based in North Carolina.
–Alan Goforth | Metro Voice
