UPDATE Monday Aug. 28 - Prayers and Patience

Hurricane Harvey continues to devastate coastal Texas with unprecedented rain and record flooding. The situation is evolving and the crisis is not expected to pass for several more days. We will see more evacuees and property loss as the rain continues. The primary focus right now is on preventing loss of life. 

 

Authorities estimate that at least 30,000 people will need shelter in the next day or two, and we have already seen some of those folks come into our conference seeking refuge. We have learned that Killeen FUMC is currently hosting seven people and is prepared to help as many as 100 at a time. If your church is already providing shelter or has the ability to do so, please email Sheryl Crumrine at sheryl@ctcumc.org so that the CTCSC Disaster Response team can best assist you in these efforts.

 

Our conference ERT teams are ready and standing by to assist as soon as they are called upon. However, the tragic truth is that this storm is far from over and much more rain and flooding is still expected in the Greater Houston area and throughout southeast Texas. As such, we simply have to wait and pray until the storm is over, the immediate danger has passed, the damage can be assessed and the immediate needs identified. As difficult as that is for so many who are feeling called to help, prayer and patience is absolutely the best course of action at this point. This is going to be a very long recovery process, most likely, several years. There will be much to do and plenty of opportunities to help in the months and years to come.

 

The Conference Disaster Response team has learned that several people have decided to self-deploy to the Houston and Texas Gulf Coast area. Once again, all are strongly urged to exercise restraint and patience and hold off on deployment until local, state and federal authorities say that it is safe to do go in and begin rescue and recovery efforts. We have several teams already poised to go as soon as we are invited by the Texas or Rio Texas conferences. If you are a trained and badged ERT or ERT Team and would like to deploy as soon as we are invited, please go to ctc-reg.brtapp.com/HurricanHarvey2017 and register. 

 

Rev. Ginger Watson, CTC Coordinator of Disaster Response, has been in regular contact with UMCOR and State of Texas Authorities, and this morning (Monday, Aug. 28) confirmed that the Central Texas Conference is NOT in an active disaster mode. To date we have had no reports of flood damage anywhere in the conference, but the situation could change as rain continues and the remnants of Harvey begin finally move away from the Houston area in the next few days. Please continue to watch ctcumc.org/HurricaneHarvey for updates as they are available.

 

Please contact Ginger (gingerwatson@ctcumc.org) or Sheryl Crumrine (sheryl@ctcumc.org) or  817-877-5222 with questions.