Houston Tonight
The effects of Hurricane Katrina are starting to hit home with me. Tonight I went out to dinner with my sisters at a local barbeque place, and saw a crowd of people waiting at the take-out counter. They looked weary and bedraggled. For some reason, I instantly wondered if they were refugees from Louisiana. When we left, we saw three cars in a row in the parking lot with Louisiana license plates.
Houston is becoming a refuge for these many out of town guests. Thousands of people will be staying at the Astrodome downtown, and our hotels our filled with many thousands more. I have been encouraged at the number of local churches that have offered their buildings as shelters. And so many Houstonians have offered to help, that shelters have been turning helpers away because there are too many.
Watching the news, I am amazed at what some of these people have had to suffer. Life will never be the same for some of them. I can only hope that the rest of us can help make their transition back to normalcy a little easier. My time and resources are currently pretty limited, but I am praying that God will show me a good way to help. I think the biggest concern is for the long-term...once things settle down and people return to their own lives. That will be a good time for more of us to step in and continue the work that has been started.
Houston is becoming a refuge for these many out of town guests. Thousands of people will be staying at the Astrodome downtown, and our hotels our filled with many thousands more. I have been encouraged at the number of local churches that have offered their buildings as shelters. And so many Houstonians have offered to help, that shelters have been turning helpers away because there are too many.
Watching the news, I am amazed at what some of these people have had to suffer. Life will never be the same for some of them. I can only hope that the rest of us can help make their transition back to normalcy a little easier. My time and resources are currently pretty limited, but I am praying that God will show me a good way to help. I think the biggest concern is for the long-term...once things settle down and people return to their own lives. That will be a good time for more of us to step in and continue the work that has been started.
posted by Erin | 12:13 AM
2 Comments:
Erin,
I saw in your profile that the Woodlands is the area where you live. I was down there last summer with a couple of friends and went to the outdoor pavilion there where the Houston Symphony was playing. It was so much fun!
I've been meaning to post a comment over here since you said you taught CF!E too. That's really neat! I agree, I learned SO much from teaching it, and still use a lot of what I learned in other venues.
That's great that so many in Houston are helping out following the hurricane. I hope you'll post about long-term ways to help as you become aware of them.
Natalie,
Ooh, I love the pavilion! We went to a 4th of July fireworks and symphony show there a couple of years ago:o)
I only taught CF for a year, and that was during my senior year of high school. Didn't you say you taught for about five? Wow! I enjoyed my experience a lot. One of the best parts was sitting with the kids while they ate lunch and getting to talk with them. They really opened up.
Yes, I'll post more as I find out about different Hurricane relief efforts going on. .
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