Wednesday Update

Doug VanDerMeulen was recently sent to Port Arthur, Texas to survey the damage and do an assessment for CRWRC after Hurricane Ike went through. Jason Westendorp joined a group of 9 other volunteers who departed this morning at 7:30 am to head down to Port Arthur. (Jason and two other men will be in Texas for a one- week period, while the rest will stay for two weeks.) Please pray for the volunteers who are traveling down to Texas, that they will have a safe trip and that the work they do on behalf of CRWRC will be a blessing to those affected by the hurricane. Also continue to pray for Doug and Mary, Dan and Gerda, and the many others who continue to volunteer with CRWRC and help bring hope and healing to those affected by various disasters both within the US and in other countries.

Stay tuned for more information later on this week~

Kathy Westendorp

Here is the news release today from CRWRC:

A Rapid Response Team of ten volunteers with tractor, chain saws, and tools left Grand Rapids, Michigan this morning from the Disaster Response Services (DRS) office in Byron Center. The crew will help with immediate needs after Hurricane Ike struck 83 of 88 Texas counties, swamped parts of Louisiana, and left a good portion of Kentucky without power. "We have to be pretty much self-contained at this point," says DRS director Bill Adams for CRWRC. "We're aiming for Port Arthur, Texas, where we'll help get emergency workers -- fire, police, and EMTs -- back in their homes. Most houses just aren't liveable right now." Adams reports that DRS project managers were already canvassing homes that the agency rebuilt after Hurricane Rita in 2005 and were hit again by Ike last weekend. Rick and Bonnie Wiersma,and Joel and Angie Ploegstra found that homes CRWRC rebuilt in the last three years were still sound after the storm, despite unfortunate and extensive damage to the homes around them. "We rebuild according to the specifications for hurricane mitigation," Adams says. "The roof reinforced structure, materials used, and nail patterns are specified for hurricane-prone areas." CRWRC's focus, in their response to Hurricane Ike and other North American disasters, is on those who are indigent, handicapped, elderly, without insurance, or otherwise ineligible for government assistance. In addition to providing relief in the States, CRWRC now has six emergency relief projects in action in Haiti, after Hurricanes Fay, Gustav and Hannah struck the impoverished island of Hispanola. 3,000 people who lost what little they had are receiving $48,000 in food, clothing, and roofing materials through CRWRC's Christian partner groups.

Adams estimates that Hurricane Ike response will cost the agency $1 million in rebuilding and reconstruction projects. CRWRC is now requesting donations for both Hurricane Ike programs in Texas and for Haiti hurricane relief. On the Gulf Coast, CRWRC volunteers already in the area are coordinating clean-up and preparation for rebuilding over the next few weeks. Teams will be working in Port Arthur, Orange, Beaumont, and Houston, Texas, where the Christian Reformed denomination has several churches. Most members of Hope Christian Reformed Church (CRC) in Houston were evacuated along with their pastors. Rev. Roger De Young said Monday that the Hope church building was damaged but could be repaired. One of the congregation's pastors, with a home on Galveston Island, is safe but damage to his home is unknown at this point. Most regular communication in and out of the Hurricane area is by cell phone, and the towers remain overloaded with calls.

Adams said that after their crews arrive and begin assessments, they will travel on to Sabine Pass and Cameron, Texas, to continue evaluations there.