By Message Staff
Even as floodwaters continue to rise in Sterlington, the churches of various denominations there are coming together to spread Christ’s love through meal and clothing distributions.
“There is a lot of water everywhere and it is steadily rising” said Ben Hackler, pastor of First Baptist Church Sterlington. “Right now, there really isn’t much we can do but to watch it rain, help where we can and wait. We’ve mobilized people to help where we can.”
According to Hackler, First Sterlington and First West Monroe Fairbanks have joined together to provide hot meals, sandwiches and bottled water to those in need. The First West thrift store already has received a number of donations which they are distributing.
The Methodist Church, which is across the street from First Sterlington, is one of four shelters operating in the area and both Baptist Churches are supplying meals and personal items to the occupants and relief workers.
“If need be, we can also house people as well,” Hackler said. “So far, we have not been needed to house anyone.
Hackler, who was in Frenchmen’s Bend subdivision Friday morning helping to move furniture out of a house threatened by rising water, said the work in the area has only just begun.
“This is going to be a two to four week process,” he said. “People are going to need help after the water goes down and they start assessing needs. I know it is probably too soon but, really, we could use the Louisiana Baptist Convention’s Disaster Relief assessment teams to be here now along with the first responders.
“The real work begins when all this water finally goes down,” Hackler said. “There will be a lot of clean up and sheetrock and carpet to be torn out. So, right now just pray. Pray for everyone who is being affected by these flood waters.”
First Baptist Church in Robeline members spent Friday morning distributing cases of water provided by the Office of Homeland Security to residents of Robeline and Marthaville. Each household receives one case. Those residents are currently without access to clean water after the Robeline/Marthaville water system was flooded out.
Pastor Brian Ray said his church building escaped damage from the flooding, but knows things could be worse.
In the weeks ahead, Ray is certain his church will have ample opportunities to show Christ’s love to many people in need.
“Pray that the water goes down, especially in low lying areas,” Ray said. “Pray that God shows us the needs in the coming weeks.”
Pallets of bottled water are ready for distribution at First Baptist Church in Robeline Friday morning, March 11, 2016. First Baptist Robeline Facebook page photo
Nearly a foot of water was standing inside the office annex at Old Zion Hill Baptist Church in Tickfaw Friday morning. The main worship center did not sustain any water damage.
Pastor Gary Dennis said he was aware of three families in his church whose homes are flooded, though no one sustained injuries.
“We’ve been investing in our community through in action on Sundays and through other projects,” Dennis said. “It looks like the Lord has opened the door wide for us.”
Casey Johnson, pastor of Bonita Road Baptist Church in Bastrop said he feels helpless.
For the past two days, Johnson has spent hours trying to make sure his church members were safe and their belongings out of their homes. Other than to pray, it’s about all Johnson says he can do.
“I’ve never felt so helpless in my life. To know that some of my church members have lost their homes and are displaced and I cannot do anything to help. But I pray God will overshadow them with the strength of His Spirit.”
Since Tuesday, torrential rainfall has caused massive flooding throughout Louisiana. Nearly two feet of rain has fallen in some areas and the rain may not move out of the state until sometime Sunday, according to long-range forecasts.
Johnson’s story is not unique in Louisiana.
For Louis Husser, pastor of Crossgate Baptist Church in Robert, he doesn’t know the status of his church building. Water is running over the Highway 190, something he has not seen in 24 years.
Husser travels that road to get to his church and is hoping to somehow to find a way to get to see the fate of the building sometime tonight.
Zenoria Baptist Church in Trout has been flooded by a rapidly rising Little River, with floodwaters standing in the church and the fellowship hall. First Baptist Church in Jena answered a call for help Friday morning and helped the church remove furnishings. More information is coming later.
Since Tuesday, torrential rainfall has caused massive flooding throughout Louisiana. Nearly two feet of rain has fallen in some areas and the rain may not move out of the state until sometime Sunday, according to long-range forecasts.
The flooding is not confined to just north/central Louisiana. According to the Sabine River Authority, the Toledo Bend Reservoir, located on the Texas-Louisiana border, has reached a record level of 174 feet early Friday morning.
The SRA has opened the spillway gates at the dam to let off the rising water and water is flowing through at a record 207-thousand cubic feet per second, 90-thousand feet over the previous record set in 1989. Residents south of the spillway are being evacuated as the run off will put the Sabine River well over its banks.
The Red River is once again rising quickly with the historic amounts of rain that has fallen over the last week. The Red has risen so rapidly that the Red River Waterway Commission has closed the public boat-launching ramps along the river.
The Louisiana National Guard, as directed by Gov. John Bel Edwards, continues to assist local agencies in response to significant and historic flooding throughout the state, working around the clock since March 9.
The LANG has approximately 800 Guardsmen responding to flood operations, to include evacuations, search and rescue by vehicle, boat and helicopter, distribution and supply of water, security and shelter support, and distribution of sandbags. Over the course of these operations, the LANG has utilized more than 160 high-water vehicles, 44 boats, and 3 helicopters.
The LANG has rescued more than 1,738 citizens, and 162 pets. The LANG has distributed more than 12,000 bottles of water, issued more than 324,000 sand bags with 8 sandbag-filling machines.
Edwards declared a state of emergency on Thursday for the entire state.
