It has been two years since Hurricane Katrina made her deadly landfall in the Gulf Coast. Since then, churches and Christian organizations have provided Katrina victims with a source of hope and a shoulder to lean on with their steadfast commitment to restore buildings and lives torn asunder by the largely forgotten disaster.
"If it had not been for the Church, we would be in even worse shape than we are now," said the Rev. Patrick Keen, pastor of Bethlehem Lutheran Church in New Orleans, according to National Council of Churches.Keen spoke during the Ecumenical Work Week, Aug. 19-25, sponsored by the NCC USA's Special Commission for the Just Rebuilding of the Gulf Coast held in Biloxi, Miss.
"The people of God from all around the country have come to help," Keen added.
Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans at 6:10 a.m. on Aug. 29, 2005. The Category 3 hurricane flooded 80 percent of the city and killed more than 1,600 people in Louisiana and Mississippi in what was the worst natural disaster in U.S. history.
In the aftermath, churches and Christian organizations nationwide provided thousands of Gulf Coast hurricane survivors with home repairs, books and equipments for damaged schools, and assistance in finding services and jobs.
A survey by NCC's Special Commission for the Just Rebuilding of the Gulf Coast estimated that churches from its 35 member communions sent more than 120,000 volunteers and donated 3.6 million hours in helping victims in the Gulf Coast. Those churches also sent an estimated $250 million in financial aid to local churches and relief agencies.
"It was not a sacrifice for us to be there," said the Rev. Leslie Tune, NCC's associate director for justice and advocacy. "It was an immense honor and privilege to be the hands and feet of God and to help people rebuild.
"It was one of the most humbling experiences of my life that people allowed us in their homes and trusted us to help them get things back in order," she added.
Church World Service, with the help of its member denominations and other partners, helped rebuild homes and support programs for young survivors.
