Faith-based groups are showing to the flood-stricken people of the U.S. state of Louisiana that God loves them as aid continues to pour despite the hardships.
The groups are helping on many fronts—supporting rescue efforts, providing temporary shelter, organising teams of volunteers, distributing aid and working to develop plans for long-term recovery and rebuilding, Religion News Service (RNS) reports.
The floods—the worst natural disaster to hit Louisiana since Superstorm Sandy in 2012—have displaced tens of thousands of people and destroyed or severely damaged at least 40,000 homes, state officials said.
Bethany Church is one of the groups doing their best efforts to help the victims of the floods. Its south Baton Rouge campus has become a key local relief point, where victims are receiving food, clothing and other desperately needed supplies.
Lead pastor Jonathan Stockstill said their work is simply an expression of their faith.
"What we're trying to see happen is for people to see that God loves them by seeing his church move like we are moving," he said.
Bethany is extending its assistance to the needy despite its own losses. It campus north of Baton Rouge was flooded and sustained extensive damage.
Many local churches in the area are housing evacuees who have not been able to return to their still flooded homes. Others are working to supply the evacuees with their daily needs.
Among those extending help is the faith-based Mercy Chefs. Professional chef-volunteers from the group have reportedly been preparing about 9,000 meals for the evacuees every day in mobile kitchens.
Church volunteers deliver the meals by trucks and boats to evacuees in shelters and motels, as well as to rescuers and law enforcers. Some of the recipients said they hadn't had a hot meal in days.
Other national faith-based groups—such as Catholic Charities, Samaritan's Purse, Southern Baptist Disaster Relief and Operation Blessing—are deploying equipment and resources, as well as assembling teams of volunteers from across the country.
The outpouring of help is providing much-needed encouragement to many local residents who feel their plight has not been given much attention in national media coverage.
Carol Parker, finance secretary at Star Hill Church in Baton Rouge, said her congregation is persevering despite the hardships.
Parker said her home of 30 years was flooded by waist-deep water. While her material possessions may be gone, she said her faith survived.
"Just like my pastor said ... we didn't lose everything," she told PBS. "We've got family and we've got God, so do not say we lost everything."
