Faith Groups Shift From Relief to Rebuilding Gulf Coast in Katrina Aftermath

Three weeks after Hurricane Katrina made a devastating impact on the Gulf Coast of America, faith-based organisations are shifting their focus from relief efforts to the rebuilding process.
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Christian organisations, such as World Hope International, Evangelical Free Church of America (EFCA), and Samaritan’s Purse, are formulating plans to rebuild homes and churches destroyed by Katrina. It is estimated that 168,000 homes were destroyed in New Orleans alone, according to reports.

“We have construction workers coming down and assessing the situation to help repair or rebuild those roofs, putting tarp down and putting plywood down eventually, to re-roofing all these houses,” said Mike Takas of World Hope International to Mission Network News (MNN).

Compassion Ministries of the Evangelical Free Church of America (EFCA) is also beginning to plan how to rebuild the homes of the hurricane survivors. Compassion Ministries is presently coordinating efforts to distribute donations and organise shelters for evacuees while simultaneously preparing for the rebuilding process according to MNN.

Unlike Compassion Ministries, Samaritan’s Purse has already sent repair teams out to perform emergency repairs to the homes of the hurricane survivors. The repair crews carry equipments such as chainsaws, hammers, and waterproof plastics, ready to thatched damage roofs or remove fallen trees.
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“If it rained one more time I was afraid my living room would fall in,” said a hurricane survivor, Sarah Lamprey of Gulfport, Miss., to Samaritan’s Purse, “I felt helpless.”

The Samaritan’s Purse repair team was able to repair this hurricane survivor’s roof before another rainfall arrived.

World Hope International is also aiming to help people such as Lamprey, who do not have the resources to repair the damages themselves.

"We're going to need a lot of building supplies from tar paper, to roofing materials, to construction workers coming down and actually helping to do the work,” said Takas. “A lot of these people don't have insurance and they don't have the money to rebuild."

Volunteers of these faith-based organisations express happiness in being able to help Katrina victims rebuild their lives and homes.

"There's so much to do and not enough time. But, it's been a pure joy in making just a little difference,” expressed Takas. "That's a huge part of why we're here, just sharing and showing the love of Christ, being His hands and feet." He says they've already had multiple opportunities to share Christ.

After only three weeks, organisations and their volunteers are already mobilising to rebuild homes, communities, and cities in devastated areas in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama.

"Our desire is to really get out into the community as well...we want to take these provisions out and that's going to be a huge responsibility for the next few teams,” said Takas.





Michelle Vu
Christian Today Correspondent