July 9, 2001

Thousands of volunteers needed in Houston
___By Ken Camp & Karen Simons
___Texas Baptist Communications
___HOUSTON--As Houston's need for immediate disaster relief in the wake of Tropical Storm Allison ends, the long period of recovery begins, according to Texas Baptists working in the area.
___Representatives of Union Baptist Association and the Baptist General Convention of Texas are establishing a process to help congregations and families for at least the next 18 months.
___And thousands of volunteers are needed to clean and repair flood-damaged churches

DANA BOWDOIN and Ron Holt of the financial area at Union Baptist Association retrieve as much of the financial records as possible. While several days were scheduled for moving salvageable materials and files to new space, the complex was closed indefinitely due to concerns related to mold.

and homes throughout the Houston area, according to John LaNoue, flood recovery coordinator with Texas Baptist Men.
___Texas Baptists cooked more than 326,000 meals in three weeks of immediate disaster relief. Local volunteers--including 32 Buddhist monks--joined the Baptist disaster relief team members, LaNoue noted.
___Baptists who worked in the sweltering heat over boiling pots included a significant number of senior adults, a heart transplant recipient and a volunteer who is legally blind.
___"Watching these people just reminded me once again that no one has any excuse for not serving God," LaNoue noted.
___Now Houston is moving out of relief and into recovery, said Milfred Minatrea of the Texas Baptist Family Assistance Task Force.
___"That presents a whole new set of opportunities for churches across the state to partner with brothers and sisters in Christ," said Minatrea, director of the BGCT office of missional church strategy.
___The BGCT already has released more than $100,000 in relief funds and now is looking at committing personnel temporarily to assist Union Baptist Association in the recovery efforts.
___Keith Crouch of the BGCT church facilities office is working with Union Association leaders to help churches that sustained flood damage to their buildings.
___Union Baptist Association lost its office space to the floods, but "the work of the association goes on," according to Tom Billings, associational executive director.
___"Our staff is focused on identifying and assessing church needs and networking to meet those needs. We are definitely still viable. There are 501 churches in UBA, and our churches are doing all they can. But that doesn't mean we don't need outside help. We welcome our fellow Baptists to come and assist us in this process," he said.
___Minatrea said the goal is to involve 2,500 groups from across the state that would adopt specific churches and households.
___Volunteers needed include prayerwalkers, office staff, those who can do building work such as installing dry wall, and those who could serve as crew chiefs checking work on multiple sites.
___Texas Baptists willing to help with cleaning and repair of buildings should leave a message at (713) 756-3199. At least 36 churches in Union Baptist Association and an estimated 3,000 member households sustained damage.
___Work crews are asked to bring their own tools and provide their own meals. Some area churches are providing housing for volunteers.
___Workers are encouraged to wear rubber-soled shoes, long trousers, rubber gloves or heavy work gloves, dust masks, kneepads and safety glasses.
___Suggested tools include claw hammers, flat nail bars, screwdrivers, pliers, keyhole saws, sheetrock knives, chalk lines and tape measures for working with drywall.
___Other items needed for the project are wheelbarrows, mops, brooms, buckets, stepladders and disinfectant.
___Texas Baptists who wish to contribute financially to the relief and recovery effort in Houston should send designated gifts to Treasurer, Baptist General Convention of Texas, 333 N. Washington, Dallas 75246-1798.
___Union Baptist Association also has established three channels for receiving funds: one for churches, one for families and one to help the association replace its office furnishings. Checks may be sent to Union Baptist Association at 2060 North Loop West, Suite 100, Houston 77018.

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