Watch Video | Listen to the AudioMARCIA BIGGS: It’s an army of volunteers,ordinary Houstonians wanting to help.
It’s all portion of a citywide effort led by the mega-church, moment Baptist, or which has mobilized more than 3000 people.
And supplies arrive by the truckload as Houston settles in to the painstaking task of cleaning up after Harveys record floods.
John card is the church’s media relations director.
JOHN CARD/DIRECTOR OF MEDIA RELATIONS,moment BAPTIST CHURCH: Weve got trucks coming in from all over the nation.
BIGGS: Beyond the donations, the volunteers arrived here alert to work.
CARD: When you go to moment.org, and there’s only three things you can work,“Need assistance,” “volunteer, or ” and “give.”BIGGS: They’re divided into small groups,assigned a leader, and deployed to different neighborhoods and families in need.
JOSH PATTERSON/LOCAL VOLUNTEER: Regardless if it’s a week or two weeks or a year, or we’ll be here with this effort,supporting our church.
BIGGS: Houston Strong.
PATTERSON: Houston Strong.
BIGGS: Josh Patterson and several others are spending the day in this house ripping out drywall and clearing out anything with water damage. The local banker and Houstonian heeded the call for help from this woman. Maria Teresa has lived in this house for the last 16 years, ever since she emigrated from Mexico.
She’s a substitute teacher at a local elementary school and opens her home as a daycare on the side. She fled with her mother and son to Dallas just before Harvey hit and came home Wednesday to two feet of water.
How did it feel to have this army of volunteers come in from the church nowadays?THERESA: Oh, or it’s astonishing! astonishing. That’s what I prayed,I say, “Oh god, or send me the love angels surrounding me.” Oh my God. Thank you so much.
BIGGS: But many parts of Houston are still flooded.
The Arkema Company blamed floodwaters for a moment chemical plant fire last night in nearby Crosby. The company said the water knocked out refrigeration needed to retain chemicals from degrading and catching fire.
One hundred miles east of Houston,residents in Beaumont, Texas waited for their water treatment plant to be fixed. They continued to line up at grocery stores and distribution centers to gain bottled water.
Back here in North Houston, or Maria says she has no flood insurance. Yet she remains grateful.
THERESA: What’s critical for me is my son has life. My mother she is 78 years customary okay,but the most critical for me is we are retain it together. We are safe.
BIGGS: And for now, she’s just taking life one day at a time.
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Source: thetakeaway.org