Community

Small Chores. Big Miracles.

By Kristina Gemici

Hurricane Harvey hit Houston in August of 2017, causing damage to over 200,000 homes and forcing 30,000 people to be displaced. It’s estimated that Hurricane Harvey caused $125 billion dollars in damage to Houston and the surrounding cities. While the devastation was beyond overwhelming, friends, family members, and even strangers risked their lives to rescue those who were trapped, and have since spent countless months helping their neighbors recover from this great loss. The question wasn’t of who needed help, but rather where to begin.

During this catastrophe, God presented a huge opportunity for the Access Seventh-day Adventist Church to reach a neighborhood on Cat Springs Street in Katy, Texas. Like many neighborhoods in the area, these homes were flooded with at least one to three feet of water. This caused each house to lose almost all appliances, furniture, bedding, and most personal items. Along with the loss of essentials for living and precious memories, people were forced to remove 2-4 feet of drywall and strip out most floors, leaving their homes in a state of disrepair. And yet, they did not give up hope. Instead, they joined with the hundreds who came to help.

After spending several months working with volunteers from Access Seventh-day Adventist Church and groups from other churches and organizations, Access reached out to the Texas Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. The Texas Conference informed us that a retired contractor and his wife were on their way to Houston to volunteer, but weren’t sure where to dedicate their time.

After meeting this couple that same weekend, we learned that Wendell and Claudia Bobst had made the decision to sell everything they had in California, and to make it their life’s work to serve where they were needed. With only their RV, one vehicle, and the family dog, Wendell and Claudia set off on their journey, waiting for God to lead. He led them straight to Texas, and had a plan beyond any we could have imagined. Wendell, a highly skilled retired contractor, and Claudia helped Cat Springs for over two months alongside Access and other volunteers. Every morning, Wendell would arrive and go door-to-door asking each person what he could do for them. By the end of their mission, Wendell had helped with plumbing, door repairs, drywall issues, installing kitchen and bathroom cabinets, lawn mower repairs,

roofing, window installation, and much more. Far beyond the physical help that Wendell provided, he also spent hours providing emotional support to the neighborhood. Wendell’s work was 100 percent donated to these homes, often at the couple’s own cost. Words cannot even express what Wendell and Claudia have done for Cat Springs.

After two months of help from Wendell and Claudia, they departed for the next place to leave their mark. Before going, Wendell and Claudia left each homeowner with The Great Controversy, a book by Adventist author Ellen White, and left our town with questions about why God had chosen them for such an amazing miracle. Wendell and Claudia are perfect examples of what it means to walk in the footsteps of Jesus and how, with God, all things are possible.

Reflections from the Storm:A Year Later

By Tamara Michalenko Terry

Texans are resilient people. They’ve seen hurricanes before, but nothing prepared the state, or the country, for Hurricane Harvey. As the rains continued in the Houston area, the flood waters rose and left many people stranded. It was sobering to watch news stories of people being rescued, or interviews from people who had come from all over the world to help those in need.

Unfortunately, when the water receded, so did many of the reporters. When the media leaves, so do the visuals. The lost connection means the donations start slowing down. People who aren’t experiencing the crisis start focusing on the next story as the media doesn’t always cover the lengthy rebuilding process. Television shows use hundreds of volunteers and contractors to rebuild a house in a week. If only residents had that many people coming to repair their homes and businesses.

Hurricane Harvey provided on the job training for Marshall and Julie Gonzales, new Texas Conference Adventist Community Services Director and Assistant Director who started their positions August 1, 2017. “When I first joined Texas ACS, my big vision was to involve every Seventh-day Adventist

church in the state in community outreach,” reflected Marshall. “I wanted Texas ACS to be a resource center for our churches and any other agency working to reach the community and provide training in community services or disaster response.” Focused on helping those affected by Hurricane Harvey, that goal took a back seat.

“Hurricane Harvey struck Rockport, then hit Refugio before going off towards Houston,” shared Marshall. “The impact of the hurricane on Refugio has been devastating. It left many residents, who were already struggling economically, emotionally depressed.” Having toured the area again earlier this year, Marshall noticed those who stayed were struggling to get their homes back in livable condition. “The houses may look fine on the outside, but on the inside, they need plumbing, electrical, and drywall work.”

People are willing to help, but they need more people. “And funds,” added Marshall. “A local church is willing to house volunteers who will help those in the area. Another group donates their labor to roof houses as materials are supplied. That is only part of the challenge. There is still a need to clean out

houses, level foundations, paint, and more, and this is only for one county. More counties have similar needs.”

The Texas Conference, along with the Southwestern Union Conference, donated funds to have the foundation repaired for 15 homes in Refugio County. But there are many more that need help.

Consider adopting a house affected by Hurricane Harvey. Donations can be given online to help #RehabRefugio at TexasAdventist.org. One hundred percent of the funds donated will help with hurricane relief. If your church, business or school group would like to donate time to help in Refugio or surrounding areas, please contact Marshall or Julie Gonzales at 817.641.7679 or email acs@txsda.org. Follow the progress, and other disaster related updates, on the Texas Adventist Community Services’ Facebook page @TXACS.

Life is not without its challenges, but God promises to stay with us through all the storms life may bring.