Alliance People Weather Hurricane Ike

Hurricane Ike may have devastated the Texas landscape but not Alliance family members who rode out the storm. The following is a report from Mark Searing, Southwestern district superintendent.  
 
I was able to speak with most of the pastors in the Houston area and in Louisiana. The following reports are initial reports and may change as people are able to venture out to survey the damage more closely. I will update this throughout the day as I get reports. 
 
Curtis Pace in Centerville, Louisiana, reports the levees broke overnight and flooding is occurring. They received quite a large storm surge there on Friday night in advance of the storm. Even so, his home and the church are undamaged. 
 
Elder Fred Stark from Sulphur, Louisiana, reports flooding in low lying areas. He also left a message stating that several families had stayed at the church Friday night, since it is on higher ground and everything seems to be well there. 
 
Jim Black in Baytown reports his home has shingles missing and some superficial damage but nothing major. He has not been able to get to the church yet but will report in when he does.  
 
Charles Smith and David Seckinger, Houston Multiplications Center and Parkway Fellowship, report slight damage to shingles but no major damage to their homes. They do not have electricity. Charles has not been able to get to Parkway yet but will let us know when he does. 
 
Laurie Chernosky, wife of the Central Spanish District pastor in Pasadena, Texas, reports that all is well with them but they have not been able to get to the church. 
 
Pastor Di, Vietnamese First Alliance Church in Houston, reports he is fine as well as his congregation. He has not been able to get to the church yet. 
 
We have not yet been in touch with Pastor Liang of Trinity Fellowship but I will continue to attempt to reach him. We will update all information as it is received. 
 
Our Office Manager’s brother lives in Crystal Beach on the Bolivar Peninsula. He was able to get out before the storm surge hit but many people were caught and had to stay. There were reports late last night of people in their homes (on stilts) with waist high water in the second floor. This indicates water in excess of 20 feet deep. Pray for this community as the potential devastation is great.  
 
Chaplain Paul Northcutt and his emergency service van/ATV and supply trailer will be headed into the recovery zone after the wind has died down. He was a great help to our Louisiana congregations and others as needed. He is our emergency go-to-guy in these kinds of situations.  
 
If emergency housing is needed away from the zone of the hurricane, please know that there are Alliance Churches willing to help. Pastor Ken Cluck in San Antonio (ABC) and Rev. Ben Andrus from Hope Fellowship in Longview have extended that invitation, and others are waiting for our call to jump into action.  
 
I received e-mails and phone calls all day Friday from people around the country saying that they are praying for us. I want to thank The C&MA family for their prayer support and would ask that they pray for encouragement and joy in the midst of tribulation. Let’s pray for our faith to be centered in Him and be wise to obey the authorities over us as we deal with the aftermath of Hurricane Ike and its winds and rain. Nothing is too big for Him to take us through!

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