I just got this report from Athol Barnes, an AIM staff member:

The damage is very similar to Katrina and the New Orleans Gulf coast area. We went through houses and neighborhoods today that had 4 to 5 feet of water in them. There will be hundreds, if not thousands, of homes that need gutting, something our teams do really well. The area of damage is very widespread; the storm was 600 miles across. Many of the areas between Houston and the Louisiana line are economically depressed and the people might have insurance, but the insurance covers only current cash value (this was the case with a family we visited today in Galveston).

The pictures could have been taken anywhere in the Holly grove area of New Orleans, but they were in Galveston. Bolivar, an area outside Houston was almost completely destroyed. And it was a very poor area.

The immediate need is for volunteers, yesterday. We are proposing to have volunteers come to Houston and stay with our partner church. We will have a volunteer coordinator in place to facilitate the work crews and make sure their food and lodging are taken care of. We will charge them $30 per day that will include, a place to sleep, three meals, a coordinator, nonspecialized tools (they might want to bring chain saws etc).

Lodging might be varied including trailers, dorm style in a hall, or large tents. Cots will be provided.

The volunteers will do:

• Gutting and demolition
• Food distribution and ministering to those affected by the storm
• General contractors
• Yard clean up
• Roofers
• Prayer walking and evangelism

Postscript: Kim Daniels, a World Racer ministering to the sex trade in Thailand is from Houston and wrote in the comment section below. She notes that "the damage is ridiculous." We who follow Jesus need to find more ways to give and bring hope. Here is an obvious way. Will you help? Call 800-881-2461
(ext. 212) or email us and I'll get you more info.

Visit the Hurricane Ike Relief Page.