Hurricane Katrina: updates on what's happening and who's helping

RECONNECT AFTER KATRINALooking for someone?HURRICANE RELIEF: Donate & VolunteerAmerican Red CrossSalvation ArmyHabitat for HumanitySafe HarborNetwork for GoodSI Members: Helping the victims of KatrinamoreofHim: I would so appreciate anyone and everyone's prayers as my husband and I and our 3 kids are leaving tomorrow morning (Friday) for Covington, Louisiana. This is about 40 miles or so from New Orleans. My husband is taking his company's flatbed truck that will be loaded with water, food, gas, chainsaws, diapers, etc.(and even some bibles)... Read moreKrispyKrittr: Chanin... my prayers are with you. I will be heading down there in about a month. Some of us got together and decided to wait a few weeks because what will happen is everyone will go down now... but a month from now the volunteer help will begin to thin out. I'll let y'all know when we go... Read moreA Note From the PosterOn the Tuesday evening news, it was reported that New Orleans had survived the hurricane. It looked like any typical town in the United States that had weathered a hurricane before... until the levee that was holding back Lake Pontchartrain broke, and the city flooded. Looting and violence broke out. The people of New Orleans scrambled to higher and dry ground, and ended up stranded with no food or water in unbearable heat and humidity. I found out about all this on the Wednesday night news. I prayed and prayed in my living room for those poor, suffering people. And then led by the Spirit, I left my house to go do something. I logged onto the Internet at church to find out how I could help. After more prayer, I decided to donate to the Salvation Army, who claimed on their donations page that my money would pay for and provide food and water for a family of 4 for up to 2 days and a clean up kit. I prayed that the money would end up going to those truly in need. As you've read, some of our SI members have decided how they are going to help the victims of Hurricane Katrina. I encourage you to pray about how you can help with wisdom and discernment from God. Pray... fervently, faithfully, humbly on behalf of all these people in need. And be open to God sending you over to minister the love of Christ to these lost, desperate people, if God so leads and provides.

Thousands in New Orleans still stranded, but hope growsNBC, MSNBC and news servicesUpdated: 5:35 p.m. ET Sept. 3, 2005NEW ORLEANS - More evacuees in this devastated city were taken to safety on Saturday, but many still waited for their turn to escape — among them hundreds of hospital patients and thousands at the convention center and the Superdome. The death toll was stilll uncertain but Gov. Kathleen Blanco on Saturday echoed fears that it could be in the thousands. A federal health official said that a single local morgue expected to end up with 1,000 to 2,000 bodies... Read more17,000 more troops headed to regionMSNBC staff and news service reportsUpdated: 3:38 p.m. ET Sept. 3, 2005WASHINGTON - President Bush said Saturday he will send more than 7,000 additional Marines and Army soldiers to the Gulf Coast region. Moments later, NBC News learned that the president himself will return to Louisiana and Mississippi on Monday. And the Pentagon separately announced that 10,000 more National Guardsmen were being deployed to join the 30,000 already in or earlier ordered to the area. “The enormity of the task requires more resources and more troops,” he said in his weekly Saturday address. “We will not rest until we get this right and the job is done"... Read more

I've been anxious to know how Chanin (moreofHim), Arielle and their family's trip went as they left for Louisiana over the weekend to bring supplies and bibles to the victims affected by the hurricane. I went onto Arielle's xanga and found this touching update:-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------i run up to a fence at a shelter where i see an older mother and daughter sitting under an umbrella trying to avoid the unbearable heat. i see they have very little with them. a few things that they have managed to save before the hurricane hit.i begin to talk to the mother behind the fence. as she stands, i hand her a new Bible. with tears in her eyes, she smiles, and kisses it."oh, this is all i have. this is all i have to get me through this. thank you...bless you." she says as she holds her new cherised possession.the daughter sits holding a dog as i ask her if she would like one two. "honey, i already have mine."i hand them a couple of devotionals and say goodbye...the mother, her eyes still gleaming. never in my life have i seen someone rejoicing over God's Word.... it was beautiful...You are my all, all the time...without restunto You be gloryunto You be honorunto You be praises Jesusforever... ~shane barnard... this was just one instance that happened these past few days. this weekend i was in lousisana, alabama, and mississipi helping out some with the hurricane. i have never seen such destruction. you do not realize the amount of damage that was done and the needs of people until you are actually there in the midst of it all. it will take years for everything to be as it was. it was really amazing... it showed how great and powerful the Lord truly is. how sovereign and mericful He is. it showed me how much we take for granted every second of every day....who are we to complain? who am i to show discontentment? some guys from work, dad, and i will be going back down next weekend taking more supplies donated by the church and family. we are going to try and go into neighborhoods that haven't been reached yet. the people do not only need materials but also encouragement and love. bringing light into people's days who have lost everything. talking to a single mom that will have no home to go to...no way to support her family. talking to the little kid on the street carrying a bag with his only possesions. whenever and wherever we are may we show others that there is hope in the One who gave all for them. even if it is the simplest act...Lord, be glorified. humbe1's Xanga Site

The World Helps the U.S.NBC NewsUpdated: 2:57 p.m. ET Sept. 7, 2005 LONDON — This is what friends are for. From Germany, 25 tons of food rations and more on the way. Mexico sent bottled water. And from France, Red Cross workers flew to Baton Rouge to join in the relief effort.But big is too small a word to describe the international response to Hurricane Katrina — more than 60 nations have reached out and responded to America's call for help.And it doesn't capture the shock that other countries have over the images that have emerged from the Gulf Coast... Read moreHurricane Victims Get HaircutsAssociated PressUpdated: 4:01 p.m. ET Sept. 7, 2005HOUSTON - In the dark tunnels underneath the Astrodome, volunteer barbers and stylists have set up a shop where Katrina's refugees can get a shave or have their hair done for free before they set out to rebuild their lives."What they are doing is priceless," said storm survivor Keith Anderson, a 41-year-old probation officer who waited in line for a shave and a haircut he hoped would help him find a new home and a job... Read moreWater Tests Support New Orleans EvacuationMSNBC staff and news service reportsUpdated: 4:38 p.m. ET Sept. 7, 2005NEW ORLEANS - As rescue workers tried to persuade holdouts to leave New Orleans, water tests released Wednesday backed up the mayor’s claim that stubborn residents were risking serious illness if they remained.Residents have been told since the hurricane struck to avoid drinking the water; the latest EPA’s tests extend that risk to skin contact as well.“Human contact with the flood water should be avoided as much as possible,” said EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson. Officials have focused on evacuating the living due to fears that the filthy waters could become a health hazard. Federal health officials said Wednesday that Mississippi and Texas have reported several deaths due to bacteria in water driven ashore by Hurricane Katrina... Read moreHuge Task To Identify Katrina VictimsReutersUpdated: 2:47 p.m. ET Sept. 7, 2005BANGKOK - U.S. police face a “hell of a task” to identify thousands of Hurricane Katrina victims left rotting in heat and humidity similar to the aftermath of the Indian Ocean tsunami, a top forensic expert said on Wednesday.“I don’t envy them at all,” said Detective Superintendent Derek Forest, a Briton who has been running the largest forensic operation in history to try to identify the nearly 5,500 victims of the Dec. 26 disaster in Thailand.“We had 5,500 here and we’re still going after eight months — and we’ve still got 1,500 we’re trying to identify,” Forest told Reuters.“I really do wish them the best, because they’ve got a very difficult situation on their hands. It’s a hell of a task"... Read more-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------And if you guys haven't read it already, check out the update on Chanin (moreofHim) and her family's experience this past weekend ministering to Hurricane Katrina victims. Going to Louisiana - Please PraymoreofHimThank you, thank you for your prayers!We made it back at 3:30 am on Sunday night. Almost 18 hours each way! It gives you alot of time to think and pray and ponder. When I got back my mind was so overwhelmed with thoughts that it was hard to put it all into words, so following this post, I'l post my thoughts on the the things I felt I have learned or at least the Lord confirmed even further to me over the weekend... Read more (scroll down to moreofHim's post)