Torrential downpours throughout April in Houston has presented zero chance for recovery from flood waters. They say April showers bring May flowers, but in Texas all May brought them was more rain.
A team of chefs deployed in efforts to help flood victims in the Houston area after receiving a call from the Texas Department of Emergency Management.
Mercy Chefs is dedicated to "feeding body and soul" and serving professionally prepared meals.
In the recent weeks, flood levels in Houston have broken records. With nearly 3 inches of rainfall per hour, the state is preparing for levees to overtop as river levels continue to rise.
Tuesday, the body of a 10 year old boy was recovered after falling into the Brazos River where he was fishing.
Thursday, five soldiers on an army truck died after a vehicle overturned at a low-water crossing near Lake Belton miles northwest of Houston.
Mercy Chefs is stationed in Brazoria County at an emergency shelter located at 1800 North Downing Street in Angleton, Texas.
Meal service will begin during Friday night's dinner.
Gary LeBlanc, Mercy Chefs Founder told CBN News in an interview that, "Mercy Chefs is expecting a long stay. Texas Department of Emergency Management has asked us to stay as long as funding allows through the mass care response phase and the cleanup phase."
In Mercy Chefs latest Facebook post Thursday night, they describe their deployment plans to bring relief to Brazoria County:
"We will partner with the Salvation Army to deliver our professionally prepared meals into all of South East Houston. Our team will also provide onsite service from our mobile kitchen to residents, first responders, and volunteers who are able to reach the shelter."
"What we're seeing in Texas right now is historic. In the history, they've never had flooding this bad. The lakes are four to five feet over what they've ever seen. In the last three weeks they've watched 30-32 inches of rain fall with rain continuing through the weekend," LeBlanc said.
"This amount of rain on top of the April flooding is disastrous because there is literally no place for the water to go."
Mercy Chefs menu will include meals like: baked chicken with a rice pilaf and mixed vegetables; meatloaf, mashed potatoes, gravy, and green beans; roast pork tenderloin with oven roasted red potatoes, corn, and a lima bean succotash. All meals will be served with fresh fruit, vegetables, bread and baked desserts. The chefs will also prepare a cheesy mac 'n cheese for children.
"We have been asked to prepare a second kitchen and team to respond to additional flooding elsewhere in the state," says LeBlanc in reference to other preparations required in the following days.
Mercy Chefs mission "is to feed high quality, professionally made meals to victims, volunteers, and first responders."
LeBlanc says that, "after serving over 1 million meals in the last 10 years, we know that something amazing happens over a shared meal. To be able to go and feed people in the name of Jesus, for people who have lost so much due to no fault of their own, is a real honor and privilege."
For more information and updates about what Mercy Chefs is doing visit their Facebook page, website, or volunteer page.
Did you know?
God is everywhere—even in the news. That’s why we view every news story through the lens of faith. We are committed to delivering quality independent Christian journalism you can trust. But it takes a lot of hard work, time, and money to do what we do. Help us continue to be a voice for truth in the media by supporting CBN News for as little as $1.
Support CBN News
