Hurricane Katrina: A Year in Review

“It came like a thief in the night,” says Rezeena, a Hurricane Katrina survivor. “I mean the tidal wave —- it just came through like a tidal wave. I took my son and my daughter and I put them on the dresser. It was the only way that I could keep them up. I just kept praying, ‘Help us Lord. Please Jesus help us.’” Their plight pierced our hearts. It was difficult to comprehend the magnitude of destruction, but easy to feel their pain. “Just in the twinkling of an eye, it’s gone,” another survivor says. “Then something as tragic as this happening, it really crushes you. It almost sucks the air out of you. Where do you go from here?” CBN has helped thousands of Katrina victims answer that very question: “Where do I go from here”. It’s been difficult, it’s been challenging, but it has also been rewarding reaching out and meeting people’s needs! And we’ve brought a message of God’s love, every step of the way. Operation Blessing was prepared for Katrina well before she hit. President Bill Horan positioned a fleet of tractor trailers in Jackson Mississippi, less than 200 miles from the coast. After landfall, Katrina traveled due north. Not only were residents stuck without power, but so were the thousands who had evacuated inland. Restaurants and stores were not open. People were stuck in hotels, and even in their cars, in the sweltering heat for days. “We have no water, no electricity,” says one stranded father. “We have no way to eat. Just no way to survive.” “This is where we’ve been living. This is where it stopped, ran out of gas right here,” add two young women, also stranded while attempting to evacuate. You made it possible for Operation Blessing to roll in immediately! Operation Blessing provided hot meals and water to Salvation Army Kitchens that had quickly run out of food. “We were at the right end of that. If those trucks had not come in, we would have been out of food to continue to feed those at our doors right now,” says a representative from the Salvation Army. As Operation Blessing moved south to the coast, the magnitude of the catastrophe became clear. Operation Blessing faced the daunting task of feeding thousands who had no food — and nowhere to go to get it. “Our trucking fleet supplied multiple feeding locations, not just in Louisiana, but in Mississippi too,” says Bill Horan, President of Operation Blessing. Operation Blessing was prepared to handle medical needs as well. With rains threatening, Operation Blessing launched Operation Blue Roof. “The mayor asked if Operation Blessing could help,” explains Horan. “The first day our crews came back and reported that a number of the homes had trees on them. Well, they couldn’t fix the roof if there was a tree in the way. So the next day we bought a crane over in Texas — a rough-terrain mobile crane. A week later we bought a second crane. Operation Blessing was able to remove hundreds of trees from hundreds of roofs and in the process make the roofs ready for the blue tarps.” One person helped expressed their gratitude. “Seeing you in the back yard, I see God. I see love. I see God in people. I see God in action.” And even today, teams of volunteers continue to work throughout the gulf coast cleaning mold, gutting homes, and getting debris to the streets where the cities can pick it up. “God is good. We certainly appreciate the help and we certainly appreciate everything that you’ve done. To do it and to not charge and be so helpful is amazing. It just shows the power of God,” says another person that was helped. One of the most critical needs you are helping Operation Blessing meet is in providing medication. Pat Robertson had the privilege of telling one woman personally that CBN would help her until the pharmacies reopened. It was mid-February and Pat and Operation Blessing had organized a huge Valentine celebration called “We Love You New Orleans”. New Orleans council member Cynthia Millard thanked Operation Blessing for helping her constituents in the 8th and 9th wards. “While the tacticians and the bureaucrats were talking about color coded plans and what could not be done and what areas could not be entered,” she said, “Operation Blessing bridged the gap.” As winter turned to spring, the gulf coast found itself with a new problem. Stagnant water and warm weather threatened to cause a mosquito nightmare. Swimming pools held millions of mosquito larvae that, if allowed to hatch, could trigger a West Nile virus or encephalitis outbreak. Operation Blessing took on an innovative project using fish that eat mosquito larvae before they hatch. “We organized volunteers called bug busters,” says Horan. “We have treated over 4,500 pools! Thanks to all the people who helped make this thing possible. From the top man down to the guy who gave five bucks to get this thing going. Because it was an impossible task made possible by God’s people.” As spring turned to summer, Operation Blessing launched the next phase of medical outreach. Major hospitals in New Orleans still have not re-opened, but an Operation Blessing medical clinic has. “The average wait in an emergency room is 8 to 10 hours,” says Horan. “We see as many as 95 patients a day in that clinic. We see everyone who has been bitten by alligators and snakes and spiders, to high blood pressure, and diabetes.” It’s not just the poor we’re serving. It’s the newly poor. And perhaps they’re going to recover, but right now they need help,” says Dr. Dorothy Betterton with OB Medical Clinic. Meanwhile work crews are busy helping people return to their homes. Jessica is a single mom who had no way to refurbish her home on her own. So Operation Blessing teams arrived to get the job done. “Had they not been here to help me, my house would look like it did when the hurricane hit,” says a very grateful Jessica. And Operation Blessing had even more in store for this small family. They painted the rooms in colors Jessica chose herself, and provided a new kitchen and furniture! “People came and not only donated their talent, and their time, and skills, but they brought their love of God. And this house is made with that love. This house is just full of love,” she says. And for those who don’t have a home to rebuild? Well, your generous gifts are helping some of those families too. Sharon and George are pastors who lost their home. They were living in their church and sleeping on mattresses in the sanctuary. Selflessly, they put their needs aside and helped Operation Blessing fix up trailers for other homeless families. But we had a surprise for them — a brand new home! CBN Partners have made it possible for Operation Blessing to dramatically change the lives of thousands of people on the gulf coast. From the very beginning Operation Blessing has brought hope to those overwhelmed by their circumstances. Whether it was a meal — Medicine — Or a home — You were there. And Operation Blessing is committed to helping people rebuild their lives. If you are not yet a partner, please join today. Your gifts will not only continue to help those devastated by Hurricane Katrina, but will also minister to the physical and spiritual needs of others around the world.