by Cori Hilsgen
Disaster-relief cleanup will be needed for years to come after Hurricane Harvey left many people devastated in Texas.
Husband and wife Jim and Flo Kruse, and Vicki Ferkinhoff, members of the Park Fellowship Church in Sartell, recently returned from helping with the Texas disaster relief. The three left for Texas Sept. 10 and returned to St. Cloud Sept. 24.
They are part of the Southern Baptist Conference Disaster Relief and are trained in volunteer disaster relief. The Southern Baptist Conference is the third largest disaster-relief organization in the United States, after the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the American Red Cross Disaster Relief.
To help the hurricane victims, Jim pulled a 30-foot heavy-duty shower/laundry trailer to Texas. The trailer had four shower stalls and two washers and dryers so they could also do laundry for people.
The group spent most of their time in Katy, a suburb of Houston, and also helped in Nassau Bay, Texas.
Many people’s homes that had survived the 50 inches of rain became flooded when reservoirs were opened to release water.
“Thousands upon thousands of homes and businesses were affected,” Flo said.
“It was kind of a two-fold disaster really,” Jim said.
The volunteers saw empty schools, businesses, homes and streets after they had been damaged or completely destroyed.
The three volunteers did laundry for other volunteers. People such as the American Red Cross workers, those who went out each morning to do “mud outs” where they went into people’s homes and tore off damaged sheet rock and carried out people’s belongings, cooking crews and anyone else who was in need.
The showers were a welcome relief to many people who put in numerous hours in incredibly hot and humid weather.
Alongside the three volunteers, Red Cross workers fed people about 4,000 meals each day. Other volunteer workers worked with chainsaws, with chaplain services and much more.
The volunteers slept on cots and sleeping bags in churches and gymnasiums. Men and women were in separate areas.
Jim said everything was damaged by water.
“It’s just surreal to see someone’s grand piano, their furniture, their photos and all their belongings just piled on the boulevard,” Jim said. “It is just so unbelievable.”
Jim is certified by the Southern Baptist Disaster Relief to operate the shower trailer and to train other people to run the shower trailer. He is also trained to give emotional support to the victims.
He said the need for the showers and laundry facilities was important, but the most important thing was just being there as a presence for the people who often go into a state of shock.
“We were not only there to provide the showers and the laundry service – which people were so grateful to have clean clothes,” Jim said, “but it is more of a psychological ministry to be there and to show them you care and let them grieve a little.”
He gave an example of an 80-year-old man who asked a Red Cross volunteer to pull a chair out of the debris. His wife had died three years ago and it had been her favorite piece of furniture. He realized he needed to get rid of the chair, but wanted to see it one last time.
“There are so many touching stories,” Jim said.
Flo said as volunteers their focus was completely on the people they served.
“Whether it was displaced people needing information and resources or volunteers,” she said. “Being available to listen, show genuine compassion, give encouragement and pray with them as well. To love others and (let them know) Christ loves them.”
Jim described how some people had not yet been able to return to their homes. There was water in some of the reservoirs that had yet to be released. In most places, the water had receded, but some people about one-half mile down the street from where the three were volunteering were still using boats because of the flooding and the water that remained in their homes.
“This was just one small area and the need will be ongoing for years,” Flo said. “It makes you realize in a moment it could be any of us.”
“As of last week, there were 1.3 million cars that were destroyed in the Houston area that cannot be reused,” Jim said. “It’s bigger than Katrina and will take months for just the basic stuff and years for some normalcy.”
The Katy location volunteers who were serving 4,000 meals each day to people in neighborhoods are now serving 10,000 meals each day in that area alone. The meals are prepared by the Southern Baptist cooking crews and are distributed by the Red Cross.
Flo compared it to grieving a death and explained how we generally give people six weeks to grieve a death and then assume they are fine. The problem is still down there, and it is very real.
“Sometimes people think that with time it gets better, but the problem is people still need their houses cleaned out,” Flo said.
The shower trailer remains in Texas. Jim had some truck transmission problems when they first arrived in Texas and the trailer also had some tire problems, but he said everything “miraculously” worked out.
The trailer is being used by other people who are providing more showers and laundry service to relief victims. Jim plans to pick up the trailer in late October.
They said the Minnesota/Wisconsin Disaster Relief, which is located in Rochester, was incredibly organized. Before the group left for Texas, volunteer workers were coordinated by Dave and Jeanne Wedekind. The Wedekinds coordinate with FEMA and the Red Cross to determine what help is needed.
“People shouldn’t just go down there and decide to be a volunteer,” Flo said. “It’s important to be trained and to be with an organization because otherwise it just creates difficulty. We didn’t go until we were sent and then when we were sent we had a place to stay.”
Jim and Flo said they met so many wonderful volunteers. Many of them were retirees in their 70s and 80s who shared wonderful stories.
“There is no such thing as a lazy disaster-relief worker,” Flo said. “It’s amazing – just kind-hearted people who care about other people. Everybody worked really hard and long hours and nobody complained. The helpers are great and the need is big.”
If you are interested in volunteering, the American Red Cross will train volunteers.
For more information about donating to the Minnesota/Wisconsin Southern Baptist Disaster Relief, for the hurricane victims, visit mwbc.org. The mailing address for the Minnesota/Wisconsin Southern Baptist Disaster Relief is 519 16th St. SE, Rochester, Minn. 55904.
All of the donations go directly to the victims of Hurricane Harvey.