a new shelter at lackland baptist church

The name of this website is beChurch. I named it that because I have been talking for about a year about "being the Church" (capital C) instead of "going to church". With the arrival of evacuees from hurricane Katrina comes many opportnities to do just that.

Tonight I learned that a church about 3 minutes from my house has taken in 144 evacuees - many elderly and sick, many with kids. Ironically, it's an old-fashioned Southern Baptist Church that I used to go to when I was a kid. We visited there a few weeks ago (just to let the kids see that type of a service). There were about 30 people in the sanctuary that morning with an estimated average age of about 70. Yet this small community has opened their gym to as many people as it would hold.

We're going to try to plug in and help. Right now, their immediate need is for volunteers. Specifically, they need people to come play with the kids. We're working on pulling together a VBS-style teaching in the evenings. They also need people to help wash clothes and drivers to take people back and forth to Walmart, etc. They are also raising money for bus tickets so evacuees to travel to various cities to be reunited with family. Many need to get to Houston immediately.

If anyone is interested in helping, you can email me or call me at 210-913-7897. I'm going by in the morning and will have more information for you then.

katrina victims in san antonio

Friday, September 3, 2005
My wife Angie and I were supposed to go have dinner with another couple - Loren and Jenny. Then we got a phone call that changed our plans.

It was Dan. He told us that a couple we used to go to church with - Joseph and Ruby - had been at the old Levi Strauss plant since yesterday helping the 1000 or so evacuees from hurricane Katrina who had been moved there from Houston. Joseph had the inside scoop. He knew what was needed: towels, deodorant and combs. He told us how to get through the gate and how we could volunteer. So off we went to Walmart. The Katkas stopped and loaded up on some items. Loren and Jenny rode with Angie and I and we got some things as well.

When we got to the gate of the Levi plant, everything seemed very orderly. We pulled up to the guard and said we were there to volunteer with the Red Cross and that we had brought some supplies. The friendly MP told us how to get back to the loading dock and thanked us for coming.

We got out of our truck and found Joseph unloading huge palettes of clothing from the back of a truck. There were several people helping - a few in the truck and the rest on the ground to offload. As they lowered a particularly heavy box onto the hydraulic lift, someone shouted "WE NEED FOUR MEN". Not even 10 seconds into our visit, I had my first job. Loren and I grabbed a corner and helped lift what must have been 500 pounds of clothing off the lift.

Angie and Jenny talked with one of the Red Cross volunteers. "We brought some candy for the kids, if that's OK..." They got the response they had been hoping for..."would YOU like to pass it out to them?" AWESOME! We had been hoping to actually get to talk with and serve the refugees, but weren't sure if they'd allow us to. That's the last I saw of the ladies for a while.

Dan dropped off all that they had brought but had to leave pretty quickly. He had brought his kids and realized that it probably wasn't the best place for them - especially Andrew and Jordan who are in wheelchairs.

We offloaded most of the clothing - then were called to help in another way. It seems they had lined everyone up and were asking them what kind of clothes they'd like. Volunteers then went in the back, located clothes that were the right size, and brought them back to the residents. I helped two guys - Billy and Darrell. They were the last two in line.

Billy talked about getting out of New Orleans by boat - just barely. He said he didn't think his two brothers made it. He reeked of beer and at one point in our conversation said “I’ve been clean for 10 years, but since everything that has happened, I’ve gotten to drinking again”. The old fundamentalist part of me wanted to tell him that would certainly send him straight to hell. The new “emerging” part of me wanted to knock a few back with him. Instead, I just went and got him some shorts and flip-flops so he could take a shower. As he walked away, I stopped him. “Billy!” He turned to look at me. What can you say to someone in his situation? The best I could muster was “I really hope your brothers are OK and that you find them real soon. I’ll pray for you.” Hopefully what it lacked in elocution and good grammar, it made up for in sincerity.

Darrell on the other hand didn't want to talk about the storm. He just wanted some jeans - "some nice ones, man - hook me up". I found Darrell some Levis that were almost his size. He was cool because “at least they were nice ones”. When I delivered his jeans and some underwear and shirts, he asked for a nice baseball cap. He pointed to my beloved Longhorn hat which I was wearing when he said it. I should have taken it off immediately and given it to him. Instead, I remembered how dirty it is. I thought maybe I could find a better one for him in back. I looked for about 5 minutes with no luck. I returned with my hat removed – ready to hand it over. Darrell had wandered off. I looked for him for a few minutes. I guess I was waiting to find the perfect gift before giving. Hesitation can often breed regret. I hope I see Darrell tomorrow.

In all, Loren and I helped move all the clothing we had unloaded inside - sorted into different rooms. All in all, we moved about 8 palettes of clothes. That's a LOT of clothes. So tonight, Loren and I were pretty much pack mules.

Angie and Jenny had a much different experience. When I found the ladies, Angie was holding a beautiful little girl who was sleeping on her shoulder. Her mom was telling an incredible story - two young children, stranded for days on the roof of their house. "Whoever predicted this storm was right on!" she said with amazement. "He even told us what time it would get there, where the eye would go - everything!" It seems that for years, forecasters had been promising the "big one". They "cried wolf" so much, that nobody really took it seriously anymore. This family had tried to ride it out. Big mistake. The woman assured us that she's learned her lesson. Next time, she's hitting the road early and not looking back.

Angie just stood there listening. I kept trying to ask questions. How deep did the water get? How long were you on the roof? Did anybody shoot at you? Remarkably, not one of my questions was answered. She didn’t want to talk details and facts. She was pouring her heart out to my wife who didn’t say two words. Sometimes, the best way to tell someone you care is to just be quiet and listen.

The ladies also met an elderly woman who was too sick to get to the free phones SBC had set up across the building. Jenny had her cell phone with her, so they let the woman call some relative to let them know she was alive.

And so went our “date night”. The ladies spent time just listening to people and loving on kids. They passed out candy and helped people get in line to visit the doctor. They told several people we’d bring them items they needed tomorrow. Dan and Kim made a quick drop-off of supplies and gave their kids an opportunity to see the refugee camp. Joseph ran the docks while Ruby squirted antibacterial soap on the hand of EVERYONE who went into the dining area. Meanwhile, Loren and I passed out clothes…and unloaded clothes…and stacked clothes…and moved clothes…you get the picture.

I didn’t tell anyone that God loves them. Many would have a hard time believing that right now – just days after a flood washed away everything they own. Instead, I tried to love them. I saw Angie and Loren and Jenny and Dan and Kim and their kids and Joseph and Ruby love them. I think that’s how it’s supposed to work. God uses us to do His loving. We are His hands and ears and arms. And I think love is enough – we don’t have to be preachy. We don’t have to try to sound holy or pretend like we “get it”.

What a memorable date night!