Hurricane Ike Relief - A Ministry of Adventures In Missions

Transformation

Sat, 18 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

This week two groups came down to High Island. One from Indiana and the other from right here in Texas, the groups added up to almost 40 participants. They had a great week doing all types of ministry. Building shade for people living in trailers on the beach, prayer walking, bringing living water to the line at the ferry, beach clean-up, roofing, painting etc.

But I think Thursday was really memorable for most people. Thursday both teams did ministry together. Everybodywent to Linda's house, a woman living right near the beach. She had been through the devestation of 4 hurricanes. She needed a lot of work done to her yard and house, but most of all she needed encouragement and hope. The teams were able to mow, cut down, clean, build, decorate, and organize her yard. But most importantly talk with Linda, pray with her, and show her how much Jesus loves her. She had been hurt by so many people in the past when it came to hurricane relief. People would say they would help her but then run off with her money, so she was timid to let us help. But once the students explained to her why they wanted to serve her, and that she didn't have to do anything in return it really touched her. She was blown away by the kindness. She thought all beauty had been lost in the storm, but thankfully they were able to restore some of that for her. One boy from Indiana, Justin, bought her some birdhouses and painted them to hang in the trees, they also were able to plant her some flowers and build her a new deck and front steps.

Praise God!

Worship on the beach

Mon, 6 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Craig Adderly is an intern for AIM this summer and leads worship. During the first week in High Island the teams did worship on the beach, right in the midst of destruction from the hurricane. Here is Craig singing an Umbrella remix (cover)-

Construction in High Island

Mon, 6 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Week one in High Island the teams did a construction project at the local Baptist church.The church had a lot of water damage from the hurricane, especially on the roof and ceiling. They gutted the sanctuary and cleaned it up so it could be remodeled.

In preperation the staff has a little fun..

Mon, 6 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

We eat well on our trips in High Island! Get ready... here the staff is picking up the food at Sams, having a little fun!

Ask The Lord

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

This morning Brookside kids from Omaha, NE went to the nursing home in Winnie. We played bingo and talked to the people there. Later in the afternoon we went to the hospital where we helped set up a garage sale benefit for a 17 year old girl with melanoma.It was really great because they had a ton of stuff to sell, and we really felt like we were able to help. - Cassidy Wieda

This morning my whole group got together and did ATL (Ask The Lord). As we sat in silence praying to God for a vision, God showed Tyler Sellinger a black Dodge Ram at the beach. A few of us got into our van and drove around Winnie to see if we could find any of the pictures from the ATL. As we neared the beach, we spotted Tyler's car, as well as its drivers and passengers who were out fishing. A few girls and I went down and talked to the woman and asked if there was anything we could pray for her about. She told us her brother Michael was over in Afghanistan fighting in the US Army. We surrounded her and prayed for Michael and the rest of the family. She seemed really grateful as she left to go tell her husband. We were all really excited ourselves about what God had just done. - Hailey Holmes

During ATL I felt like I was supposed to go to the nursing home. While I was there I played Bingo with some of the residents, and I met a really sweet lady who was very soft spoken, but I was able to talk to her about her faith. I'm really glad I went.

- Allison Chase from Brookside Church

High Island Week Two Part 1

Mon, 15 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

This week has started off with a BANG!!! Both churches, Jacksonville Word of Faith and The Holy Apostles have joined the AIM staff in High Island, Texas with great excitement for this week. There is a great balance of talents and abilities between the two groups and they have come together both with the intent to serve Christ and the victims of Hurricane Ike.

Monday began with both groups heading out to their work sites. Jacksonville is enthusiastically gutting a house that was severely damaged by Hurricane Ike. While pulling out insulation the boys made a discovery that shocked them. They pulled out the insulation and hundreds of Gecko eggs poured out from the wall. They were shocked by the discovery, which resulted in a halt of work and a mad chase of the freed Geckos around the room.

The Church of the Holy Apostles is working to clean up a piece of land from tree limbs and debris. There is an ongoing battle in maintaining a functioning chainsaw. The fathers and boys have had a good few moments of staring at broken equipment and grunting about possible solutions.

Please continue to pray for these students and their leaders. Specifically for continued strength and motivation for the kids as they endure hot days while working. Farewall.

-AIM Staff 2009

First week in High Island, TX

Sat, 13 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

We have a group right now of about 60 people serving in High Island, TX, where Hurricane Ike went through.

A big part of the teams ministry is prayer walking around the communities of High Island praying for the community and the people there.

The video below is from a girl named Becca who came with her church from Arlington, TX. Here, she shares with us her experience during prayer-walking.

Ike Isn't Katrina: More on the hurricane aftermath

Wed, 8 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The following report is from Mike McCord:

Ike wasn't Katrina, Galveston isn't New Orleans, and the Bolivar Peninsula isn't the Mississippi gulf coast. Perhaps Ike wasn't the same magnitude of storm; it certainly didn't leave Galveston flooded for three weeks or longer as in post Katrina New Orleans. One thing, however, is exactly the same: losing everything in a hurricane. Whether it is Katrina or Ike, Louisiana or Texas, there are always plenty of hurting people left in the wake of any hurricane.

I heard recently from our partner Jerry Davis that 75% of Galveston is uninhabitable. That statistic is surprising because it doesn't look like the damage is that bad. Houses are standing and the city seems to have been very prompt with debris removal. Looks, as the clich goes, can be deceiving.

What is not seen is the inside of many of the homes below the Galveston seawall where the water came up at least three feet. Perhaps that doesn't sound like much water, but it is enough to soak nearly everything of value below the kitchen counter. People are returning to find that just a shell of their home will be usable as everything four feet and down must be removed to the studs. That's Galveston.

Conditions on the Bolivar peninsula go from bad to worse. In the town of Port Bolivar, the sea gutted some buildings such as the volunteer fire department, and deposited mud and grass in others. It stinks, literally; the smell of the mud, the mold, and the rubbish can be very strong.

Last week, I met a young couple who was only able to salvage a few things from their home. Due to the mud, most things were a total loss and the fate of the home itself is in question. Around the corner, I toured the wife's grandparent's house. What was an immaculate house before the storm is now filled with grass and mud, the front door destroyed by a sea carried piling. A lifetime worth of work and memories is gone.

Further up the Bolivar peninsula the destruction continues. Buildings are destroyed and cars are flipped over or buried in the sand. In some places nothing is left. The town of Gilchrist has been virtually wiped from the face of the earth. People are left with the distressing thought of what would be better - to have everything completely gone or to have something left but find it covered in mud and mold.

People are overwhelmed and hurting. They do not know where to begin this process and will need much emotional, physical, and spiritual support. Please do not equate a lack of media coverage with a lack of need.

Why Money Won't Solve All of Ike's Problems

Sat, 4 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Seth Barnes just posted the following on his blog:

It was almost two weeks ago that I posted a call to action to help clean up the areas that Hurricane Ike had devastated. This past week, we distributed a press release with the headline: "One Nonprofit Doesn't Want Your Money for Ike."

Now, why on earth would we do that?

As a nonprofit, AIM depends upon the generosity of people like you.

And yet, part of that vision isn't simply to throw money at problems, but to expose Christians to situations that will break their hearts and create a holy unrest in them to see the kingdom of God come to earth.

So, we want to invite the Body of Christ to unplug from their lives for a week and spend it being the hands and feet of Jesus to those who are hurting in Galveston.

In a sense, we're asking for much more than your money. We're asking for you.

The Church made a huge difference after Katrina and it can make a difference here.

Please contact us and one of our staff people can talk to you about the opportunities.

50 People Still Missing After Hurricane Ike

Fri, 3 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

From Dallasnews.com:

Hurricane Ike search tems to target five areas as hunt resumes for missing bodies

12:00 AM CDT on Friday, October 3, 2008
The Associated Press

GALVESTON - Search teams looking for as many as 50 people who remain missing since Hurricane Ike have identified five "hot spots" where they will focus their efforts, officials said.

PAT SULLIVAN/The Associated Press

Hurricane Ike blew debris from Bolivar Peninsula to areas including Trinity Bay, near Anahuac, Texas, where the storm destroyed a fishing camp. Dozens of people are still missing more than two weeks after Ike struck.

Mounds of debris scattered across Bolivar Peninsula likely conceal the remains of those still missing, authorities said.

The search for bodies also is expected to move offshore to uninhabited Goat Island, where one storm victim's body was found and where large, remote piles of debris have collected.

The renewed efforts to find bodies has come too late for some, including Dallas-area contractor Raul "Roy" Arrambide, whose mother, sister and nephew disappeared while evacuating from a beach house in Port Bolivar. The two vehicles they left in have been found, with no sign of bodies.

"I really don't have any confidence with the way this is being done," Mr. Arrambide said.

Meanwhile, the Harris County medical examiner's office reported the death of a man killed when struck by a limb while cutting trees Sept. 27. That brings the storm's toll in Texas to at least 33.

Also, the state attorney general's office said it was suing a hotel in Nacogdoches and one near Katy for raising their rates during hurricane evacuations.

The Associated Press

Photo Blog: The Destruction of Hurricane Ike

Thu, 2 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Here are some pictures of the devastation wrought by Hurricane Ike in Galveston, TX. We need your help cleaning it up. While we appreciate monetary gifts, we are also asking you consider the gift of yourself, of actually going down there to get your hands dirty, to pray with those who are hurting, and bring hope to the destitute.

Contact us for more info...

Call 800-881-2461 (ext. 212) or send us an email for more info.

Ike's Effect on the Job Market

Thu, 2 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

From Businessweek:

Hurricanes Gustav and Ike, as well as the Boeing (BA) strike, will conspire with an already-deteriorating labor market to depress U.S. payrolls in the September employment report, scheduled for release on Oct. 3, raising the risk of an outsize drop in jobs for the month.

We also expect a further rise in the unemployment rate to 6.2% from 6.1%, given expected payroll weakness, a deteriorating trend in weekly initial jobless claims, and a falling labor market reading in the last consumer confidence report.

We expect payrolls to fall by 100,000 in September, with a drop that may exceed the 101,000 June decline to mark the biggest pullback in payrolls since March 2003, when hiring paused with the uncertainty at the onset of the War in Iraq.

The expected 6.2% unemployment rate would mark the highest level since June 2003. The average workweek should hold at 33.7 hours, and average hourly earnings should rise 0.3%, to leave year-over-year hourly earnings growth a tick below the 3.6% rate posted in August.

Read more...

One Nonprofit Doesn't Want Your Money for Hurricane Ike

Tue, 30 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMT

We just posted this news release on Christian Newswire:

One Nonprofit Doesn't Want Your Money for Hurricane Ike

Contact: Sarah McCord, Adventures In Missions, 800-881-2461 (ext. 212), sarahmccord@adventures.org

GALVESTON, Texas, Sept. 30 /Christian Newswire/ -- Adventures In Missions (AIM), a nonprofit organization based in Gainesville, GA, is mobilizing relief teams to repair homes and businesses devastated by Hurricane Ike. They are asking for labor, not donations, to support the effort. Workers are staying with a church in Houston and are engaging in everything from demolition to food distribution in the areas near Galveston that were hardest-hit by the storm.

There is a particular need for people with specialized skills, such as general contractors and roofers. Athol Barnes, Director of Project Management at AIM, compared Ike's devastation to that of Katrina in 2005. After visiting Galveston to assess the damage, he reports, "We went through neighborhoods and houses that have four to five feet of water in them. There are hundreds, if not thousands, of homes that need gutting. This is something our teams do really well." While there is some need for monetary aid, Barnes insists that the loudest cry is for volunteers.

The areas most affected by the hurricane are between Houston and the Louisiana state line. These areas were already economically distressed before Ike hit, Barnes notes. Even many of those who were fortunate enough to have had insurance on their homes are finding themselves in difficult circumstances as some insurers are covering only the pre-Ike cash value of the properties. In most cases, such claims fall well short of the costs of tearing-out and rebuilding. "For many people, volunteer labor can be the very thing that makes rebuilding possible," Barnes says.

The storm was over 600 miles wide when it came across the Texas shoreline a week and a half ago.

Anyone who is able to make the trip is invited to Houston to extend a helping hand to victims of the disaster. According to AIM staff members on the ground, such a simple gesture communicates a profound sense of hope. Work crews will have all of their meals, supplies and lodging provided at a minimal cost. All crews will liaise with site coordinators familiar with the area and the specific needs. Interested parties are encouraged to call Sarah McCord at Adventures In Missions 800-881-2461 (ext. 212) or send an email to sarahmccord@adventures.org. You can also follow the relief updates and view photos of the area at the Hurricane Ike Relief Blog.

Economic Lessons Learned from Hurricane Ike

Thu, 25 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMT

From the Christian Science Monitor:

Nearly a week after Galveston Island took a severe beating from hurricane Ike, a Kroger grocery store has finally opened for business, grilling up fajitas for its employees. With the Texas island still not ready to take back evacuees, the open store is at least one encouraging sign of normalcy.

For that is the aim of rescue and relief workers, government officials, neighbors, and perfect strangers who all assist in the aftermath of any disaster - to help residents return to as normal a life as possible.

But normalcy has its downside in America's hazard-prone areas. If it means rebuilding exactly as everything was before the hurricane, fire, or earthquake, then business-as-usual is itself hazardous.

The country has learned to do some key things differently in the wake of several years of weather whammies. One of them is to adopt stricter building codes that save lives and money.

New building and landscaping standards spared five communities from San Diego's fierce fires last year. In 1992, when the worst mainland hurricane in US history slammed into Florida, 27 Miami-area houses built to hurricane-resistant standards suffered no structural damage, while other homes nearby were flattened.

Florida now has the most stringent hurricane building codes in the country. After Katrina and Rita in 2005, Gulf states caught on, with Louisiana, for instance, passing a statewide code. Structures along the Mississippi coast are being rebuilt on stilts.

Good job, except for this huge oversight. The rebuilding, with few exceptions, is taking place in the same spots that were wiped out. As naturally as snow falls, people want to build in warm places with beautiful beach vistas - no matter that they're on a vulnerable barrier island such as Galveston.

One thing that would discourage the pounding of pylons in obvious danger zones is market-priced property insurance. It's telling that private insurers have for the most part pulled out of the Gulf coastal areas. As of Nov. 30, State Farm won't renew even existing policies for customers within 1,000 feet of the shoreline.

Customers have therefore swarmed to subsidized state insurance programs, and, of course, should these fail, there is always the National Flood Insurance Program. Or not. Congress is wrangling over renewal of the program, which expires Sept. 30. Sadly, both House and Senate bills perpetuate low-cost insurance that only encourages more building in dangerous zones.

In the absence of correcting market forces, populations along the coastal counties of the Atlantic and Gulf coasts have popped up like beach umbrellas. In 1980, about 67 million people lived in these counties, according to the US Census Bureau. In 2006, just over 88 million. And little has discouraged developers - at least before the housing bust - from marching up the tinder-dry hills of California.

State and local governments should either wean themselves from taxpayer-subsidized, low-cost insurance - or block off the most vulnerable areas. It is possible. After the 1977 Red River flood, Grand Forks, in North Dakota, marked off a "no build" zone near the river. Two decades ago, South Carolina began a gradual retreat from the sea - redrawing its baseline at the shore every 10 years.

Now in Texas, the land commissioner, Jerry Patterson, is proposing that new coastal construction be set back at 60 times the erosion rate - for example, 60 feet for every foot of erosion. Before Ike, he was blasted by local officials who said the restrictions would erode development and resulting tax revenue.

With so much washed out to sea or piled up as debris, Galveston - and other communities - should be welcoming Mr. Patterson's proposal. To prepare for disasters, America should not just batten down, but step back.

Insurance Deductible Hikes for Victims of Ike

Thu, 25 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMT

From a New Orleans news site:

HOUMA - The wind-versus-flood debate - meaning which caused the damage - was all the rage three years ago when Katrina and Rita forced impacted residents to review their insurance policies.

But among the biggest industry shockers this go-around involves a special hurricane deductible attached to some homeowners policies.

After hurricanes Gustav and Ike battered Louisiana's coastline this month, many homeowners expected to see the traditional deductible of $500 or $1,000 on their policies. Instead, many found a new kind of deductible based on a percentage of their home's insured value.

For Steven Evans of Houma, that special deductible on his Allstate policy is $18,000. He said he has an unused home-equity loan to put toward the sum but will need to consider other means to make up the difference.

Evans said his child's college fund and his retirement are likely to be pilfered, but he's "lucky" - lucky to be living in a camper next his home and lucky that the damage from Gustav won't drain his savings completely. Still, some assistance would be helpful, he said.

That's why Evans said he did the most logical thing. He made the same move as his neighbors and friends: He turned to the Federal Emergency Management Agency. However, FEMA told Evans that his home, despite the mold and water damage caused by a destroyed roof, was "livable" and he would not be eligible for any type of assistance.

"The ceiling fell in our dining room and in my daughter's room," Evans says." They say that is livable."

Now Evans finds himself alongside other working families who never thought they would need assistance from the government. It's a gray area, a place where even bureaucracy slips between the cracks.

On paper, many middle-class families exceed FEMA's income requirements, but with the loss of clothes, food and everything else left behind in their homes, they contend their salaries aren't worth what they used to be.

"My main question is what is the government going to do to help people like me, that aren't eligible for most if not all of the assistance?" Evans said. "I am only asking this because I need help financially to get past this and I feel that we - the middle class - have the burden of supporting all of these programs but we are turned down when we need to use them."

During the days directly following the landfall of Hurricane Gustav, next-door neighbors became news sources and rumors about assistance spread quickly. For instance, some families were under the impression that they could rely on FEMA to pay for their deductibles.

"Generally, FEMA is not going to pay for your deductible," said Jim Stark, director of the FEMA Louisiana Transitional Recovery Office.

As a result, coastal residents are finding they can only count on themselves, according to Don Hingle, president of the south central region for Whitney Bank. Since deductibles are higher than what they were during the 2005 storm season, he said fewer claims are being filed in an effort to avoid increased rates.

In short, Hingle said many residents suffered significant damage, but not enough to justify paying an inflated deductible. Among the only options left is throwing cash, whether personal or borrowed, at the problem.

"Everyone, just about, is going to pay out of pocket," Hingle said. "That hurts. Basically you're self-insured unless your house gets flooded or you get hit really hard or a tornado hits your house."

Al Trautman knows this all too well, as do his neighbors in Lydia, a small community just south of New Iberia. His story from Hurricane Rita three years ago isn't uncommon. Three feet of water tore through his house, creating a panoramic view of his backyard from his bedroom.

It took four months for an insurance adjuster to even show up at Trautman's home - not that it helped any. Like others in the region at the time, he felt bamboozled by the insurance industry and the federal government, neither of which could offer assistance.

So he rebuilt on his own, which turned out to be an inspirational experience, Trautman added, until Hurricane Ike took a westward approach toward Texas just days after Gustav, passing Louisiana's coastal communities along the way and pushing its waters behind Gustav's own lingering surge.

Now Trautman, along with hundreds of other folks from down the bayou and up the street, are starting over from scratch. But it's a bit harder for him - following Rita, due to all of the restoration work needed to his home, Trautman opted against getting hurricane insurance again.

Trautman, who recently turned 66, called the decision an "error" in an interview this week and, since Ike made landfall, he has attempted to secure FEMA assistance for the apartment he is renting with his wife. But the process took on a familiar tone.

"FEMA told us that they won't be able to help us out with that," Trautman said.

As for how insurance issues might impact future hurricanes in south Louisiana, state Insurance Commissioner James Donelon said it's too early to tell. But there was enough widespread damage in other states from Gustav and Ike to have a "chilling effect" on companies wanting to write policies near the coast.

"If I had to say where I expect this to end, I would say that we would be on hold for a year, with companies taking inventory of the two storms and effects on their bottom lines and resuming their writings on a more aggressive basis a year from now," Donelon said. "Right now it's way too early to comment on that."

The chairman of Louisiana's Senate Insurance Committee says he will ask companies to use the percentage deductible for named storms only once for homes or businesses hit by both hurricanes this year.

Senator Don Cravis, a Democrat from Opelousas, says he, the chairman of the House Insurance Committee and Donelon are considering a bill to make such a limit mandatory.

Many insurance companies are setting deductibles for named storms as a percentage of a property's value - up to 5 percent. That could mean payments of up to $10,000 - $5,000 per storm - for someone whose $100,000 house has a 5 percent named storm deductible and was hit by both hurricanes Gustav and Ike.

Donelon told the committee on Friday that he could support a one-storm limit. But he said banning the special deductibles entirely would keep many companies from selling insurance in Louisiana.

Aside from insurance issues, there have been other shockers experienced through the recovery process for Louisiana's resident. In the Baton Rouge area, where there are still residents without power, there's been a call to action by the region's congressman for FEMA to help with the cost of generators.

They can run anywhere from $800 to $5,000 or more, depending on their output, and the financial burden grows with the need for fuel. But as it stands now, if you want cash from FEMA to cover the costs of a Gustav- or Ike-series generator, you'll have to prove that it was needed to "power a medically required appliance or piece of equipment."

U.S. Rep. Don Cazayoux, a Democrat from New Roads, has asked FEMA - and the agency is considering the request - to allow all residents to be reimbursed for generators if they have incurred a loss of electrical power for more than seven days. He argued that a lack of electricity leaves "many of our most vulnerable citizens at risk."

Lawmakers are also asking the feds to improve and expand the Disaster Food Stamp Program since so many residents have lost the contents of their freezers and refrigerators.

Any assistance at all would be welcomed, Trautman said, because even a little goes a long way, whatever kind of relief it might be. For instance, he said, after long days of gutting his house, Trautman likes to enjoy a scoop or two of ice cream with his wife. It's a taste of normality, if nothing else, and helps to bring life back into perspective.

A helping hand from the insurance industry and federal government could do have same affect, Trautman said, although he framed it as only a Cajun could, in a language FEMA and insurance giants definitely wouldn't understand.

"It would really help us get rid of that coullion," Trautman said laughing. "That's all."

Galveston Seeking Over $2 Billion in Hurricane Relief

Wed, 24 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMT

From the New York Times:

HOUSTON - Officials from Galveston will ask Congress for about $2.2 billion in disaster relief this week to repair the battered island's port, save a major research hospital from going under and rebuild the city's infrastructure.

The estimate of the damage done when Hurricane Ike raked the island on Sept. 13 was breathtaking. With 57,000 residents, the amount officials are asking for works out to about $36,800 a resident.

In the wake of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005, the federal government has disbursed about $100 billion for things like housing reconstruction and infrastructure repairs along the entire Gulf Coast.

Mayor Lyda Ann Thomas of Galveston will appear before the Senate Ad Hoc Subcommittee on Disaster Recovery on Tuesday morning and will ask the federal government to foot the bill for $1.1 billion in damage to the city.

Mayor Bill White of Houston and Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst will also appear before the subcommittee, though neither intends to ask for a specific amount of money. Aides to both men said it was too early to assess the damage fully.

Galveston officials said the $1.1 billion would go to fix water, sewerage and drainage systems as well as traffic signals, roads and bridges. The city is also asking for money to build housing, give grants to small business owners and restore beaches, City Manager Steve LeBlanc said.

All this will be in addition to the money the city has received from the Federal Emergency Management Agency for cleaning up debris, he said. "We're not going up asking for something we're already getting," Mr. LeBlanc said.

At the same time, the University of Texas Medical Branch - the oldest medical school in Texas and a major center of research on infectious diseases - will request $609 million to get the complex's six hospitals, medical school and various research centers up and running, Dr. Ben G. Raimer, a vice president of the school, said.

The Port of Galveston is seeking $500 million to repair docks, warehouses, fences and parts of the giant bulkhead wall that separates the island from the channel, Steven M. Cernak, Galveston port director, said.

Mr. LeBlanc acknowledged that the amount the city was seeking might raise questions in Congress, which is wrestling with whether to approve a $700 billion plan to bail out Wall Street. But, he said, "These are legitimate requests."

Dr. Raimer said the university's board bought only $100 million worth of insurance to cover the medical school, teaching hospital and various research laboratories, including the new Galveston National Laboratory, which is to investigate, among other things, pathogens used as biological weapons.

The medical center is in shambles, officials said. Flooding on the first floor of the main hospital knocked out $8 million worth of equipment, and repairs to its buildings alone will cost $225 million.

In research laboratories, the school lost some $17.6 million worth of equipment to heat and humidity, Dr. Raimer said. An additional $51 million worth of equipment was damaged in the complex's clinics.

To make matters worse, the hospital moved 296 patients to other hospitals and estimated it would lose about $276 million in revenues as a result. The medical center employs more than 8,000 people on Galveston Island, he said.

Mr. Cernak said the port, which covers more than 800 acres, and employs 3,000 people, suffered significant damage. To restore the port to what it was before the storm will take at least a half-billion dollars, Mr. Cernak said. But he added that with temporary repairs the port could be operating at about three-quarters of capacity within a month. "That's just operating on a Band-Aid," he said.

Galveston officials are also requesting that the federal government release 600 acres on the city's eastern side known as the East End Flats, which the Army Corps of Engineers uses to dump dredge material, Mr. LeBlanc said. The city wants to develop the property, which is by the seawall and levees, to expand its tax base. It was undamaged by Hurricane Ike.

"We're simply asking for it back," he said. "If this is the catalyst to help break that loose, so to speak, then so be it."

Thayer Evans contributed reporting from Galveston, Tex.

Galveston Residents Return to Their Post-Ike Homes

Wed, 24 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMT

From Time Magazine:

(GALVESTON, Texas) - Many residents who fled this storm-ravaged island waited in their cars early Wednesday for permission to return and see for themselves what Hurricane Ike had done to their homes.

Even before dawn, Galveston-bound traffic was stacked up on Interstate 45 for 10 miles from the entrance to the only causeway to the island city left open after the hurricane.

Many Galveston residents haven't been back to their island community since fleeing Hurricane Ike more than 11 days ago. Island leaders were to allow them back Wednesday morning.

With the dreary picture city officials have painted about living conditions on the island since Ike's devastation, the question might be whether residents want to go home again and stay, once they get there?

"When you come back it's not going to be the same Galveston Island you left," said Galveston Mayor Pro Tem Danny Weber. "It's been damaged. It's been broken."

Hurricane Ike, a Category 2 storm, battered Galveston with 110 mph winds and a 12-foot storm surge, flooding homes and destroying businesses, more than a week ago. At least 61 deaths, including 26 in Texas were attributed to Ike.

About 45,000 of the city's 57,000 residents fled Galveston Island, about 50 miles southeast of Houston.

Residents of the island's west end, which was severely damaged by Ike, can visit their homes, but are not being allowed to stay in them.

Galveston still only has limited medical, power, water and sewer system capabilities.

Marty Bahamonde, with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, advised residents who planned to stay to be self sufficient and bring their own food, water and gasoline. There is also a nightly curfew from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m.

"We do want to caution folks. There will be some struggles," Bahamonde said.

Mark Guidry, the head of the Galveston County Health District, warned incoming residents that health care services on the island are limited.

"There remains significant health and safety concerns on the island," he said.

City Manager Steve LeBlanc said more hotels in Galveston are reopening and will be available for residents who return and determine that their homes are uninhabitable.

But LeBlanc expects those rooms will be quickly snapped up. City officials are working on a plan to provide temporary shelters on the mainland for those who find homes they can't live in. But LeBlanc stressed the shelters would be available only for a short time.

City leaders also are looking at setting up a shuttle service to take residents from the temporary shelters to their houses during the day so they can make repairs and clean up.

While electricity and natural gas are being restored in Galveston, LeBlanc said those services in each home will have to be inspected by the city before being allowed to be turned on again.

But Galveston is slowly coming back to life with some stores and restaurants reopening while there are other signs throughout southeast Texas of recovery.

CenterPoint Energy Inc. reported on Tuesday that 73 percent of its 2.26 million customers now had electricity. Entergy Texas reported that 89% of its nearly 393,000 customers affected by Hurricane Ike had power again.

On Tuesday, Galveston Mayor Lyda Ann Thomas and other city leaders were in Washington, D.C., to ask lawmakers for nearly $2.5 billion in emergency funds.

The city tried before to allow residents back. It announced Sept. 16 that people could briefly return under a "look and leave" plan, causing evacuees all over the state to pack up and head for the coast. But hours later, it abruptly halted the policy.

Galveston leaders remain optimistic their city would bounce back after Ike.

"This is our island. We are going to rebuild it and we are going to rebuild it bigger and better than it was," Weber said.

More Pictures from Galveston: Hurricane Ike Aftermath

Tue, 23 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Here are some more pictures from Galveston, Texas after Hurricane Ike hit.

As you can see, a lot of damage was done to people's homes...

We need your help! If you're interested in finding out more about how you can help and become part of a relief team, please contact us:

Call 800-881-2461 (ext. 212) or send us an email for more info.

How Texas Churches Are Responding to Ike

Tue, 23 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMT

From Christianity Today:

For one church in Seabrook, Texas - just north of Galveston, on the bay - the damage from Hurricane Ike is a blessing in disguise.

Tony McCollum, pastor of the 900-member Seabrook United Methodist Church, said the September 13 hurricane's damage will benefit the church, at least in one way. The church will use the insurance money to get a head start on a long-planned new sanctuary. McCollum hopes the insurance money will cover the $3 million first phase of the project. The church's current buildings - the highest of which was flooded with three feet of water - will all be torn down.

"We've been working on this move for 12 years," said McCollum. "Now we're going to be able to let go and say, you know what, at this point we have no option."

This Sunday, the congregation had an outdoor worship service at the site of the new building. McCollum is not sure what the congregation will do until the new building is built, but is considering a modular building, sharing space with another church, or meeting in storefront property.

But as McCollum and other church leaders begin cleaning up the damage from Hurricane Ike, they are concerned about the storm's less visible effects.

Read more...

Pictures from Galveston Texas: Devastation of Hurricane Ike

Mon, 22 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMT

These pictures could have easily come from anywhere in the Holly Grove area of New Orleans, LA, but they were taken in Galveston, TX, after Hurricane Ike recently hit the coast.

Here are a few of the photos our team on the ground has taken (more soon!):

Will you help?

Call 800-881-2461 (ext. 212) or send us an email for more information.

Help Clean Up After Hurricane Ike!

Sat, 20 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMT

We just got this report from Athol Barnes, an AIM staff member who was investigating the damage caused by Hurricane Ike in Galveston, Texas:

The damage is very similar to Katrina and the New Orleans Gulf coast area. We went through houses and neighborhoods today that had 4 to 5 feet of water in them. There will be hundreds, if not thousands, of homes that need gutting, something our teams do really well.

The area of damage is very widespread; the storm was 600 miles across. Many of the areas between Houston and the Louisiana line are economically depressed and the people might have insurance, but the insurance covers only current cash value (this was the case with a family we visited today in Galveston).

The pictures could have been taken anywhere in the Holly grove area of New Orleans, but they were in Galveston. Bolivar, an area outside Houston was almost completely destroyed. And it was a very poor area.

The immediate need is for volunteers, yesterday. We are proposing to have volunteers come to Houston and stay with our partner church. We will have a volunteer coordinator in place to facilitate the work crews and make sure their food and lodging are taken care of. We will charge them $30 per day that will include, a place to sleep, three meals, a coordinator, nonspecialized tools (they might want to bring chain saws etc).

Lodging might be varied including trailers, dorm style in a hall, or large tents. However, cots will be provided.

The volunteers will do:

Gutting and demolition
Food distribution and ministering to those affected by the storm
General contractors
Yard clean up
Roofers
Prayer walking and evangelism

We who follow Jesus need to find more ways to give and bring hope. Here is an obvious way.

Will you help?

Call 800-881-2461 (ext. 212) or send us an email for more info.

Here's a video that our staff just shot of the devastation wrought by Hurricane Ike...

Hurricane Ike Relief - A Ministry of Adventures In Missions

Transformation

Worship on the beach

Construction in High Island

In preperation the staff has a little fun..

Ask The Lord

High Island Week Two Part 1

First week in High Island, TX

Ike Isn't Katrina: More on the hurricane aftermath

Why Money Won't Solve All of Ike's Problems

50 People Still Missing After Hurricane Ike

12:00 AM CDT on Friday, October 3, 2008 The Associated Press

Photo Blog: The Destruction of Hurricane Ike

Ike's Effect on the Job Market

One Nonprofit Doesn't Want Your Money for Hurricane Ike

More Post-Ike Photos - Galveston, TX

Economic Lessons Learned from Hurricane Ike

Insurance Deductible Hikes for Victims of Ike

Galveston Seeking Over $2 Billion in Hurricane Relief

Galveston Residents Return to Their Post-Ike Homes

More Pictures from Galveston: Hurricane Ike Aftermath

How Texas Churches Are Responding to Ike

Pictures from Galveston Texas: Devastation of Hurricane Ike

Help Clean Up After Hurricane Ike!

12:00 AM CDT on Friday, October 3, 2008
The Associated Press