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FHL in Slidell, Louisiana Monday Dec. 5

Here's an account of an FHL Missionary in Louisiana:
Monday, we set out to help a family in need in Slidell. We continued the process of demolition and clean up of their house that had 3.5' water in it, hit by 5 large trees that fell through the roof, and lost all of their belongings.
But, as we took a break from this work, we walked down the street to see some of the other damaged houses. One, two houses away will be demolished. At the house on the other side of this extremely damaged house, we met a woman named Sharon. She shared her story of despair - no FEMA help, no insurance, a recent divorce, no electricity, no heat, 4 trees poking 14 holes in her roof, water damage throughout after 3.5' of rushing storm surge through her house. She got robbed of her cash in her possession just before the storm hit, so she had no where to go with no money and rode the storm out. She hid in her rear closet, saw the storm surge rushing through her house and in a split second, ran through her kitchen as the water rose in her house in a few seconds.
She had an air mattress and tethered it to her SUV with her 4 dogs after she left the kitchen for fear of her house collapsing on her. The trees were crashing and falling all around her, the water was turbulent and the rain and wind intense. Finally, she had to cut her life line to the SUV. She floated out in the street for hours until the worst of the storm was over. 8 hours later, the water had receded from her house, the street and the neighborhood. Her house was severely damaged, no one was around and no one ever came to look in her neighborhood for survivors even one week after the storm. "Where was everyone? Where is the help?" she asked.
Since Hurricane Katrina and that week of total disbelief and despair, no help, no relief, no rescue, life has not changed much for her. Sharon still faces everyday without much of anything. She is a freelance photographer and used her house as a studio. She has no house and no studio and therefore no income. Her SUV was permanently damaged by the water. And as stated above, she has very little physical possessions, yet she has one great thing - her faith in Jesus Christ. God brought us to this neighborhood Monday to meet her, to hear her story and to be able to share this one story with many to show the needs of just one woman who represents the thousands of people in the Gulf States who need so much.
I reach out to all of you this Christmas Season and ask what will you have this Christmas? Will you have a house, a car, family, a place for a bountiful meal, presents, a job that will carry you through? Will you think of these families here in Louisiana and the other Gulf States? What will you do?
I believe we are all called as Christians to not only talk about our faith, but to act in our faith. I challenge everyone to do something to help the people in need this Holiday Season whether that is for your friends, your neighbors, your community or those people devastated by the natural disasters that occurred this year all over the USA. Together, as we walk in the footsteps of Jesus Christ and as we are called to action, we can make a difference together and we can build communities of Faith, Hope and Love for all to see and believe.
God has really impacted my life once again with real stories of people, of faith and of love.

Blessings to you this Christmas Season,

posted by fhlinternational @ 3:24 PM