Harvey Response

On the two-year anniversary of Hurricane Harvey’s destruction of First Baptist Church of Refugio, church members and community leaders gathered to celebrate the dedication of the remodeled church building. 

Blue tarps still cover roofs in need of repair in communities like Rockport, near Corpus Christi, and Bevil Oaks, north of Beaumont. Abandoned homes are interspersed among the remodeled on many streets. One year after Category 4 Hurricane Harvey wrecked and ravaged the Gulf Coast of Texas from August 25-September 1, 2017, signs of renewal and hope are evident in the Texas Baptists churches serving along that path of the storm.

Almost 20 years ago, waters flooded Southeastern Texas as the effects of the Pacific Hurricane Madeline reverberated across the United States. As volunteers rushed toward the devastation, First Baptist Church of Victoria opened their doors to host the first responders. In the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey, their heart to host remains.

It started raining on Friday, August 25, in Hull, Texas. By Sunday night, the water began to invade homes and buildings, compromising the town’s safety.

One hurricane, one faith and one website was all it took to unite First Baptist Church of Grand Prairie and Trinity Baptist Church of Aransas Pass.

After Hurricane Harvey hit the Texas coast, “we immediately … spent time in our worship service praying for our brothers and sisters,” said Dr. Bill Skaar, pastor of First Baptist Church of Grand Prairie.

Rose City Baptist Church in Vidor, Texas, was in the process of rebuilding its church when disaster struck once again.

Ninety to 95 percent of buildings in the small town of Refugio were damaged during Hurricane Harvey

Bevil Oaks, a small town located in Jefferson County on the outskirts of Beaumont, is a relatively quiet place.

We couldn’t believe it. We never thought this would happen. We were here in the church worshiping the night before the flood, and we could have never imaged what was to come.

 It started raining here, and it was raining hard. I kept thinking, ‘this is going to settle down, just like any other storm,’ but it didn’t. 

“Winter is coming.” That is the phrase that Pastor David Maldonado kept repeating. It was a plea for help; a cry to God. Maybe both.

For Metrey Pheap Baptist Church in Houston, floods are nothing new. However, as they are recovering from Hurricane Harvey, this church is working harder than ever to serve those in need.

When disaster strikes, First Baptist Church in Athens jumps into high gear.

The devastation sustained by Pine Drive Baptist Church in Dickinson can be summed up with one word: Total.

When they walked into this house, one thing was clear to the volunteers from the University of Houston’s Baptist Student Ministry: The homeowner was overwhelmed to the point of paralysis.

Ryan Chandler’s first pastorate began like few – if any – others. To begin with, it began before it started.

Three Texas Baptist Men/Texas Baptists Volunteer Villages are now open and accepting groups to serve in Harvey-affected areas.

Even as darkness fell and waters were rising on Aug. 25 when Hurricane Harvey made landfall, the people of God quickly came together to be the glimmering beacon of hope that Texas needed.