(Eagle News) – The Iglesia Ni Cristo (Church Of Christ) helped local residents in Texas who were still reeling from the devastating floods caused by Hurricane Harvey when they conducted its “Aid for Humanity” on September 23, Saturday.
Thousands of goodwill or care packs consisting of food, cleaning and hygiene supplies, first aid kits and flashlights, were given in two venues where the Aid for Humanity, under the auspices of the Iglesia Ni Cristo’s Felix Y. Manalo Foundation, was held. These are in Houston and in Port Arthur, Texas.
INC volunteers made and distributed fliers for the event.
Many INC members volunteered to prepare the care packs as they wanted to help hurricane victims in the area.
According to Lakeisha Matthews, a Port Arthur native, the Aid to Humanity donations came at a much needed time.
“We lost everything, our homes, our belongings, right now we are trying to rebuild. The fact that the Iglesia ni Cristo members had this event to help the community, was so heart warming. We are so thankful to your church for thinking about us,” Matthews said.
Claudia Gershen, another Port Arthur resident, had to be rescued from her home by boat because of the severe flooding. She was one of the recipients of the Aid For Humanity care packages.
“The entire street became like a lake during the Hurricane,” Gershen said. “Now that it’s over, we have to just keep on going and survive the best we can. We are just glad to be alive and that my family was safe and sound. Now we have electricity back, and today at this event, we were given groceries, cleaning supplies and toiletries. We appreciate every little help so much.”
Hurricane Harvey was the first major hurricane to make landfall in the United States since Wilma in 2005. It caused catastrophic flooding in late August when for days since it made landfall on August 25, many areas received more than 40 inches of rain. It inundated hundreds of thousands of homes and displaced more than 30,000 people.
Despite the devastation throughout the city of Houston, the chapel of the Iglesia Ni Cristo there remained intact. Because of this, the members were motivated to help their neighbors during these tough times.
“It feels really good to be able to help,” said Erin Joy Capalad, one of the Church volunteers. “Even just a little bit helps especially those who were greatly affected around us.”
In Houston, over 400 neighbors drove their vehicles into to the Houston chapel parking lot where volunteers loaded care packages into their cars.
Andrea Sutton, a nearby resident, had lost most of her possessions due to the flooding in her house.
“It was a week before we could enter our house. An event like this is really a lot of help,” Sutton said.
According to District Minister Brother Rex Rosquites, brethren from all over the District of Southern Midwest were eager to unite in this activity in helping their fellow men.
“We have been up all night but we are still full of energy because we are so excited to help our friends who were affected by the recent calamity, Hurricane Harvey,” Brother Rosquites said. “The brethren are in good spirits, we are very excited. Not only did we give out care packages, brethren also volunteered to clean up debris from houses as well as visit those neighbors who physically could not make it to the distribution center.”
One resident whom the volunteers visited was 89-year-old Pete Holievina.
“I thank you all very much for what you’re doing for us. I didn’t even get to go around to get water because I had to stay with my wife.” said Holievina who was unable to make it to the outreach held in Port Arthur, Texas. He and his son, Kim, were surprised by INC members who brought the outreach to them.
During Hurricane Harvey, Holievina and his 88-year old wife, who is paralyzed, had to evacuate their home and lost almost everything, but the standing structure.
The Iglesia Ni Cristo (Church Of Christ) members hope that from these simple care packages, recipients can feel that they are not alone in their journey to recover from Hurricane Harvey.
“I would like to thank the Church Administration through the leadership of Brother Eduardo V. Manalo for allowing us to have this event. Hopefully we can help our friends, our countrymen who have been affected by this calamity the best way possible. And hopefully they’ll join us too in listening to the words of God,” said Brother Rosquites.
The Iglesia Ni Cristo has been conducting Aid for Humanity projects all over the world, to help people who are in need, including those affected by calamities and disasters.
(with a report by Jane Kathleen Gregorio, EBC Houston Bureau, Eagle News Service)
