Ken Lewis Blog
Monday, October 6, 2008
Hurricane Ike Aftermath: A Helping Hand
Both a grateful smile and tears on her face, she hurried from the end of her driveway out into the Bridge City, Texas, street waving her arms over her head, as the vehilces pulled away from her house. As we waved back, the volunteers from our Beaumont church thought back to her words: "God never sends us more than we can handle, so I know that I will make it through this." She had in a very short time, lost her mother, husband and adult son and had her home battered by the pounding waves of Hurricane Ike's tidal surge at a location so far from the water that no one thought a hurricane could ever push flood waters to the house. Her faith was strong and flowed into her moving religious paintings. The water had swept through her house, garage, shop and storage shed, leaving her earthly possessions strewn about in salt water ruin. She asked us to pray that the insurance company would treat her fairly, a prayer in which we gladly joined.
Her home was only one of thousands and thousands in Bridge City, a small city in non-coastal Orange County hit hard by the tidal surge that came miles up the Sabine River across salt water Lake Sabine and then over the marsh and up the bayou into almost all of the city's homes. The devastated homes were permanent residences, not weekend beach getaways. Street after street, home after home, each with a huge pile of household appliances, furniture, clothes, flooring, bedding, family heirlooms and other keepsakes, all sadly stacked so high in ruined piles before the dwellings they once occupied, each home severely damaged.
Yet hope had already returned. Most residences had people steadily working to reclaim the residence and make it back into a home. Volunteers--mostly from surrounding communities but some from far away--were numerous and welcomed. Mud had to be raked and carried out. Any smelly spoiled food not yet discarded had to be removed. Furniture, bedding, appliances, floor coverings, window dressings, clothing, and other personal belongings all had to be taken to the street. Then all the water soaked sheetrock, insulation and wiring came out. Roof, window and structural damage needed to be assessed, with tarps put up on roofs and over damaged windows to prevent additional damage. Then the wait for insurance adjusters to come and inspect the remains and former contents begins--usually delaying getting repairs started or hiring contractors. Once the the insurance adjusters arrive and do their inspections, questions about coverage, damage valuation and deductible amounts become points of contention.
Today, the good news is that the recovery has started. This is Southeast Texas at its finest, people working hard together and helping each other. We have again been reminded to remember and respect the awesome natural forces in God's world. People were knocked down hard in our communities but they got right back up and they didn't have to look very far to find a helping hand!
God Bless and may your insurance company treat you fairly!
posted by Ken Lewis at 3:57 PM
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San Jacinto Building
595 Orleans, Ste. 500
Beaumont, Texas
409.835.3521
800.308.9802