Hurricane Hits Home

As I write, at this very moment, a great storm is raging across the Gulf of Mexico, and will hit the state of Texas very soon. This
is Hurricane Rita, which has traveled from the Atlantic to its present location off the coast of Texas. Although it has weakened to a Class 3 hurricane from Class 5, it is expected to reenact the destruction so recently observed in neighbouring Louisiana.

It has been but three weeks since Hurricane Katrina hit Louisiana, and it is still fresh on our minds. Texans have welcomed the evacuees from Louisiana, and "southern hospitality" has taken on a whole new meaning. As we saw the droves of people coming to us from a devastated land, we may have thought this would never happen to us - and yet, here we are a few weeks later with many seaside counties and towns evacuated, and with another hurricane, quickly bearing down on Port Arthur. Although the damage is inevitable, at least we are more prepared for this than New Orleans was. Texas Homeland Security seems to have a handle on things, and most people have evacuated those places in which it was mandatory.

For me, Hurricane Katrina seemed kind of far away. New Orleans is in a whole 'nother state, and besides the many evacuees who came, Texas wasn't really affected by it much. However, Hurricane Rita is a lot closer to home, hitting the Texas coast. This time it's Texans who're evacuating, and it's cities in Texas that are being battered by a hurricane. We may have thought it wouldn't happen to us, but now it is.

This evening I saw the Governor on the news, asking Texans everywhere to be praying for their state in a time of disaster. I have, and I will! In a time of trouble, we must all look towards Almighty God.

As hurricanes have and are devastating the coasts of Louisiana and Texas, I will be praying for the evacuees and victims, Texans and Louisianians alike. I also encourage all members of the church to do likewise.