and now all there's left to do is...

Galveston Island is a mess, other Gulf coast communities are completely gone, and the fourth largest city in the country has a lot of cleaning up to do. There is still no electricity in most of the areas. My mom and dad are living in their travel trailer for the time being using a generator when necessary. Occasionally the phones work and I get a short update.

The city I live in is caring for one group of hurricane evacuees. They are currently housed at a recreation center. Tomorrow many of them will leave only to enter yet another shelter. FEMA has not yet begun to provide resources for temporary housing for the many displaced people.

Today I helped a pregnant woman who told me her life had been threatened three times while staying in the local shelter. The police working in the shelter confirmed her story. Using funds from the church I got her into a motel room for the next week.

I originally met this women after she visited the clothes closet at our church. Unfortunately one of the workers told her she should go visit a laundry-mat and wash the clothes she had. The woman was humiliated and hurt and came down to the church office to see me. I wasn't there. Our secretary recorded her story and shared it with me when I came in. I immediately went to the shelter to seek her out; apologize and to give her assistance. Our story continues.

The aftermath of hurricanes of the strength of Ike is long and painful. I resent the attitude of our President when asked how the government is working with folks to recover. His typically response, "It's hard work. People will just have to be patient." This said by one who has a roof over his head and people to wait on him. Talk to the mayor of Houston and he will tell you the President and his people could work a little harder to explain how the city he serves will recover.

Really, it's still just a big mess!