I really feel for them! Please do not be an idiot and call any of the numbers! Thanks!
F.E.M.A.yesterday called this “Very likely this is the worst disaster ever in the United States”. It is being likened to the Asian Tsunami of last winter.
Many of our brothers and sisters in the areas worst affected by the hurricane have gone to Houston, Texas.
See: *** g02 11/22 p. 19 Love in Action—A Marathon Relief Effort ***
They have made 800 rooms available to house these friends who are coming in as refugees.
Many of the friends are coming to the brothers in desperate conditions. Many are financially broke and have no place to go home to.
A sizable number were at conventions this past weekend in Baton Rouge, La and other areas when the evacuation order began and had just enough funds to get them through the convention. They could not even go back to their homes to prepare in any way.
The situation is very serious as you no doubt have seen from reports on the news.
The problem is since this is such a recent event, coordination of the efforts has been difficult, because of not being able to find where these brothers and sisters are. Basic infrastructure is down. Phone service -- cell and land line -- into the disaster areas are virtually non-existent, though some can phone out.
So the brothers in Houston have set up phone hotlines for this purpose so that they can be reached.
They would like anyone who is housing any of the friends from disaster areas, or the refugee brothers and sisters themselves to contact them at the hotline numbers below.
Please DO NOT call these numbers unless you fall into one of the above categories.
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This comes from the Houston City Overseer:
If you come to know of refugee brothers or sisters, we would like the refugee to call 713-453-0257 or 832-725-8952, so we can account for them.
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8/30/05 GREATER HOUSTON AREA – HURRICANE ROOMING EFFORT-UPDATE
Assistants: Ritch Pond 281-341-0707
Andy Trawick 713-419-2560
Roy Eby 281-660-5354
John Eppolito 281-469-9309
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I already have some house guests , but I still have some blow up beds and pillows I keep for just such needs, that they can use in the living room, and children, or young people on the floor. That storm was the worse the Gulf has had.
We all know that no matter where we go, we always have Brothers and Sisters to call upon that will take us in, no matter what, and help us regain our feet, and balance. They [those that help us] may not have much, but we all work together to make it through. I have experienced that all over the world to which I have been!
I just thought I would let you in on some news that is not publicized or noted by the world. There are many others that could not make it out, and those that will be in even greater need, and have no one! Things will be shipped into them, and the Witnesses are usually one of the very first to arrive, because we are ready to roll at a moments notice!
We repair and rebuild homes free of charge from donations of others and no one is paid, as it is all volunteer work. Everything is built to code, and better than what you would get from most contractors, as most cannot be trusted after such devastation. Those being helped often donate Insurance money they receive for such things. Those that have none get helped as well, same as the rest!
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I am way behind on my email after being with no electricity for two days here. Some are still without power, but the vast majority have been restored. Katrina came ashore here on Thursday afternoon, the eye passing just a few miles south of my home in Hollywood and moving southwest from there across Miami-Dade county.
Most everyone in my congregation was without power for at least two days, some for up to four days. It sure is miserable trying to sleep without air conditioning when the low at night is 80F! Nevertheless, we're all happy that we are alive and actually still have our personal property. Compared to some, we did good through this one.
I have not he! ! ard anything about our brothers in South Miami-Dade county, but I'm sure some of them have been affected by the flooding because it was so widespread. Most likely they are being taken care of by local congregations. Many neighborhoods there still have water in their homes and are now beginning to assess the damage. Government response has been slow in that area.
That's the latest from South Florida. I have not heard anything official from the Organization about the effects of Katrina on the friends here or in the Gulf coast area of the U.S. I'm sure
information will begin flowing to the congregations this week. My guess is that friends in the surrounding areas will be asked to open their homes to those left homeles! s.! Personally, I would encourage all the friends that are able to increase their contributions to the worldwide work...that is the main source of funding used for disaster relief work.
Stay well everyone,
##@#@##@ Beach Congregation
Hollywood, Florida
heres a report on whats up with the witnesses affected by Katrina
by PaNiCAtTaCk 25 Replies latest jw friends
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PaNiCAtTaCk
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Billygoat
Why is it that the JWs "help" stops at the brothers and sisters? Why don't they help the thousands of others? Doesn't anyone remember the parable of the Good Samaritan?
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upside/down
No offense...
but I have a hard time feeling pity for Dubs...they left me and my kids for dead..LITERALLY!
Not only that but they don't even really care that much for each other...the Corporation just wants the sales force back up and running ASAP!
They will milk this for all it's worth...publicity ops...$$$...and PROOF of how "deep in the time of the end we really are"!!!!!
Yes it's a disaster of monumental proportions...but the Dubs are still Dubs...and when you've been on the recieving end of their HATRED you tend to see things a little differently.
I say KARMA!
*****I don't wish evil on anyone...but in this case the shoe fits..*****
u/d(of the callous and insensitive toward Dubs class)
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GetBusyLiving
That's sad, hope things turn out alright for em.
GBL
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DevonMcBride
Witnesses helping Witnesses. Nothing new.
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Dogpatch
This was interesting to see some of the brothers mobilizing before even the WT! Paid sponsored add at Google Hurricane Katrina
Relief Work Information
for Jehovah's Witnesses
www.jw-aid.com Randy -
minimus
You see....JWs help ONLY JWs. That's NOT Christian. If you're not a Witness, you're on your own. Can you believe Jesus would act like this?? I don't!
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horrible life
A sizable number were at conventions this past weekend in Baton Rouge, La and other areas when the evacuation order began and had just enough funds to get them through the convention. They could not even go back to their homes to prepare in any way
Some of them knew the storm was coming at the time the convention started. They could have run home to grab a few things, but noooooo. They had to stay for the conclusion. To learn a little bit more about OBEYING. How sad. HL
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Finally-Free
Witnesses helping Witnesses. Nothing new.
Yes, but they only do so in large scale disasters, and later on they'll pat themselves on the back in one of their publications. On a day-to-day basis I never saw the society come to someone's aid. Individual JWs may help one another, but I never saw aid come from the organization or from the congregational level. W
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Doubtfully Yours
The JWs do a marvelous job at helping out... but only their own.
It's their modus operandi, and it's not going to change anytime soon. Their way of rescuing their own is absolutely superb!
Well, at least they offer some sort of help. If every group or religious organization would offer the same sort of help, the problem wouldn't be as much for the government.
DY