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Texas Storm Victims Grateful For Help From South MS

By Toni Miles - bio | email

SAN LEON, TX (WLOX) - The town's unofficial slogan is "A small fishing community with a large drinking problem." That was before Ike roared ashore. This small community just north of Galveston now has much bigger problems on its hands.

"We are in psychological awe. We're just overwhelmed," said Jim Sanders, a member of San Leon Community Church.

The small brick church building is gutted on the inside.

"There are pews in the front yard. We had to use chainsaws to cut the pews up to get them out of the church because they were so heavy," Sanders said.

The church members have made the most of the situation, though. Donated clothes are neatly piled inside the church for those with the greatest need. Outside, volunteers from nearby towns unload food and drinks from an eighteen wheeler.

Residents line up for the donated items. But some of them have no home to take them to. Ike has left many people here homeless.

"All the homes have had water in them, I believe, except for those on 12 foot stilts," the Rev. Bob Gibson said.

Gibson is the pastor of San Leon Community Church.  He's also a Vietnam veteran. Gibson compared the state of his post-Ike community to a battlefield.

"I remember coming out of battle myself, and this is battle. I've realized that myself. Just to be able to come and detox it, talking about it, and telling the war stories is going to help us a lot."

The church is doing what it can to carry out its mission of serving their fellow man. A tent has been put up outside the church to give shelter to those who lost their homes. Cots and air mattresses await those with weary eyes and heavy hearts. Relief workers here hope to have air conditioning up-and-running by nightfall.

These days, sleep is a hard commodity to come by in this small town.

"We still need blankets, bedding, cots, air mattresses and first aid kits," Sanders said.

Church leaders say they don't have much faith in the way the American government is handling their plight.

"FEMA, where are you? It's the 'people' of America who are answering our call for help," Pastor Gibson said.

Less than a mile down the road, more residents are milling through the donations South Mississippi's TrailGrazHers brought into town. For the past week, the group of cowgirls collected donations at various coast businesses.

Howard White just wanted a cup of coffee. He said it's the simple things in life people sometimes take for granted.

As word spread about the distribution, hundreds of residents filed in, and loaded up on the things they needed.

As for the overall healing of the community, Pastor Bob Gibson says two things will be required - time and help.