I heard from my folks at about 2pm this afternoon. They are alright and are thanking God for keeping them safe and for keeping their house intact. The electric company is saying that DeRidder could be without power for up to two weeks. The people there have some hard days ahead to get the town cleaned up and back on its feet. But they weren’t hit nearly as badly as Lake Charles, which is just 45 miles southward. There is much to be thankful for as we pray for those who were hit the hardest.
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Status in My Hometown: DeRidder, Louisiana
The Old “Hanging Jail” in DeRidder, Louisiana For those readers who are praying for our family in DeRidder, I have a little bit of information. I talked to the Police and the Sheriff’s office in DeRidder, and as of 11:00am this morning they said that they have not let any of their personnel out into the city yet. The wind is still blowing too hard for anyone to navigate the roads safely. In addition, there are downed power lines, uprooted trees, scattered debris, and gas leaks across town, so city officials are keeping the roads closed for now. I stayed up most of the night and kept in touch with…
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A Song for Family & Friends Waiting for Rita
“God Moves in a Mysterious Way” by William Cowper (1731-1800) ————— God moves in a mysterious way His wonders to perform; He plants His footsteps in the sea And rides upon the storm. Deep in unfathomable mines Of never failing skill He treasures up His bright designs And works His sovereign will. Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take; The clouds ye so much dread Are big with mercy and shall break In blessings on your head. Judge not the Lord by feeble sense, But trust Him for His grace; Behind a frowning providence He hides a smiling face. His purposes will ripen fast, Unfolding every hour; The bud may have…
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Watching, Waiting, Praying
Hurricane Rita I was scheduled to preach at First Baptist Church DeRidder, LA Sunday morning. But as of this morning, those plans have been cancelled because of Hurricane Rita. DeRidder is my hometown. I spoke with my parents this morning, and they are going to stay there until the storm is over. My dad is the principle of Singer High School, and FEMA has just made his school into a shelter for those fleeing to the north from south Louisiana. So he has to stay in any case to supervise that facility. DeRidder is far enough inland that it should not get the destructive winds and flooding that will hammer…
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What Do They Know That We Don’t? (Part 2)
Scene from John Roberts’ Confirmation Hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee. Recent discussions of Judge John Roberts reveal that he is not an altogether satisfying choice for those who occupy places at both ends of the political spectrum. Liberals have been in a tizzy since his nomination, fearing that he will perhaps be in a majority that could overturn Roe v. Wade. Even some conservatives have had persistent questions as to Roberts’ conservative bona fide‘s (which I wrote about two months ago here). In particular, conservatives have been questioning what kind of a conservative justice Roberts will prove to be. Is Roberts the kind of conservative who will conserve the…
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Let’s Hope He’s Wrong
Charles Krauthammer predicts that as Chief Justice John Roberts would vote to uphold the infamous Roe v. Wade precedent. Krauthammer also makes the unintelligible claim that Roberts will be a “traditional conservative” who will move the court to the “left.” If Krauthammer’s definition of “traditional conservatism” includes upholding Roe and moving the Supreme Court to the left, then I’m afraid Krauthammer is losing touch with what conservatism is. “Roe v. Roberts” – by Charles Krauthammer
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Lawlessness and Terror at the Convention Center
We passed this police car which was abandoned right in front of the Convention Center. It’s dilapidated condition stands a symbolic reminder of the inadequacy of the force that was left to guard the Convention Center when nearly 20,000 people were stranded there. As I wrote in my previous post, I spent the majority of my time in New Orleans working at the Convention Center. The rubble left behind there that I witnessed told a terrible and tragic story. The thousands of people who were turned away from the shelter at the Superdome were directed to the Convention Center just ten blocks away. The place descended into a dark hole…
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Criswell College Students Go into the Aftermath of Katrina
Preparing food for the Salvation Army Mobile Canteens at 3:30am. Photo by Josh Ramsey. We parked our Canteen truck right next to the tents where military vehicles were dropping off and processing evacuees in front of the now infamous Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans. This was the site that saw thousands of New Orleans residents stranded without food and bathrooms for days after the levees broke. It became a den of misery and lawlessness. A Military Policeman informed me that when the army arrived, they found dead bodies inside the Convention Center—bodies that had been brutalized, some apparently mugged and others raped. It is places like these…
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More Scenes from New Orleans
Band of Cobelligerents: Denny, Mark (SBC), George, and Mike (Salvation Army). These are the four who manned our Canteen truck. Denny and Mark are from Dallas, TX; George and Mike are from Ohio. It was a real pleasure working with these guys. The filth and stench outside the Convention Center was unbelievable. Terrence and his family came through the line at our Canteen truck. Terrence was able to hold on to his job after losing his home and all his belongings in the hurricane. Now he, his wife Raquel, and his three children (Caitlyn, 11yrs; Corey, 11yrs; and Cayla, 7yrs.) have made Terrence’s bus their new home. USS Harry Truman…
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Scenes from New Orleans
These are two signs I found on a building on St. Charles Avenue in New Orleans. The sign on the left is the initial warning to looters that the owner left. The sign on the right is the update on his status as of September 4. Evacuees being unloaded from a military personell truck near our Mobile Canteen unit.
