Harvey: Houston faithful have hope
FLOOD DAMAGED MORE THAN 50 000 HOMES Congress has been asked for $7.85 billion to help after mega storm hits the state.
Houston’s faithful filed into Sunday church services with their hearts heavy after mega-storm Harvey’s destruction, as the Texas governor led appeals for billions of dollars in aid for his battered state.
Some worshippers sought succour, and others offered compassion and aid for their devastated communities in displays of solidarity and partnership that highlighted the best of the human spirit in trying times.
The nation’s fourth-largest city of Houston was drying out after a week of flooding, with attention turning to the massive rebuild. But the immediate needs of many victims here remained acute.
“We know that some are distressed, some are displaced. But I believe through it all we can say God is good,” preached minister Gary Smith at the Fifth Ward Church of Christ.
More than 1 000 worshippers packed the historically black church’s sanctuary for a service that repeatedly addressed the tragedy that hit many Texas and Louisiana communities.
In Houston, which was devastated by record-setting rainfall, many residents whose homes had flooded returned over the weekend to begin removing soggy drywall, soaked carpets and ruined possessions.
The flooding damaged 40 000 to 50 000 homes in Houston and sent tens of thousands of people fleeing to emergency shelters.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott said that a years-long recovery lay ahead, and appealed to Congress to step up and approve huge funding for reconstruction.
“The rebuilding process, this is where the long haul begins,” Texas Governor Greg Abbott said on Fox News Sunday. “This is where we come to the part where Congress plays a role."
The White House has asked Congress for $7.85 billion (R103 billion) for Harvey-related “response and initial recovery efforts,” calling it a “down payment” on the long-term cost of recovering from the record flooding.
In the end, Abbott said, recovery will cost “well over $120 billion, probably $180 billion.”
White House budget director Mick Mulvaney has said the administration will later seek an additional $6.7 billion for relief from the storm that has been blamed for at least 42 deaths.
Congress returns to Washington today after a summer recess. Democrats and Republicans who have feuded for months over President Donald Trump’s agenda are under pressure to come together and approve disaster relief.
Diane Chapman, who was flooded out of her Houston home and was loading up on relief supplies, said lawmakers should look beyond the price tag. – AFP