wow...it's horrible

The following text contains two emails from one of my college friends. She lives in Baton Rouge, LA. Her husband is a Football Coach for LSU. It appears they are in full emergency mode with both the team players/ sports organization and also the church. I thought you might be interested in the information she sent. Patricia is a counselor at the University and it looks like she will be helping with the counseling also. An earlier email said that approximately 100,000 people went to Baton Rouge for refuge. They are asking for prayers for the children who cannot find their parents (30 were at the coliseum without parents), sick people, sewage problems, and disease like west nile.

Please note that there is contact information for their church in the first email and then a mention that the situation has become more critical in the second email. They are even looking to hire a security guard because of the unrest and difficulties this has brought to the area. She did not ask me to pass on this information, but I felt it was the least I could do. If anything, the email made me more aware of the details required in the situation.


----- Original Message -----
From: patricia
Sent: Wednesday, August 31, 2005 4:56 PM
Subject: Baton Rouge

I went over to the PMAC today (coliseum) and ambulances are streaming in constantly. The track field is a helicopter pad -- at least 3 were there at a time and I hear them flying over my house all day. The PMAC is a trage center helping injured and sick and then, hopefully sending some to shelters. There are refrigeration (18 wheeler) trucks for those who die so its a morgue as well.
I ended up helping our equipment manager wash/fold all the sheets and bedding they are using in the PMAC. We donated pillows and bedding and such. The LSU Gymnastics team was helping with wash. Football players had been to 3 shelters today helping out as well.
Our church has 100 people staying there and when I go tonight I will find out what I need to do there. I asked what others can do and sending money to our church marked for the evacuation shelter would be the best and we will use the money for anything that is needed as time goes by. We are feeding these people from our church funds and they are living in our gym. Our church is Goodwood church of Christ 10715 Goodwood Blvd. Baton Rouge , LA 70815-4612 our website is www.goodwoodchurch.org
Elders: George Lyles 225-766-1961
Otto Buehler 225-753-9807
These are 2 elders you could contact if you need and our preacher is doug Burelson office number 225-272-8936.

We are having a problem of getting supplies..they need diapers and wipes but our stores are out of everything..so hopefully we can get restocked soon or close by towns can send more over! Our traffic is bad and Taylor came home from school saying they would have new students in class ...what will we do with all these extra people? I do worry about the ones in our downtown center...they put a curfew on them, but they will get restless and what do they do?

I will find out more at church as i am about to go now. Thank you for prayers for this state. One student at athletic dept has 20 family members in his apartment. One just found his family today. Everyone is affected in many ways. But a great time to show Gods love.

love patricia


From: patricia
Sent: Thursday, September 01, 2005 11:30 PM
Subject: baton rouge

Hi all. Thank you so much for your prayers and gifts you are sending and getting sent. People are really amazing and I am so thankful for friends, family, and christians. I went to church today and served in all sorts of ways. We feel unorganized and are hoping the red cross will come soon to instruct us and get our people signed up. FEMA - we cant even get thru on the phone line to talk to anyone yet. I returned phone calls from churches offering help. The biggest thing that can help is for a church close by to send a group of 5/6 to take over the manpower of the shelter for a day or 2.
We had unrest downtown today and lots of rumors of theft,,shootings,,etc. so we are trying to hire a security guard for the church (of course there are none to be hired). So money you send will assist in that too.
Most gas stations are out of gas...they say kids go back to school Tues and they are opening doors to all evacuees to school and may do 2 sessions of school a day... school buses are in the power of the state now for its use..so not sure how that will work for school transportation.
Stacy called and said they will now use the indoor football field as a shelter now too...
Larger clothes are best if you hear of any one sending any...and unisex like golf shirts t shirts and large sizes.
The men were putting in a shower stall at our church today...we do have washer and dryer there. The South Baton Rouge church also has 2 shelters.
There are lots of rumors and stories of crime and violence...we are all being more careful.
The people at church seemed very thankful and helpful. We are all in this together
Thanks for caring about us. I will pass on any helpful info you can give us.
Patricia