Hurricane Ike Update

It is hard to get completely current information since we are in Arkansas, but we are able to access our local, Port Arthur/Beaumont news stations online. This is the link to one of the sites if you want to see video from our area. http://www.kfdm.com/ It seems like both Beaumont and Port Arthur have had some serious damage. Most people are without power (and are predicted to be without it for several weeks) Lots of phone lines are down. The sewer and water services are limited, if available at all. There was some flooding, but the levees in Port Arthur held, which is very good news. Again, news media is just starting to get out and access damage, but some of the surrounding areas in neighboring Orange County and Sabine Pass are very hard to get to at this point and there are reports of waist deep water in some homes there.

We have no idea when we will be able to return to Port Arthur this time. The weather should clear up in the area within the next few days, but they might not lift the mandatory evacuation until electricity and sewer systems are back up and running and all the major roadways are cleared of trees and debris. We haven't called to check on our hotel yet, but we brought all our important things with us, so there isn't much to worry about. We are thankful we didn't have a house yet at this point. This whole thing may just be why God hasn't allowed our home in Michigan to sell yet! As far as my job, we get "hurricane pay" sort of like Michigan snow days. So, I will still get paid for all the days we are evacuated. This is just another example of God's faithfulness, as all this evacuating was definitely not in the budget!

So, we will plan to stay at the retreat center in Fayettville, Arkansas for now. We ended up here because we were originally headed to Dallas, but we couldn't get a hold of Jermale's Aunt who lives there. Pastor Noble was at this retreat center for a conference and he had chosen to stay after the conference was over b/c the storm was coming. He told us he could get us a complementary room if we came there. So, we adjusted our route and headed to Arkansas. It was a 12 hour drive, but we were stocked up this time with a cooler of food and a 5 gallon gas can. It actually ended up working out better that we came here b/c even Dallas was feeling some effects from the storm. Plus, Jermale's Aunt said that so many people evacuated to Dallas that food and gas were starting to get difficult to find. We even saw on the news that gas was at $4.85 a gallon and prices were still rising.

This is crazy! But, God is in control and we are at peace. We will do whatever we can to help the community when we are able to go back. For now, we prayerfully wait...

~The Eddies