Our Response to Date

With cell phones, landlines and most e-mail not working, it took a week to make contact with the 21 churches and their pastors.  Tom Brownmiller, our Valley Region Disaster Preparedness representative was traveling to the churches to make personal contact.  He visited two churches that first Sunday morning on behalf of Mission Presbytery.

Harvey Howell, an Elder at First Presbyterian Church, San Antonio is a certified PDA responder and has been providing guidance in the presbytery’s response.  Presbytery staff, Ruben and Don Campbell, Tom and Harvey met with church leaders Monday, August 4.  The church leaders are becoming the Valley Task Force.

They selected Elders Tom Brownmiller (FPC, McAllen) and Juanita Casanova (Getsemani, San Benito) to represent us at the TXVOAD meeting August 5.  (TXVOAD is the group that coordinates the faith communities and their efforts.)

The unmet needs for housing and requests for food due to spoilage was reported.  Working with “Loaves and Fishes” in Harlingen we can begin to address these needs and maximize buying power.  $7,500.00 of the PDA emergency grant for Dolly relief was used by our Task Force to meet these immediate needs.

NOTE: “Loaves and Fishes” is a mission project supported by our Presbytery benevolent giving.  Presbyterians help to start it, Presbyterians serve on the board and thankfully it was in place to best meet the urgent need.