This morning I had the great pleasure of being with the good people at Galilean in LaPlace. Hurricane Ida hit eight weeks ago, on August 29, 2021, 16 years to the day after Hurricane Katrina. First, some pictures of the day, and the subsequent damage:

The above pictures were two months ago. the pictures below are today. The big meeting with insurance is this week. Certainly half a mil damage.

Congregational President Bret Jacobs summarizes the progress.
Pastor Hickman’s study. She is lobbying for a light green paint job in the refurbishing.
Bathrooms with curtains for privacy.
Ironically, the the flood painting survived in the nursery. Note the candy for this Saturday’s Halloween drive through event.

No lights or AC in the sanctuary today, but we were church together. Three cheers to this congregation for resilience. Many members are dealing with substantial destruction in their homes. Some are living with friends and relatives as repairs proceed.

The last Halloween event they had was two years ago, with 500 people. What will it be like on Saturday? They don’t know, but they are forging ahead, into a future with hope. (Jeremiah 29:11)

Many thanks to Ron and Deborah Unger for schlepping me around, and to Pastor Hickman, Maria and Bret Jacobs for lunch and a detailed update afterwards.