UM teams join Eagle Pass tornado cleanup
By Rachel L. Toalson
Staff Writer
Trained Early Response Teams from the Southwest Texas and Oklahoma Indian Missionary conferences began cleaning up tornado debris in Eagle Pass May 2.
The specially trained teams were the first wave of United Methodist recovery aid that should be flowing into the Maverick County city for at least 12 months, said Susan Hellums, Southwest Texas Conference Volunteers in Mission coordinator.
A tornado ripped through a low-income neighborhood southeast of Eagle Pass around 7 p.m. April 24. The twister destroyed at least 197 mobile homes and 16 permanent homes, the American Red Cross reported. Another 500 homes were damaged.
At least seven people died in the storm in Maverick County.
Another three died in neighboring Piedras Negras just across the Rio Grande in Mexico.
President Bush declared Maverick County a federal disaster area May 2. That made Eagle Pass residents eligible for assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
The twister affected only one member of First UMC, Eagle Pass, Pastor Harlene Sadler reported. The woman, who had just begun attending First UMC about two months ago, was left with a flooded house and no access to water.
The Southwest Texas Conference issued a call April 27 for Early Response Teams to help with storm cleanup in Maverick County. Those specially trained and equipped groups are certified by the United Methodist Committee on Relief.
Eugene Hileman of St. Matthew’s UMC, San Antonio, organized the Southwest Texas team. It worked May 2 to 4 to help “make things safe,
sanitary and secure,” Hellums said.
Barbara Tripp, a disaster-response consultant from the relief committee, and George Barnette, Kerrville District disaster-response coordinator, joined Hellums in Eagle Pass and Piedras Negras May 2.
The trio, along with representatives of the Rio Grande Conference, met with local officials, assessed damages and offered advice on long-term recovery planning.
First UMC, Eagle Pass, received a $10,000 grant April 26 from the conference Disaster-Response Fund (Advance No. 2050). The money is to purchase items needed immediately and support long-term recovery work.
Church World Service, relief arm of the National Council of Churches, sent 200 blankets and 225 health kits to La Trinidad UMC, the Rio Grande Conference congregation in Eagle Pass, said Kevin Murphy of the agency office in Austin.
Sadler met with leaders of other Maverick County congregations, Salvation Army representatives and Red Cross officials April 26 to assess recovery needs and plan for long-term action. Her church has set up a committee to help make long-term decisions.
The tornado destroyed two orphanages in Piedras Negras. Twenty-six children from those orphanages were moved to an Eagle Pass facility, Sadler said. That has exhausted the food supply.
First UMC issued $1,000 to a community fund set up to assist a family in sending two bodies back to California.
“Each of us is doing double duty,” she said. “Our people are well equipped to help, but it’s taking all the resources and the time that we can possibly give them.”
Contributions for tornado recovery in Eagle Pass can be made to the conference Disaster Response Fund (Advance 2050) and designated for Eagle Pass.
