Houston ministry continues Harvey relief

By Abby Hopkins

Hurricane Harvey destroyed Jessie’s floor. Jessie is diabetic, in a walker, and without a family. One day, she heard a knock on her door, but had to drag herself across the floor to answer.

Mission Centers of Houston was there to repair her flooring, but found her with scratched, bloody legs and sent her to the emergency room. MCH executive director Jeff Chadwick said Jessie could have died, but the hospital amputated her leg, sending her home to find new carpet and freedom.

“When you do that for someone who thinks they’re the lowest, that makes all the difference,”  Chadwick said.

Since Harvey, Union Baptist Association’s MCH has served families in northeast Houston through the NE Houston Disaster Recovery Network. This summer, MCH continued to receive and deploy teams to assist in the essential long-term recovery ministry.

Chadwick said MCH ramped up its food distribution, taking a box truck of food to those in need. The flooding affected more than 40,000 homes in northeast Houston alone.

“I’ve learned how God can provide in the most creative ways,” Chadwick said. “I’m getting to the point where I just know it’s coming.”

Alongside Harvey relief efforts, MCH serves Houston by running programs at two centers in the Houston area. Each center opens food pantries several days a week, holds after-school kids and youth clubs, and provides senior adult programs.

“Our mission is to provide for the physical and spiritual needs and change lives with the love, mercy and grace of Jesus Christ,” Chadwick said.

In 2017, MCH fed nearly 10,000 people and led 101 people to make professions of faith. Chadwick says the need continues to increase.

“The word is getting out that we want to help people, and it just keeps increasing,” he said.

To meet the needs, MCH uses Texas Baptist Hunger Offering funds primarily to buy food through Houston Food Bank. This food allows MCH to carry out its ministry through Harvey relief and its day-to-day center programs.

Associate Director of UBA Dian Kidd said, “My husband and I personally contribute regularly to the ministry of the MCH because we believe that it is a force for good in the lives of those who are touched by its ministry.”

People like Jessie are impacted through the work of MCH in part because of Hunger Offering funds. The Hunger Offering partners with 134 ministries in Texas and around the world that meet the needs of people in their communities. To give, click here.

Photo: Youth volunteers working Mission Centers of Houston took hams and other food items to bless homes. They asked this man if they could pray for him and he humbly accepted.