LOUISIANA — Samaritan’s Purse disaster relief teams are helping hurting homeowners in southwest Louisiana following the massive destruction caused by Hurricane Laura.

The charity is responding to the great need in four southwest Louisiana locations—Lake Charles, Jennings, DeRidder, and DeQuincy.

The Category 4 storm struck under the cover of darkness—creating widespread devastation and displacing hundreds of families. Yet, as the sun rose on August 27, Samaritan’s Purse was on the way to Louisiana from their Southwest Ministry Center in Coppell, Texas, with a Disaster Relief Unit and additional support equipment ready to aid hurting families.

Clay Steelman, Samaritan’s Purse

It was 150-mile an hour wind, which is a Category 4 storm. That type storm will produce significant damage, which we’ve seen as we’ve driven around Lake Charles.

Donna Reed, Homeowner

It started getting heavier. The winds started picking up, and so when the wind came, it took half of my house. I cried. I’m going like, oh, my God. You just– I couldn’t believe it. You see other people go through these things and it’s not that you don’t have a heart for those people, you just don’t understand how they feel until you go through.

Clay Steelman

Samaritan’s Purse is here in Lake Charles. We’ve set up our base camp. We will have our response vehicles heading out. We appreciate your prayers for our volunteer teams and the people of Lake Charles and the surrounding areas.

About Samaritan’s Purse International

Samaritan’s Purse is a nondenominational evangelical Christian organization providing spiritual and physical aid to hurting people around the world. Since 1970, Samaritan’s Purse has helped meet needs of people who are victims of war, poverty, natural disasters, disease, and famine with the purpose of sharing God’s love through His Son, Jesus Christ. The organization serves the Church worldwide to promote the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.

CONTACT: Kaitlyn Lahm, news@samaritan.org

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