Unused Building Becomes Hub for Hurricane Harvey Response

A few years before Hurricane Harvey brought unprecedented damage to Houston, Ecclesia Church had purchased an old downtown strip club and bar to use as a ministry base. But plans to renovate the building were put on hold when the Texas Department of Transportation said they’d need to demolish the property to build a freeway. Then Harvey hit, damaging 135,000 homes and pouring 19 trillion gallons of water over the area. Suddenly the abandoned building was an incredible resource; it was immediately converted into a staging site for churches and non-profits working together to care for homes and rebuild Houston. Over $9 million in supplies were distributed to 311,000 flood victims, all from a building that weeks before had been scheduled for demolition. When we hope in God, God provides. (Read more about this story in Reflection 4 of Thirsting for Living Water.)