An Army of Angels

 

Miss Cat is sitting sideways at her kitchen table, where she has fed hungry friends, family, neighbors, and strangers with countless bowls of gumbo, smoked chicken, chops, and vegetables for decades in this Lake Charles neighborhood.

On this day, her eyes are lifted in thought, her right hand sweeping past the combination living room/bedroom and settling toward the front door.

"This old house,” she declares, almost singing the words, “is pretty solid, pretty sound.”

The Jobesque events continued.

The insurance adjuster couldn’t manage to find enough damage to meet her deductible. FEMA came through with $153.42.

She spent a harrowing Valentine’s Day weekend riding out a rare ice storm and cold snap that paralyzed the city. She fell asleep that Friday and woke up Sunday, shivering from the cold and sick from the mold. No one could help because everyone was iced in.

“I cried, ‘Lord, please don’t let me die in here!’”

Neighbors eventually came to her rescue and nursed her through the freeze, but she clearly needed more help. Through a Facebook post, she learned that a group of Methodist volunteers would cut down damaged trees for her. Rev. Angela Bulhof, senior pastor at University United Methodist Church in Lake Charles, showed up at Miss Cat’s house with a chainsaw.

“If it had not been for Reverend Angela,” she says, her voice trailing off. “She asked if I needed more help. By the next Sunday, they had a huge group of volunteers that came, tearing out walls.”

The roof was patched, and other repairs were underway. Through a grant, the Methodist volunteers were able to re-straighten the house.

“God sent a whole army of angels,” she says. “I never saw a bill.”

Recovery comes in many forms and at different stages. Disaster response is a sprint; long-term recovery is a marathon.
“She absolutely is one of the most positive people I’ve ever met,” Howard said. “And funny, man’s she’s funny! She’s just a blast. She’s a good lady.”

Miss Cat’s long-term recovery is underway, thanks to the Louisiana Conference’s disaster relief efforts. Howard and other case managers match resources to meet clients’ needs and help with the necessary paperwork to review insurance and FEMA decisions.

“The long-term recovery side is every bit of what the conference is about from both a spiritual standpoint and the “We’re here to help” standpoint,” Howard said. “We help with paperwork, yes, but there’s also something about being able to put your arm around someone’s shoulder for a while. I think this is one of the things the conference and Methodism is known for.”

It’s a marathon, but Miss Cat is up to the challenge.

“I’m a blessed person,” she says. “I thank God for everyone who helped me, all of my angels.”