Here was an email that was literally sent to hundred's of JW's(hehe...yes, I have all of their emails now...muah ha ha) **edited to remove email addresses**
>>Hi,
>>There was an announcement at Bethel today regarding our brothers
>>who have been affected by Hurricane Katrina. On Wednesday
>>afternoon, four circuit overseers and a local Regional Building
>>Committee brother were allowed by the authorities to enter New
>>Orleans as representatives of the organization. Though the reports
>>are very incomplete, so far it appears that 23 Kingdom Halls in the
>>New Orleans area have received heavy damage. Eight are completely
>>submerged, and another two partially submerged. However, only the
>>west side of New Orleans could be assessed by these brothers. Some
>>brothers who had taken shelter in the Super dome have been
>>transported by bus the Houston Astrodome. One Kingdom Hall in the
>>city of Empire was completely destroyed. Another two Kingdom Halls
>>in Bay St. Louis and Ocean Springs, Mississippi have also been
>>completely destroyed. Arrangements have been made for 50 brothers
>>to enter New Orleans next Monday to assess the damage to Kingdom
>>Halls and homes. They will have a 24 hour window in which to make
>>their assessment. The brothers also plan to make an aerial
>>investigation of the area. Up to this point, it has been very
>>difficult to determine the welfare of our brothers due to the many
>>downed telephone lines and cell towers. Efforts are also being made
>>to assess the damage in Mississippi. A relief committee will soon
>>be set up to care for the needs of our brothers. It would be good
>>for us to keep them in our prayers.
>>
>>(Ezekiel 34:16) “The lost one I shall search for, and the
>>dispersed one I shall bring back, and the broken one I shall
>>bandage and the ailing one I shall strengthen.
>
>>
>>From:
>>To:
>>Subject: Fw: Fw: Some personal reports re: Katrina
>>Date: Fri, 2 Sep 2005 12:42:51 -0400
>>
>>Sending this on in case some of you may need this info even thought
>>we here in N.FL. have not been touched by the hurricane itself - -
>>-I'm sure the elders are aware if there is a need that we should
>>know about- - - But this does show Jehovah's hand in caring for his
>>people!!!- - -rlw
>>
>>Sent: Thursday, September 01, 2005 10:58 AM
>>Subject: Some personal reports re: Katrina
>>
>>The following are messages from brothers and sisters re: Katrina
>>
>>1. Contact info for flood
>>Hi friends,
>>I live in Houston area and there is a massive JW relief being
>>organized by
>>the brothers here. Remember the flood by tropical storm Allison
>>that you read
>>about in Awake, I guess that was a training ground for us. One of
>>our
>>Kingdom Halls has been designated the relief center for JWs. It is
>>located on
>>Interstate 10 and Holland St. on the east of Houston. There are
>>friends manning
>>the phone to take calls and as many can call out but can't receive
>>call they
>>are asking for all displaced brothers to call and let them know
>>where you are
>>and your condition, etc., so that they can keep track. They are
>>compiling a
>>congregation by congregation report. The phone # is 713-453-0257.
>>
>>The City overseer from New Orleans is here too, his house has 12
>>ft of water
>>in it.
>>ys
>>Lisa
>>
>>2. Re: Contact info for flood
>>One more thing, the brothers are going from Hotel to Hotel
>>searching for the
>>friends. The first day and with only a few phone calls there were
>>over 700
>>homes offered for the friends to stay in after they have been
>>screened at the
>>number below.
>>ys
>>Lisa
>>>
>>3. Here is a message I received a few moments ago from sister Mary
>>Ritter who
>>lives in New Orleans and is now with her son in Houston.
>>Sister Inge:
>>
>>I have never posted a message on the jwlist or worldparadise.
>>Actually, I
>>don't know how to do it. Saturday morning my CBS overseer called
>>and said to
>>keep in touch by cellphone and let the brothers know where we are.
>>Would you let the friends know that we can't get through by land
>>line or by
>>cell phone to contact other friends with telephone numbers in the
>>New
>>Orleans area.
>>I am getting some messages from those with computer/Internet
>>access. The
>>friends from whom I have heard are spread from Atlanta to Houston
>>and
>>Dallas.
>>
>>Linda Washington is on the North Shore of Lake Pontrachain and the
>>power is
>>out in all the communities there. Most of their damage was
>>from the high winds. The flooding is horrendous for the greater New
>>Orleans area, south
>>and east of the lake. Linda lives in Covington, not Slidell, unless
>>I don't
>>know of her having moved. She used to be in my Kenner (where the NO
>>airport
>>is located) congregation.
>>
>>One of the elders in my congregation is not flooded and will be
>>checking on
>>my home today if the streets are passable for his van.
>>
>>Thanks in advance if you can give a synopsis of this to the lists.
>>And
>>thanks for the prayers.
>>
>>Love, Mary
>>
>>4. In reply to your message, here is one that was forwarded to me.
>>On a positive note, it seems that most of the Spanish congregations
>>in the affected area were all at the district convention in
>>Beaumont, Texas when the storm hit. Of course, they can't go home,
>>but they were otherwise spared.
>>
>>Tom Pettit City Park Spanish Cong. Fort Worth, Texas
>>Here's the forwarded message: Date: Tue, 30 Aug 2005 Subject:
>>Finding the friends
>>The main point is that if their respective congregations come to
>>know of refugees, we
>>would like the refugee to call 713-453-0257, so we can account for
>>them.
>>I can be called @ 281-469-9309 or emailed with questions or
>>comments.
>>Would you please copy me on your email, so I will have their
>>addresses?
>>Thank you very much.
>>Yours Truly,
>>John Eppolito Houston City Overseer