Prayers and Help for Texas! One Organization that's Johnny-on-the-Spot is Mercy Chefs.

My son lives in a northern suburb of Austin, TX. We just talked to him tonight and he is doing better than many in the state. Things are getting back to normal for them despite living through what my son described as "the worst week of my life." They had no heat (ran out of propane), so he, his wife, and six kids still at home hunkered down in the parents' bedroom with an intermittently working space heater subject to the rolling blackouts. With the house down to 50 degrees or so, they bundled up and ate soup made in the crockpot while the electricity was on. 

They had no water, but thanks be to God when things thawed out they had no broken pipes. Apparently the water in their holding tank froze but must have had enough room to expand because it doesn't appear to have been damaged. They also had a kind neighbor providing them with drinking water. Difficult times always bring out the good Samaritans.

Their kids go back to school tomorrow. My son bought cases of water bottles to donate because community water is unsafe without boiling, a trial for almost half the state. A water tower not far from my son's home broke and deluged  the community it serves. There's plenty of suffering in Texas right now.

As soon as the bad news broke, one of my favorite charities was in action sending a mobile kitchen to the Dallas/Fort Worth area where they set up to prepare 10,000 meals a day. If you're looking for a way to help, I recommend this wonderful organization that has served over 10 million hot, chef-prepared meals since their founding in 2006. When natural disasters strike they are there whether it's in the aftermath of a tornado, a hurricane, or an earthquake. They recently delivered hot meals to a senior facility that was without heat and water for several days. When they learn of a need, they're there. 

Visit their website for more information. Their motto is Mercy Chefs: Feeding Body and Soul. The founder takes seriously the corporal work of mercy to feed the hungry. 

We can't all go to Texas to help, but we can all pray and many of us can give. Want to do something practical? Feed a family. A hot meal is more than food; it's hope!