How the most devastating hurricane (Katrina) of all time changed my life!
My name is James Lee and I'd like to share the most tramatic experiece in my life time, hurricane 'Katrina.'
It began three days before before the hurricane actually hit us. My wife and I was glued to the television watching to see what this monster was going to do. The newscasters were saying the hurricane was heading straight towards New Orleans, La.which was west of us. This would put us directly in danger receiving the brunt of the hurricanes strongest winds.
At 200 miles out the hurricane changed directions and began to move straight toward Waveland, Ms. where my wife and I was living. We immediately went to Gulfport, Ms to obtain a uhaul van to move out our most valuable possessions, including 9 of our dogs and 1 cat.
But, there was not one available uhaul to rent. They had already been rented. We were in total shock, not really able to comprehend what to do next. Finally the manager made some phone calls to his friends and was able to find us one, a Budget uhaul Rental in the next town over---
Pascagoula, Ms.
So my wife and I got in the car and drove to Pascagoula, Ms to rent the uhaul truck. When we arrived we were informed by by the manager that it was an old uhaul but he thought it would be o.k. So we rented it and began our journey that would change our lives forever.
We began loading the uhaul with our possessions and setting up the cages for our animals. By the time we completed our task of loading the uhaul the 'storm' was 150 miles away with 160 mph winds, a category 5--- major hurricane...Coming straight towards us.
We went back into the house turned on the T.V and the weatherman from Miami was telling everyone on the gulfcoast of Mississippi they should evacuate immediately because the surge could be as high as 50 feet. I told my wife "honey, this is going to be bad."
We got ourselves together called our pastor inquiring what his plans were. He said he was going to 'ride it out.' After arguing with him we finally accepted his decision and asured him we would be praying for him. We had NO idea what we were about to embark upon.
So my wife and I climbed into the uhaul heading to Georgia to stay with our family until the storm passed. We got approximtely 5 miles from our home when the uhaul died on us. I worked on it but couldn't get it started.
I called our pastor and he said he would bring someone to help us.
In about an hour pastor arrived with one of our brothers from church. He got it started but informed us the uhaul was in really bad shape and would not make it to Georgia. I said, "what are we going to do?" Pastor informed us we could stay at the church. It was located on the highest ground in Waveland. There were also 18 people already there. So we agreed that would be the plan.
My wife and I went to the church and found us a area where we could 'hunker down' for what only God knew what we were in store for. For hours me and another brother would step outside the church to examine the strength of the wind. Around 10:00pm the winds were around 30 mph sustained. Not too bad, for the moment.
Throughout the night I would check on the weather. Around 5:00am the winds increased to over 100 mph it was terrifying. I looked over at hwy 90 and witnessed an entire metal roof blowing down this main stretch of hwy. Then a tornado hit a metal building right in front of me about 200 feet away totally decimating it. I was blown away. The wing was howling so loudly you could not hear when someone spoke.
At 6:07 am I went and laid down on the pallet beside my wife when all of a sudden someone shouted; "oh God, here it comes." I jumped up and ran over to see what he was shouting about, and to my utter amazement I saw a surge of water 25 ft high coming straight toward us. I yelled, "everyone head to the back of the church." Then it hit us and turned the entire church about three feet.
The water just kept coming. I said we have got to get out of here or we'll drown. We had just put new storm windows in the church except for one window we had to get special made. We took the guitars and knocked out the glass.
Heres the greatest moment of all. Pastor had put his 32 ft fishing boat right outside that only window we could get out of.
Next God did an amazing thing. He turned the boat around and it settled right by the ONLY window we could get out of. We helped the women and children get into the boat and then we got in. Pastors brother took a jet ski and used it to tie the rope from a tree to a church collum so we would not float into the power lines. We were now getting full huricane winds
130-150 mph winds. The rain beat our face up.
We placed the women and children inside the captains cabin while the men remained on deck. The rain and wind continued to beat us down and the water completely covered the church except for about two foot of the gable.
At one point there was a 20 ft walk in freezer floating towards us. We began to pray and it changed direction towards the woods. There were so many miracles performed that day. God truly helped us through this horendous storm. For 13 hours we remained on board this boat until finally, the water began to drift back out to sea.
Around 6:30pm a bus picked us up and took us to the high school where they made it the rescue center. We remained there for a week until the roads were reopen. I sent my wife to Georgia to stay with family. I remained and helped pastor repair the church. Some of the best memories I have is attending sunday church under the huge oak trees that lined the the outer paremiter of the church. Hurricane katrina is one storm I will never forget. It was only by the grace of God we survived.
Katrina changed my life in many ways. But the most visible change was understanding how insignificate material possessions are in comparrison to human life. Material possessions can always be replaced but not a human life.
Glad you made it thru. many blessings to you