At Sunday services, taking stock and moving forward in Texas

[ad_1] Scott Detrow speaks with KERA's James Hartley about his reporting on how individuals gathered at church providers Sunday to replicate after the lethal flash floods which killed greater than 120 individuals in central Texas.

SCOTT DETROW, HOST:

It has been one other troublesome day in Texas. Heavy rains and a flash flood warning halted search efforts across the Guadalupe River. 100 sixty individuals stay lacking after devastating July 4 flooding that killed greater than 120 others in Kerr County. Immediately, individuals are taking inventory about what occurred and the way to transfer ahead. James Hartley of member station KERA has been masking this and joins us now from Kerrville. Hey, James.

JAMES HARTLEY, BYLINE: Hey. How are y'all doing?

DETROW: Let's begin with the scenario on the bottom in the present day. What is the newest? What are the circumstances?

HARTLEY: Yeah, you already know, such as you stated, it has been raining closely on and off right here in the present day. Search and rescue efforts have been suspended due to that flash warning. Crews have been involved about extra water pushing down the Guadalupe and the dangers that might create for searchers selecting via the large, tangled particles piles alongside miles of the river. So the rain is easing slightly bit proper now, nevertheless it's a troublesome reminder of what this space has endured over the past week or so.

DETROW: It is Sunday. Lots of people went to church in the present day. You visited just a few church buildings your self and spoke to individuals. What did they let you know?

HARTLEY: You understand, lots of people are discovering consolation of their religion proper now, although it is obscure what occurred and why, from a spiritual perspective. For some church buildings, that is their first service because the flood 9 days in the past. A type of was Barnett Chapel Methodist Church. Maurice Washington, he is the pastor over there. He says the religion group right here has actually come collectively.

MAURICE WASHINGTON: We must be there for each other for a very long time. We'll must be inventive in our strategy to serving to individuals come via this. We'll have to have the ability to pay attention to one another's ache, even when that very same stage of ache is just not ours.

HARTLEY: He additionally instructed me that is not one thing they'll simply do for just a few weeks. He says it should be an ongoing course of for a very long time.

DETROW: There's been a number of concentrate on techniques which will haven't gone proper, particularly, warnings upfront of the flood. Did you discuss to anyone about that?

HARTLEY: Positive. You understand, there's been information about that alert system that wasn't activated as shortly as it would - may have been. There's additionally been reporting that the native authorities determined to not spend cash on shopping for a brand new or upgrading the flood warning system. So all of these issues have been high of thoughts and irritating for people like Daryl Coleman (ph). I spoke with him earlier than the service at that Methodist church.

DARYL COLEMAN: I have been right here 38 years. I've seen loads of floods. All I can ask is the federal government give up taking part in round with it. Let's do one thing.

HARTLEY: He was on the church along with his spouse, Robin (ph), who instructed me that, for now, they should concentrate on discovering the our bodies and that it should be a protracted and painful means of rebuilding.

DETROW: This was such widespread devastation. What have you ever been seeing about how individuals are serving to one another?

HARTLEY: You understand, there are a number of wants that will not be as apparent as others. I've seen rest room trailers exterior of a Walmart for individuals who do not have their very own loos anymore. There is a laundry truck that is been arrange exterior the VFW corridor, and accommodations are placing out meals and water for people who've been displaced. I spoke with Jennifer Stewart (ph). She's a therapeutic massage therapist in Dallas. She drove the 5 hours to Kerrville to supply free massages to the search and rescue crews throughout their breaks. She stated that listening to their tales has been actually troublesome.

JENNIFER STEWART: I am simply imagining, like, (crying) and listening to tales in the present day of the our bodies and the animals and the belongings of folks that they may by no means see once more. And it is simply heartbreaking. It's.

HARTLEY: She stated she hopes the massages assist them chill out and possibly even give them an opportunity to really feel spiritually nourished via that rest. However as you possibly can hear, the feelings for therefore many individuals are uncooked and palpable.

DETROW: Completely. That's James Hartley of member station KERA, reporting from Kerrville, Texas. Thanks a lot.

HARTLEY: Yeah, you are welcome.

Accuracy and availability of NPR transcripts could differ. Transcript textual content could also be revised to right errors or match updates to audio. Audio on npr.org could also be edited after its unique broadcast or publication. The authoritative report of NPR’s programming is the audio report.