Surrounded by her husband and children, Sharon Hartzog lowers her head and cries after OBI announces that their family will receive the third mobile home.

Special donations enabled OBI to purchase three brand new mobile homes for hurricane victims.

ANGIE, La.- On a late December afternoon, Pastors George and Sharon Hartzog stood among a crowd of fifty people gathered in front of the Haven of Worship church, and waited. They stood there surrounded by members of their church, Operation Blessing staff and volunteers, and families who they had helped following the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

Earlier that day, the Hartzogs celebrated as OBI gave away two brand new mobile homes to Katrina victims. After posing for a group photo, OBI’s disaster relief manager, Jody Herrington, addressed the group for one final announcement.

There was one more surprise giveaway. A third mobile home was making its way down the street – and it belonged to the Hartzogs.

A Community in Need

Their community, like many others, had been devastated by the hurricane and the losses were great.

Five days after the storm, relief teams were finally able to access the area by literally cutting and sawing their way in. Unfortunately, for two children, the help did not come fast enough. With no power or running water, they died from dehydration.

Operation Blessing staff Jody Herrington and Curtis Williams met George and Sharon a week and a day after Hurricane Katrina hit. Prior to their arrival, the Hartzogs had been going door to door, checking on residents and finding out what their needs were. The community begged them not to leave, so George and Sharon made arrangements for their children to stay with other family members while they moved into their new home – Haven of Worship church.

Lying on a mattress next to the pulpit, George and Sharon began to pray.

“We said, ‘God we don’t know how we are going to help these people, but we trust you and know you will provide’,” said Sharon.

The next day, Operation Blessing arrived and approved a cash grant for Haven of Worship to purchase supplies and resources for their community.

“It looked like a third world country,” said Herrington, OBI’s disaster relief manager. “There were dirty children running around, small dogs everywhere, moms sitting on the porches rocking their babies, trees pushed to the side of the road, and mattresses outside.”

But nothing compared to what they saw when they took a dirt trail into the woods.

A Family Affair

They were 27 in all. A group of five families living in two small homes and fighting for survival.

“They built outhouses to use the restroom, dug a hole in the ground and put a grate over it to be able to cook, moved mattresses outside to have enough room to sleep and tried to make whatever was in the freezer last for as long as possible,” Herrington said.

Ronnie, age 71 and a great grandfather, rolled out to meet them in his wheelchair. “He was eaten up with mosquito bites and his legs full of scabs and blood clots,” Herrington said. “But despite his health, he met us with a smile and a joke.”

All five families had lost their homes in Port Arthur, Louisiana. George and Sharon brought them food and supplies, but it was not long before the families were forced to split up. Two families found jobs and relocated to other states.

Eventually, only one family of nine remained. George and Sharon relocated them to a run-down post-office, but with the ceiling falling in, it was less than adequate.

“As the Operation Blessing team continued to explore ways to help this community, we could not get this family off our hearts,” Herrington said.

A Home for Everyone

One month later, a mobile home was donated to OBI. As they made plans to give it to the family of nine, a special donation allowed them to purchase two more brand new mobile homes.

“When we realized that we had three homes, we knew immediately who we were going to bless with the third,” Herrington said.

After Katrina hit, George and Sharon Hartzog, residing 30 minutes outside of Angie, gave up their home permanently and moved into their church to be closer to their community.

On December 17, three months later, they stood with the family of nine and cheered as OBI gave away the two mobile homes. Sharon clutched Dawn’s arm, one of the family’s grandparents, and cried with her as they watched the mobile home come down the street. But the day’s celebration was far from over.

“At the end of the day, we brought everyone who made the donations possible, over 50 people, and stood in front of Haven of Worship church,” Herrington said. “We told them we could not end this day without taking time to bless the people who had given so much to bless so many.”

And with that, they announced that the third mobile home would be given to Pastor George and Sharon Hartzog.

“The moment was priceless,” Herrington said. “Everyone was in tears as the Hartzogs’ new mobile home came rolling down the road. We cheered, clapped and watched George and Sharon burst into uncontrollable tears, and yet smiling at the same time as their ‘miracle’ – their home – was being delivered to them.”

“Thank you Operation Blessing Partners, for making dreams come true,” Herrington said. “We could not do this without you.”

HOW YOU CAN HELP
You can help by making an online donation toward OBI's disaster relief efforts. With your support, we can continue to provide emergency relief and recovery. Please make an on-line donation today.

 

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