Reported by: Bill Price
Photographed by: Larry Shields
Web produced by: Ian Preuth
While many National Baptist Convention delegates are leaving Friday, delegates from Houston, Galveston, and southwest Louisiana churches cannot go home because the airports they planned to travel through are already closed because of the pending landfall of Hurricane Ike.
While other congregations from South Carolina and other places were busy boarding buses for their trips home, 9News found three members of the Mount Calvary Baptist Church of New Iberia, Louisiana starting the afternoon in the Millenium Hotel restaurant.
They were having breakfast at noon on Friday. That's because worry over Hurricane Ike kept them awake. Rose Cormier told 9News, "We have slept all night with the Weather Channel. All night, every night, we've been watching Ike."
Meanwhile, friend and fellow delegate Caroline Pierre said she is, "Waiting. Anticipation. Wondering what is going to happen. I am concerned about my family because we spent time with them in Dallas."
Caroline Pierre said many of her relatives are going to "shelter in place" at their Dallas homes.
Some of Cormier's Houston relatives are evacuating, just like she did for Hurricane Gustav. That was a storm Rose said she will never forget. "It's a way of life because Gustav (was here) just this past week and my roof was blown off and one of my plate glass windows in my living room was blown out."
After getting extra days on their rooms and repeatedly checking with their airlines on flights, Pierre is also worried about her mother who has decided not to evacuate. "I'm not too comfortable since they say this hurricane is larger and stronger. She feels more comfortable because this last time with Gustav, nothing really happened around her house."
The main offices of the National Baptist Convention are in Houston, and that's kept the head of its Women's Auxiliary up all night.
Hugh Dell Gatewood sent one staff member back early on Friday. Gatewood said, "She will be able to go by the office and do all the last minute things that go toward making sure the National Baptist office is secure the best we can."
Gatewood summed it up this way, "We don't know what kind of damage we'll end up seeing there, but it's just kind of wait and see."
Although many hurricane affected delegates wish they could go home, they are getting emotional support from their friends and fellow delegates.
Many of them are taking comfort in knowing there is little they can do about Hurricane Ike, and as Gatewood said, they're "putting their trust in the Lord."
