By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer PORT ARTHUR, Texas – Surveying the estimated $300,000 worth of damage  Hurricane Harvey caused his church facilities, Pastor Rick Erwin maintained an attitude of gratitude as he thought about the army of volunteers, including two Louisiana Baptist churches, sent to help Proctor Baptist Church in Port Arthur, Texas, begin its path to recovery. “Had it not been for the volunteers that came in and helped us, I think we would have had to close the doors,” Erwin told the Baptist Message. “This is tremendously hard work. We’ve stepped up and said God is with us, this is His church and not ours. There is no measure of thanks we can express to Christians who came and helped us..” Searcy Baptist Church in Trout and United Baptist Church in Jena sent a team of eight people to the church Sept. 12 and 13. While there, they removed damp carpet, cut out tiles and carried debris to the street. The team also brought cleaning supplies and $1,500 worth of monetary donations they gifted the church. Reid Terry, pastor of Searcy Baptist Church, said from the onset of news reports that large areas of Texas were flooded, his congregation asked how they could make a difference. When Terry learned from … [Read more...]