Samaritan’s Purse serves families affected by floods in Whatcom County, Washington.
When Maria Gonzalez received the call that her house had been overtaken by floodwater, she fainted and collapsed to the floor, unable to process the devastation she felt.
Samaritan’s Purse volunteers helped remove ruined walls and flooring and other debris from the Gonzalez home in Sumas, Washington.
For 14 years, she and her husband, Roberto, had raised three children and created a refuge for their family within their treasured house in Sumas, Washington. While small floods are somewhat common for the area, the magnitude of this disaster was unprecedented and took local authorities and communities alike by surprise.
Today, Samaritan’s Purse staff members and volunteers teams are on the ground in Whatcom County, Washington, responding to the severe mudslides and flooding that have resulted in hundreds of evacuations, road closures, and damage to more than 500 homes.
We deployed a Disaster Relief Unit—a tractor trailer filled with supplies and equipment—from our West Coast Ministry Center in Fullerton, California, to aid hurting families, including the Gonzalezes.
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Tragedy Upon Tragedy
“We were following along with the Sumas Facebook page and were seeing how the water was rising,” Maria’s son Rigo explained. He shared that, when the flooding first began, his sister was getting married out of state and the family was away for the celebration.
Severe mudslides and flooding have resulted in hundreds of evacuations, road closures, and damage to more than 500 homes in Whatcom County, Washington.
Upon returning home, the reality of the damage was hard to bear. “We didn’t expect to see our house like that. We opened the door and noticed that the water was really high. My mom started to panic. Our flooring was swollen and lifted up and the garage was flooded.” Rigo fought tears as he recounted the experience.
Like many of their neighbors throughout Whatcom County, the Gonzalez family had already experienced a great deal of trial and hardship throughout the past year. As a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic, Roberto lost his job and the family began to struggle financially.
The Gonzalez family lost many personal belongings, but they also lost a close friend in the flood.
Then, as a result of the rain and floods, many of their personal belongings were destroyed. Both Maria and Roberto’s cars were ruined and the entire first level of their home was nearly unsalvageable. While those materials losses have been difficult for them to grapple with, this disaster brought with it a much greater loss.
“My friend died,” Roberto shared. He explained that his friend, Jose, a farmer, worked early hours. On the morning of the first major flood, Jose was on his way to work at a local dairy farm when the waters rose too high and swept him out of his car.
Jose died that morning, and Roberto shared that the pain was simply “too much.” When recounting all of the recent tragedies he’s endured, Roberto pointed to the remains of his house and said, “This is not important. Life is (what is) important.”
Faithful Witness
Samaritan’s Purse volunteers are now diligently working in the hardest hit areas of northwestern Washington. Each day, teams are cleaning out homes, removing debris, and salvaging personal belongings while reminding affected Whatcom County families that they have not been forgotten by their neighbors or by God.
For Maria, Roberto, and their family, we conducted a complete mud-out—removing sheetrock, trim, and appliances, before finally sanitizing the house to prevent mold from growing.
The family was strengthened by the hard work of our volunteers and also spiritually encouraged during our time at their house.
Throughout the repairs, Roberto worked hand-in-hand with volunteers, taking ownership over the home he loved and expressing his gratitude for Samaritan’s Purse all along the way.
When discussing the renovations, Maria welled up with emotion and stated, “I’m very grateful that you came and helped us. God is good. Seeing the heart of the volunteers, that makes me feel that God has not left me alone.”
As we completed our work for the Gonzalez family, Samaritan’s Purse presented them with a Bible printed in Spanish and took time to pray over them and their home. With tears of thankfulness in her eyes, Maria accepted the Bible and hugged it tightly. It was a holy moment that perfectly exemplified why Samaritan’s Purse staff and volunteers go and serve in Jesus’ Name.
“I’m very grateful that you came and helped us. God is good. Seeing the heart of the volunteers, that makes me feel that God has not left me alone.”
Please be in prayer for families devastated by recent flooding in Washington and for the Samaritan’s Purse volunteers who are faithfully serving them.
More volunteers are needed in Washington and in other locations where North American Ministries is currently serving. Please find out more at spvolunteer.org.
The Gonzalez family is one family among hundreds affected by recent flooding in Washington.
