Congregation marks 9th anniversary of journey, discovery of Marble Falls
Alexandria Randolph/Staff
Pastor Willie Monnet and wife, Claudette, led a group of about 300 people in evacuation from the disaster of Hurricane Katrina and settled in their new homes in Burnet County.
by Alexandria Randolph
While the tribulations of those who nearly escaped the grasp of Hurricane Katrina are long behind, a local church recently celebrated the ninth anniversary of its transplant from the urban hub of New Orleans to the quiet countryside of Burnet County.
For Pastor Willie Monnet, the plan that God had for Smoking For Jesus Ministries was nothing short of miraculous.
“We only took clothes for three days,” he said, remembering their evacuation. Hurricanes had affected the Louisiana coastline regularly in the past, and residents had become accustomed to the storm warnings and evacuations.
“The previous year we ran from a storm that didn’t produce anything,” Monnet said.
“After Katrina, people asked, ‘Why didn’t everybody leave?’ You hear all the time that if the levies broke the city would flood. That scenario has been talked about for 20 years. After awhile, you think it’s never going to happen,” said the pastor’s wife, Claudette.
This storm would be different. It is estimated that 1,464 Louisianans lost their lives during the Category 3 storm on Aug. 29, 2005. Aside from human casualties, it caused another estimated $100 million in damages.
For the full story, see Friday's Highlander.
