HUNT, Texas – The tough job of cleaning out flooded homes is underway in Hunt, Texas.
For many families, it means throwing out most of what they own. But they’re not doing it alone.
Diana Smith knows firsthand how much help means right now.
Just days ago, she was riding out the flash flooding from the Guadalupe River on a kayak with her two dogs.
“I said a prayer when I was standing on my porch. Both my parents are deceased. And I said, Mom, Dad, God, help,” Smith recalled.
On Thursday, her prayer was answered in the form of helping hands.
Two dozen volunteers from Texans on Mission showed up to help three families in her neighborhood, including Smith’s.
They’re hauling away debris and carefully searching for anything that might be saved.
“We’ve had crews coming and going, people really showing up to help the community,” Smith said, watching the volunteers work.
One of those helpers is Ramiro Peña, who’s pushing 90 years old.
He came with his grandson, who’s from Pearland.
When his grandson, Matthew Enriquez, called to invite him on the trip, Peña remembers asking, “What can I do? I’m almost 90 years old.”
But here he is, proving age is just a number when it comes to lending a hand.
Benny Williams, who’s leading the Texans on Mission team, calls this a “mud out operation.”
When asked about the cost of their services, his answer is simple and straight from the heart: “This is free. It was paid for by Jesus Christ. He died for us to do this.”
The cleanup crews got quite a surprise when they started tearing out walls.
Hidden above every doorframe in one of the homes, they found Bible verses written there - a discovery that felt like a message of hope in the middle of all this mess.
“Our faith defines us and so we are very adamant about trying to help other people,” explained Matthew Enriquez of Texans on Mission.
While most of Smith’s belongings couldn’t be saved, volunteers did manage to find one precious keepsake - her Heart of the Hills camp badge.
“My little heart. Every camper gets a heart. That one was mine,” she said.
These volunteer teams aren’t just throwing stuff away - they’re doing the full job.
They start by clearing out the homes, they power wash the floors and finish with spraying a cleaner to prevent mold.
It’s all part of getting these houses back to being homes again.
Looking at all the people who’ve come to help, Smith puts it simply: “They’re just, God sends all of them.”
