ANGLICAN MISSIONARIES HEAR “GO, NOW” IN HISTORIC TEXAS FLOOD

By David W. Virtue, DD

www.virtueonline.org

July 23, 2025

Fr. Jerry Kramer is an ACNA priest serving in the Middle East. He is just now concluding ten months as an interim rector in West Texas. With his wife Stacy, their main ministry is working in Muslim communities in the Middle East, catalyzing disciple making movements. They help lead a network of 3,400 churches in the Middle East and East Africa.

They will shortly return to the Middle East to continue their ministry in September. But when the historic flood hit Kerr County and Mystic was the epicenter; the waters rose and rivers jumped 26 feet in 45 minutes. Jerry and Stacy knew they had to step in. He had had experience in the Broadmoor Community in New Orleans in 2005 when Katrina hit, so he knew, in part what to expect as a First Responder. Nonetheless what he saw shook him to the core.

VOL sat down with Jerry to talk about his experience there.

VOL:  When you got the call, what was your immediate response?

KRAMER: Go. Now. No hesitation. We were supposed to be on our way back the Middle East. The emotionally needy Kurds require attention. 

But July 4th happened. My last act of office at the sweet parish in West Texas was presiding at the funeral service for one of the patriarchs. And a great, dear friend. I processed straight out of the church, to my car, and drove to the Hill Country. Didn't say farewells, didn’t pack anything. 

I’m still considered canonically resident in Tanzania. It’s a funny Province. One can never transfer out. The Hotel California of Anglicanism. My friend the archbishop immediately wrote, “Go to the flooding area and help. If anyone asks, I sent you there. Now go!” I love that man. 

VOL: I gather you launched ‘Help and Hope for the Hill Country,’ what was the inspiration for that?

KRAMER: Well, I looked at the awful situation and thought to myself, "They're going to need a lot of both." I ran it by our local church partner here and they immediately bought in. The vision was and is for a coordinated inter-church response. We are stronger together. We have to work together. If you don't coordinate, you're going to duplicate services and have service gaps. Which is exactly what's happening because the network is slow to come together. We’re still hard at it. Everyone has been frantically helping folks; there's been no time to stop and communicate. We're working on that now. The local churches have been absolutely amazing. They went right to work and haven't stopped. I've never seen anything like it. The Church is being the Church. Salt and light. We just need to get in sync with one another. We’ll get there. Failure is not an option.

VOL:  How does what you saw compare with what you experienced in Katrina?

KRAMER: Very different. In Katrina, Houston -- six hours away -- was probably the closest functional city. Here we have Kerrville, just 30 minutes from Hunt, TX, the epicenter. Kerville was largely fine in terms of flood (but not trauma) damage. So, there was a nearby place to stage relief, house volunteers and responders, etc. That's a huge advantage. Another major difference is that New Orleans sat underwater for three weeks. We couldn't even begin resident look-and-leave visits until maybe late October (Katrina hit end of August). In the Hill Country, responders were able to arrive on-scene almost immediately and get to work. 

VOL:  You coordinated your ministry with a local parish which had lost at least seven parishioners to the flooding, what was your first task?

KRAMER: Being a non-anxious presence and methodically, calmly thinking through what needed to be done in sequence. This isn't my first rodeo. We ran the second largest, longest relief operation for Katrina. We helped settle five million refugees who in 2014 showed up in Northern Iraq within one week. And we helped lead a huge response for the massive Turkey-Syria earthquake. 

Relief isn’t complicated. What do people need? Where can we source it? How do we get it to them? All you have to do is stay calm and solve the puzzle.

I was initially tasked with searching for underserved communities that were not receiving any initial help. I drove all over the flood zone in my way-too-low-to-the-ground little car. Blessedly, first responders and relief teams had it all covered. They were everywhere. Extraordinary. 

VOL: You coordinated with a local fire department for essential supplies, including box cutters, coolers, ice, and even a Polaris—an off-road vehicle that helped firefighters navigate tight spaces to deliver food to families. Who provided the vehicle?

KRAMER: Our church partner here, St. Peter's. They've been absolutely amazing from the very start. Utterly selfless. Unquestionably centered on Jesus. One of the Church’s finest rectors. 

Our family lives in Hunt and attends St. Peter’s; we wanted to get right to our family, friends and the community we love. We were able to race in, secure a launching spot, and head straight to the front lines. There was no plan B.

The Hunt Volunteer Fire Department was the center of the local response. Total chaos. I asked for "the guy in charge” and was directed to John, one of the volunteer firemen. When Stacy and I told him we were just here to help, he looked at us like we were crazy. Granted, among the first people into a crisis are always the nutters. But I assured him, "We know what you're up against. We can help." John asked, "Well, what are we talking about here?" I told him, the sky is the limit. "What do you really need you can't get? What seems impossible?John quickly blurted out, "A side by side. Four-seater with a bed!" 

Stacy and I acted like we knew what he was talking about, quickly Googling "Side by side," and said we'd find one. 

While driving back to Kerrville, now knowing what it was we were looking for, we just so happened to see a Polaris store. We pulled over and in twenty minutes had the side-by-side, four-seater, with a bed. Exactly as requested. I gave the dealer our credit card but Stacy said, "hey, let's try St. Peter's first. The Hunt VFD needs. Polaris. Will you buy it? Unhesitating yes. Stacy and I then drove back to the Hunt VFD to tell the responders the side by side was purchased and coming. Firemen are generally really big, tough guys. They teared up. I’ll never forget that moment.”

VOL: Forgive my ignorance but what value does a box cutter have?

KRAMER: First responders needed to cut through things! You never, ever ask why. You just get the frontlines what they need when they need it. Which is usually yesterday. And I told folks to send ice down until Jesus comes back, but that memo didn't get through. Still screaming for ice daily. This morning, once again, yelling for ice. We need ice until I tell you we don’t.

VOL:  Did you see bodies immediately or did that come later? Were you involved in body searchers? What was the main thrust of your work?

KRAMER: Only first responders and those supporting them were allowed into Hunt. The sheriffs are still checking IDs on the way in from Ingram. Our job was to resource and help take care of the first responders while they searched for the missing. The final week was brutal. Responders worked around the clock in the ever-increasing heat. We helped set up a triage medical clinic, giving dehydrated and exhausted responders IVs and Tetanus and Hep shots for those who went in the water searching. Even our blessed cook needed an IV. These selfless men and women put it all on the line and gave everything they had to find the missing, giving the families some closure. It was an urgent all-out scramble up and down the river. One hundred miles of river road covered in 15' of mud. The first responders here were true heroes. 

VOL: According to news reports, the river rose 26 feet and Christian camps and counties were washed away. Was the devastation very visible? Did you expect to see bodies in mud?

KRAMER:  It was worse than I had envisioned. Looked like the Lower 9th Ward after Katrina. Brought back less than pleasant memories. There were personal items, clothes, etc. and canoes thirty feet up in the trees. There was a Honda CRV thirty feet in the air wedged in tree branches. 

Camp Mystic was the worst-hit area. The damage was catastrophic. The entire landscape had changed. I've been around here for forty years, and it's unrecognizable. There are islands where there didn't used to be, no more islands where they once were, tree lines along the Guadalupe completely gone. It's cognitive dissonance. Your brain can't process what your eyes are seeing. 

I didn’t go out looking for bodies. We’ve worked three genocides and seen enough trauma. During early Iraq days, seeing every day the horror ISIS doled out, Stacy would catch me crying in my sleep at night.

VOL: I gather 135 have died and rescuers are still looking for 60. Is that accurate?

KRAMER: It's hard to get into numbers right now. With the July 4th weekend, folks were camping along the Guadalupe. We'll probably never know the true number of those lost. I know we started the big push week with 130+ confirmed gone and 160 known missing. They haven't given us a clear update yet. 

VOL: You describe yourself as a First Responder. Could you explain what exactly that means and entails?

KRAMER: I'm a Homeland Security Certified First Responder. So, I can enter restricted disaster zones. At our graduation, we were each given a responder kit complete with an axe. My axe, however, was removed out of an abundance of caution. So, I carry a firearm instead. Stacy is unquestionably a better shot.

VOL: Texans are independent minded folk, they don’t much like outsiders, perhaps even FEMA. You describe the response as “organic” what does that mean? Local communities perhaps?

KRAMER:  My biggest takeaway from Katrina was that one can achieve global dominance with shipping containers, port-o-potties and duct tape. 

Localities came together immediately and launched vigorous response work. Mostly through the Volunteer Fire Departments. They knew their communities and went straight to work. First responders and volunteer teams, mostly churches, from around the country rolled in and supported the local efforts. It just all came together very, very quickly. Their response was the most efficient and rapid any of us has ever seen. We had tons of help and volunteers. There was never a day when we didn't have what we needed. Plenty of hands-on deck. No one asked political or denominational affiliation. We were all Americans, most of Jesus’ disciples, in the response.

VOL: Was the response essentially grass roots?

KRAMER: Massively so. This is Texas. No one is waiting for the government or the cavalry to show up. We were our own cavalry until help arrived. Localities pulled together and got right to work. Washington can send help, which is sincerely appreciated, but it's not going to tell us what to do. We’re truly grateful for the help but we’re going to make our own community driven decisions. Help us, please, but don’t boss us. 

VOL: Talk to me about church response versus state response?

KRAMER: Government is, by nature, bulky, inefficient, and slow-moving. Large organizations don't usually respond well either because they can't pivot. Relief is fast-paced and dynamic. I come in every morning and sort of have things figured out by 10am and then it's all changed by noon. We learned something during Katrina from the big, experienced churches. They waited for a bit, let a picture emerge, then came in. And sniffed. They didn't believe anything they were told. They sought out small grassroots boots-on-the-ground operations and then massively resourced them. Help what’s good become even better. Blessedly, we were one such operation. 

One of the academic conclusions from Katrina was that the Church saved New Orleans. While the academy didn't understand the spiritual dynamic, they did acknowledge that churches can marshal resources and helpers without delay or red tape. We can pivot on a dime as needs evolve. And we know our communities. That's vital. 

Now this organic response has been fast paced and highly efficient. But there’s also downside. The downside is that no one knows what is going on across the board. Everyone is in their locality with blinders on. There’s no one looking at the entire playing field. 

Adding to that, there’s no comprehensive list of help or assistance on offer. People don’t know where to find the help and resources available to them. I’ve been yelling about this from the get-go. People are in trauma and sorrow going through a horrible tragedy. We have to make getting help simple for them. Not there yet.

VOL: I know you suffer from PTSD. Were you concerned this might kick in while you were there? Do you think you might need a little mental health care yourself when this is over?

KRAMER: I just acknowledged it would likely happen. And it has to some extent. What can you do? I'm not going to sit on the sidelines. You jump in and you get on with it. When you're in combat, you don't worry or think about anything other than your objective. Just do your job. Bear down. Take the hill. Clear the building. And you fight for the guy next you. That’s what you signed up for.

Yeah, it affects you. I teared up talking about the situation with friends over the weekend. I still can't discuss the actual events of Katrina. I can share the recovery story but I won't talk about the storm itself or the first 72 hours. That chapter is tucked away.

VOL: How fast is the clean up going?

KRAMER: Incredibly fast. Bumble Bee is a small community right outside of Hunt that was completely flooded out. After two weeks, they're where it took us four years to reach in New Orleans. They had all the houses mucked last week and are now drywalling. Allowing localities to lead and responders to respond is incredibly efficient. Normally, relief is followed by recovery, then, after several years, rebuilding. We're seeing all three happen simultaneously here. Unprecedented.

Right now, the biggest need is gift cards from Walmart, Home Depot, Lowes, etc. We learned in Katrina that people in trauma get stuck. They can’t move forward because they can’t make basic decisions. Instead of giving someone a used shirt, give them a gift cards. Then they can decide long sleeve/short sleeve, red or blue. 

We’re buying and distributing cards all we can and this is going to be a long term recovery priority. If you want to help, 100% goes to support survivors: 

https://lovefortheleast.org/texas-flood-relief-insider We’re allergic to overhead. A $50 gift immediate becomes a $50 card for a family in need

VOL: Where was FEMA in all this?

KRAMER: Good question. If you have a personal or business damage/loss claim, you file it with FEMA. That’s their role here. It’s very specific and contained. I’ve long thought we should just put the Baptists in charge of FEMA operations. They’re better at it. 

VOL: How have different churches reacted or related amongst themselves?

KRAMER: The local churches have just been stars. They all jumped right in and found ways to help people in need, help support the bereaved, help resource responders. They opened their hearts and buildings and wallets. Staged relief. Opened relief and recovery centers. We had our first meeting of local churches last week. Everyone was all-in serving the community with great love and effectiveness.  

VOL: How have you dealt with survivorship trauma?

KRAMER: There is definitely “survivor guilt” here along with tremendous sorrow and heart ache. This is a small, tight knit community. Everyone knows someone who perished or is closely related to someone who perished. There’s at most one degree of separation. What we need to keep in mind is that PTSD doesn’t peak until year three. At that point, the media and the big orgs will have moved on and we’ll be long forgotten. It was at the three-year point after Katrina we had 500,000 people with trauma running around New Orleans. I had one street in the parish with five suicides in one week. We need to keep this in mind as we move forward. Some of the hardest days are well ahead of us.

VOL: How many funerals did you conduct?

KRAMER: We’ve just had one so far. A precious 8-year girl of the parish. Much loved by all. 1,200+ attended. It was beautiful and sad and hopeful and awful. More memorials ahead of us. 

VOL:  How has the clergy response been?

KRAMER: Incredible. The local churches and clergy are amazing. Just getting after it in so many vital ways. One of the important things we learned at the start of Katrina response was from the counselors who worked 9-11 at ground zero. The clergy who did really at the outset were carried out in body bags at the two-year mark. We need to make clergy wellness and mental health care a priority. Someone needs to cut the barber’s hair.

VOL: What value did ACNA Bishop Julian Dobbs have being there?  What does a bishop do apart from show up, offer a few prayers and leave? Do bishops get their hands dirty?

KRAMER: Bishop Dobbs rolled in immediately, and his presence was hugely appreciated. He drew national attention to the issue and reassured a broken community that the country would stand with them. Spiritual leadership is incredibly important in a crisis like this. He showed up and delivered. Hats off. 

VOL: How much longer will you stay?

KRAMER: Until we're no longer needed. This is moving along very, very  quickly. Once the pieces are in place, and a non-anxious presence is no longer needed, we can move on. We really need to get back to the Middle East. The Kurds are emotionally needy and require attention. 

VOL: What part does prayer play, and did you see prayers being answered?

KRAMER: “Prayer strikes the winning blow; service is simply picking up the pieces.” — S. D. Gordon. Americans want to keep busy. We’re impatient. We want a silver bullet. We want a website. God wants relationship. Churches here normally reach for prayer when everything else has failed. Prayer should be our first and primary response. I used to think that was “laziness.” If you don’t think prayer is hard work, you don’t know how to pray! 

We always tell new field missionaries that prayer is your first duty. It’s the most important thing we do in the field. It’s the key to reaching the lost. It’s the key to seeing the Kingdom come. This community is devastated. There is so much sorrow and personal loss. We have plenty of stuff. We will rebuild. But we need God’s grace for healing, patience and perseverance. We most of all need and are deeply grateful for your prayers. Remember the Hill Country before the Lord. He is our strength.

VOL: Thank you, Jerry.

If you would like to contribute to this vital ministry click here: https://lovefortheleast.org/texas-flood-relief-insider