Subscribe to RSS feed for Prayer Page
feed:  http://www.kubik.org/prayer.xml

Visit Prayer Page Home

April 3, 2009

From Herb Teitgen, Moorhead, MN

Thank you so much for your prayers and messages of concern and also encouragement. 

The level of the Red River has dropped form the crest of 40.8 to 35.6 feet. The dikes have held for the most part and a relatively small number of homes were lost or damaged. Our hearts go out to those who experienced loss. No lives have been lost though. 

The 10 inches of snow that fell in the Fargo-Moorhead area earlier this week is slowly melting with temperatures in the 30's during the day and 20's during the night. 

I can drive into my subdivision again through a small opening made by removing a small number of sand bags in the dike. Many roads are being opened to traffic again in the area. But most of the dikes and sandbag levees are being kept in place for now. 

Also, most of us are leaving the items we moved from the basement level to the upper level in our homes in place for now. The National Weather Service is predicting a secondary crest to arrive near the middle to end of April because of the tremendous amount of snow that fell in the last 2 snow events in the large basin that feeds into the Red River. The secondary crest could rise to the 40-41 foot levels again. Please pray that the levels will not rise to damaging levels and that Spring rains will be moderate. 

April 1, 2009

The flood crest of 40.82 this year eclipsed the old 1897 level of 39.9 I believe and the 1997 level of 39.5 feet. Now we are in the midst of the biggest snowfall of the Winter and now Spring season!

The Red River is down to just over 38 feet and falling about a foot a day, so there is hope. 

March 29, 2009

Dear friends,

Thanks you so much for your messages of encouragement and for your prayers and those of the other members you have informed of the challenges of your brethren in the Fargo-Moorhead area.

We received a Sabbath blessing with the Red River level cresting to 40.82 feet and dropping to about 40.42 feet by the end of the day, which saw cold but sunny weather. I believe this was an answer to the prayers of many. Please continue to pray that the dikes will continue to hold for the week or more of slowly declining but unpredictable and still dangerous flood levels.

I spent the Sabbath here at my home and in the subdivision. I checked with my neighbors and several others in the subdivision and it seems that there has been only minor seepage in a few homes from an overloaded sewage system that has been impacted by flood water forcing itself through the holes in the manhole covers. After calling the UCG members here I was encouraged to find that none of them have suffered damage from the flooding yet. I am dry so far as well and the sewer plugs are holding. One senior lady member had to be evacuated from her apartment building surrounded by flood waters and is staying temporarily with another member.

The following article "Fargo gets good news that river may have peaked" at link:
 http://www.usatoday.com/weather/floods/2009-03-28-redriver-northdakota-saturday_N.htm

relates that "The flooding has forced hundreds of residents in the Fargo area from their homes and submerged basements and ground floors in an untold number of houses along the river. Emergency crews in boats had to rescue 120 people from their homes in one community north of Fargo, while about 20% of households in neighboring Moorhead, Minn., have been urged to leave."

One senior couple in the flood stricken community of Oakport had to abandon their home and today the home mysteriously caught fire and was totally destroyed along with their possessions. Our hearts go out to them and the others who have had their homes and possessions damaged by the rampage of the rascally ruffian Red River.

On top of all this, there is yet another snow storm headed our way on Monday! It may be accompanied by high winds which could add an extra challenge and stress to the sand bag dikes.

Herb Teitgen

March 27, 2009 updated from Herb Teitgen

Battle With Rampaging Red River Continues

 As you have probably been following in the national news, we are facing a rising sea formed by the flooding Red River that is threatening a huge disaster in the Fargo, ND and Moorhead, MN communities as well as other nearby cities. The river flows North through the area and through Grand Forks, ND and into Winnipeg, MB and eventually North into Hudson Bay. Most of Grand Forks was under water in the 1997 flood. Since then Grand Forks has raised the level of permanent dikes. The flood waters we are facing in Fargo-Moorhead will rise to a projected crest of 41-42 feet this Saturday (the 1997 level was 39 1/2 feet) and will be an all time record. There is also the possibility of the levels rising to 43 feet. Unfortunately that will rise above many temporary dikes in the area, including the subdivision where my home is located. I and several other members who live in this part of Moorhead have been moving everything we can from the basement to the upper level just in case.

Several neighborhoods have been evacuated already. Many homes in those areas will be flooded. The Fargo MeritCare Hospital evacuated the patients there last night to several hospitals outside the area.

We have experienced a very long, very cold and snowy Winter followed by a sudden melt down accompanied by a heavy rain several weeks ago. We have had significant rain again followed by 6 inches of snow several days ago. The temperatures are dropping into the 20's and lower for the next several days. That is a blessing to keep the recent as well as the remaining snow from melting and also to freeze some of the ponding water from the overland flooding that is moving toward the Red River. I have joined thousands of others in building miles of dikes formed from sand bags piled up. An army of thousands of volunteers from many communities and even other sates have worked around the clock in shifts to keep ahead of the rising Red. There has been tremendous community spirit and sacrifice. I will be marooned in my home this Sabbath and monitoring my sump pump and the rising of the waters along with my neighbors. We need God's miraculous deliverance. Thanks for your petitions for God's merciful intervention.  --Herb Teitgen

Missouri River Ice Dams Causing Flooding in Western ND

The West side of the state of ND has also had its challenges with flooding. The Missouri River that flows through Mandan and Bismarck, ND has had a very thick ice build-up this Winter with the extended period of low temperatures. The recent warmer temperatures have caused the ice to break up and this has led to ice dams and subsequent flooding of some parts of the two cities in then lower areas. Temporary sand bag dikes have been set up there also. The ice was broken up the explosives a few days ago and that has helped the situation. There are no memebers affected that I know of. Please pray for the water to flow without any more ice-damming and flooding. --Herb Teitgen.

March 26, 2009

From Herb Teitgen, Moorhead, MN 

Dear fellow elders, 

I humbly enlist your prayers for God's deliverance from the flooding of the Red River of the North. As you have probably been following in the national news, we are facing a rising sea formed by the flooding Red River that is threatening a huge disaster in the Fargo, ND and Moorhead, MN communities as well as other nearby cities. The river flows North through the area and through Grand Forks, ND and into Winnipeg, MB and eventually North into Hudson Bay. Most of Grand Forks was under water in the 1997 flood. Since then they have raised the level of permanent dikes. The flood waters we are facing will rise to a projected crest of 41 feet this Saturday (one and half feet above the 1997 level) and will be an all time record.

We have experienced a very long, very cold and snowy Winter followed by a sudden melt down accompanied by a heavy rain several weeks ago. We have had rain again with temperatures in the 40's over the last several days followed by 6 inches of snow last night. The temperatures are dropping into the 20's and lower tonight and for the next several days. That is a blessing to keep the recent as well as the remaining snow from melting and also to freeze some of the ponding water from the overland flooding that is moving toward the Red River. I have joined thousands of others in building miles of dikes formed from sand bags piled up. An army of volunteers has worked around the clock in shifts to keep ahead of the rising Red. I will be marooned in my home this Sabbath and monitoring my sump pump and the rising of the waters along with my other neighbors. We need God's miraculous deliverance.

Thanks for your petitions.

Below: as of March 27