SPRINGFIELD, MISSOURI (ANS) -- Relief organization Convoy of Hope was already in Texas when a 500-mile wide Category 2 Hurricane Ike pounded it and Louisiana late Friday night and early Saturday morning with 110-mile an hour winds and massive rainfall.

Anticipating the destruction and resulting need, Convoy of Hope's U.S. Disaster Response team was pre-staged in Austin, Texas and rolled further east as Ike was downgraded to a Tropical Storm Saturday afternoon.

Convoy of Hope (COH) is currently working in collaboration with the Texas State Operations Center to establish its first Point of Distribution in the Port Arthur area.

"Our relief teams are rushing truckloads of food, water and ice to desperate people right now. This relief and recovery effort will take many weeks," said Convoy of Hope's President, Hal Donaldson.

"This is a time for Americans to come together, to reach out to people who have lost everything they own. Every dollar is critical. Millions of pounds of supplies are needed to help people get through this disaster."

President Bush has declared 29 Texas counties major disaster areas. The State continues to conduct search and rescue as well as assessment efforts throughout the affected areas. With extensive debris and impassible roads, efforts are slow going though officials are eager to provide urgent help.

More than three million homes remain without power (in addition to those still powerless following Hurricane Gustav), and it is not expected be restored to all areas for several weeks.

Convoy of Hope provided 47 semi-truck loads of relief supplies to date. That is approximately 1,880,000 lbs. to victims in Cuba, Haiti, Jamaica and the United States. More than $1 million of aid was provided to the Gulf Coast following Hurricane Gustav.

COH is seeking donations to support the disaster response.

A $25 gift will provide $175 worth of water and ice to a family. Your $100 gift can provide $700 of desperately needed supplies. A $500 gift will multiply into $3,500 of food, water, and ice.

Those wishing to help COH provide disaster relief should call 417/823-8998 or visit www.convoyofhope.org for more information.

** Michael Ireland, Chief Correspondent of ANS, is an international British freelance journalist who was formerly a reporter with a London newspaper and has been a frequent contributor to UCB Europe, a British Christian radio station. Michael's involvement with ASSIST News Service is a sponsored ministry department -- Michael Ireland Media Missionary (MIMM) -- of A.C.T. International at: Artists in Christian Testimony (A.C.T.) International.