Sept 1, 2005 10:33 AM
Response from Vana:
Mary Queen of VN Church 5069 Willowbrook Drive, New Orleans, LA 70129

There are still approximately over 300 Vietnamese people stranded in sewage water up to the necks in many areas gathered at the Church. We've contacted USCG, Red Cross, news media but no help has come out to their way yet. As you all know, Versailles is so far on the eastern edge of New Orleans that by the time any helicopters come that way, they're already filled with people and have to turn back towards the Superdome to drop people off. (I think this is the case but not sure)

We have been in touch with some of the people there thru one phone (a land line in a residential home near the small church) for the past two days but no help still. The people have been taking turns to keep telephone watch to hear news. We managed to patch thru NBC via 3-way calling around 3pm today but still no help.

The water is still rising in that area. The levees east (Lake Pontchartrain) and south (Chalmette) of Versailles are the ones that have been breached. Many of the people are growing weak and sick from lack of food and water plus the heat. Some of them feel like they probably won't make it for the next day. Please people!!! do what you can to get these people to save land.

Sept 1, 2005 11:33 AM
NCVA forwarded news of the Vietnamese Americans who are stranded at the Church to our network for action.

Sept 1, 2005 11:44 AM
Response from Trang:
My number is (817) 800-0416. I just heard that an 18wheeler came and took half of the folks somewhere hopefully they will come back and get the rest. But they all agreed to meet in Houston at Duc Me LaVang Church. I will confirm this and post more information as I get them. Please pray even if you haven't for awhile, Pray. That's the only thing that's going to help us now.

You might want to visit www.AsianNola.com. This is for the community down there. They are in touch with lots of stranded folks via text msg or the scarce lan lines that still work.

Sept 1, 2005 12:11 PM
Response from Christine:
I forwarded this to USCCB folks..and Cath Charities USA folks...who are on the ground helping...

Sept 1, 2005 2:03 PM
Response from Vuong:
The church is down the street from my house. I heard that they had picked up them already or in the process of doing so.

Sept 1, 2005 2:52 PM
Response from Uyen:
I contacted DHS and they are forwarding the info to the LA's governor's office & the rescue operations center there.

Sept 1, 2005 4:24 PM
Response from Trang:
A second truck just came and picked up another group of people... there is approximately 200 people left but at least now they have food, water and most of all, HOPE. The land line number that we are using to contact is (504) 254-2407. For some reason, only cell phones with the (504) area code could call into this number. Anyway, they are taking shifts watching the phone because it's their only source of information since the hurricane... the phone is located in somebody's residential home while everyone else is waiting at the corner of Alcee Fortier & Chef Menteur zip code: 70129. They were led by boats last night from the Church on Willowbrook to Chef Menteur (even without looking at a topography map I'm pretty sure the reason was to get them to higher grounds). A few disable people (one couldn't be moved from the bed) stayed at the Church with another priest. I tried calling Ms. Feeney but couldn't get thru but I will keep trying until I know for sure, they are safe in Texas.

Sept 1, 2005 5:04 PM
Response from Trang:
it's raining now and the second trip that left with the people were threatened by some of the african americans in the area with guns. they're trying to save everyone, doesn't matter what the color of the skin is... the vietnamese left are afraid of those with guns. gosh, how can we assure them that violence is unnecessary and that everyone will get out? why can't we just pull together? no one will be left behind if we could help it...

Sept 1, 2005 6:09 PM
Response from Anna:
We've checked with Homeland Security. Here is the best number to reach the Louisiana search and rescue people, 225-925-7701. I've called and it works, but you do have to stay online to get assistance. The other contact number we got was the Coast Guard, 1-800-323-7233. If I get more direct assistance, I will pass that on to you.

Sept 1, 2005 6:27 PM
Forwarded message:
Thanks. Mom and brother's family are fine, safe, and comfortable. However, Mary Queen of VN church is another issue - my older is the pastor of that parish. Tuesday night, I was able to get through to FairFax Search and Rescue - who then contacted the Coast Guard - to come rescue them. Yesterday around 4:00 PM, Coast Guard came - but so many people showed up (around 200, when I had originally told them they had 100 people there). Anyway, they did not have the space to accommodate all - especially since they had a very sick woman with medical equipments with her (I did not know about her condition before). So they took everyone - except for my brother and the sick woman and her family. Coast Guard said they'd come back in a few days for them. So we're still waiting.

However, the people who were picked up were dropped off at a dry location (on a highway), but they were there all night without food and water. I also heard that there were some people who had other medical needs - so my brother is very distressed about them. So in a way, they may be worst off than they might be - if they continued to stay at the church. Hopefully, these people have been picked up by now???

As for the future of these people - they will be taken to the Astro dome eventually, and we were able to contact Vietnamese Catholic church in Houston to help this group.

Sept 1, 2005 8:00 PM
NCVA received phone call and latest information forwarded for action.

Sept 1, 2005 8:23 PM
Message from Tom:
Taken care of - I talked to the appropriate FEMA folks and they are sending folks right out (not sure how quick they'll get there).

Sept 1, 2005 10:00 PM
Response from Trang:
2 more trucks came and picked up the majority of those remaining... details from now on will be sketchy until we hear from our crowd when they get to texas (maybe?) only a few more people are still waiting for help... last load i hope. not sure of the ones who didn't make it thru the hurricane but everyone that did, is at least accounted for. I have also posted updates on asiannola.com.

Sept 2, 2005 5:30 PM
News from Trang:
The last stranded Vietnamese Americans, including the priest and the elderly woman with an oxygen tank, were safely moved from the Church late this afternoon.

News article: http://news.ncmonline.com/news/view_article.html?article_id=52bda9eb48677e05a945d227365e6b22

[Posted 9/2/05]