LAKE CHARLES, La. — We've now passed the one month mark since Hurricane Laura left a path of destruction across Southwest Louisiana.
Tyler Johnson who lives in Moss Bluff, is helping to fix up the home of strangers in need of help.
"Stripping off the trim, sheet rock, insulation," Johnson said.
Johnson is a history teacher at SOWELA Technical Community College.
"My building, Arts and Humanities, lost the roof and wrecked a bunch of our classrooms," he said.
Johnson still considers himself one of the lucky ones, with minimal damage to his home.
"I almost feel guilty. Why did our house survive and so many other people like my church or coworkers lost things? Best thing I could come up with is the Lord sent me back here and gave me a safe place so I could go out and love others and help out," he said.
Johnson is working on Leonard Withrow's home with a group of volunteers through Samaritan's Purse, a disaster relief group that offers chainsaw work, roof tarping, and debris cleanup for free. They've received more than 1,600 work requests and completed 106. Samaritan's Purse is asking for more volunteers to step up and help. They are committed to filling all the requests.
"It's been catastrophic, the roof's gone, lost a lot of furniture," Withrow said with his girlfriend by his side. "Look at us, we're two tiny people. How would we manage? So they have really been angels in orange shirts."
They are committed to paying it forward and plan to volunteer to help.
"Absolutely. We have to pay this forward, how could we not pay this forward," Withrow said.
You do not need any experience to volunteer with Samaritan's Purse. Many church groups, school groups, work groups, and even individuals volunteer. To sign up, call 337-930-2693 or visit the website by clicking HERE.