HOUSTON – The community of Sienna in Missouri City woke up to a tough morning after Hurricane Beryl hit. Fallen trees, damaged roofs, and scattered debris greeted residents as they emerged from their homes. But despite the devastation, a strong sense of unity and resilience quickly took hold as neighbors began the cleanup together.
This afternoon, KPRC 2′s Randy McIlvoy was on the scene, surveying the damage. The streets were littered with tree limbs, and houses showed signs of the storm’s impact. One striking sight was a massive tree that had crashed onto a house, sparking immediate concern and action from the community.
We spoke with Mike Massaro, a local pastor, who said, “As a pastor, I love helping our community. I love being a blessing to people here. It’s clear our community needs help, and this is an opportunity to show what the gospel is about.”
For Massaro, walking through the damaged areas brought back memories of Hurricane Katrina, which he experienced in New Orleans in 2005. “Seeing all this stuff just brings back a lot of memories. Being through Katrina, seeing all this again brings back some of those memories. But it also shows that there are people here who need help. We need many hands and feet to get out into the community.”
Massaro emphasized the importance of community involvement during crises. “The greatest thing I learned is to jump in and help. Everybody can help in some way, whether it’s picking up a little debris or offering a glass of cold water. Just doing something practical to help people.”
As our conversation ended, he went back to work, embodying the spirit of resilience and community that is helping Missouri City recover.