One New Orleans congregation’s search for a new home after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita led them to the town of Burnet.
BURNET, Texas — This Aug. 29 marks a somber milestone: 20 years since Hurricane Katrina made landfall, devastating New Orleans and forever changing countless lives.
Before the storm hit, thousands of residents braced for impact – boarding up homes and preparing to hunker down. But one New Orleans congregation made a different choice. Their decision to leave launched an unexpected journey that carried them to Central Texas – and ultimately to a new home.
For the members of Smoking for Jesus Ministry, faith has always been like a river: swollen with tears from past sorrows, yet rushing forward, overflowing with hope.
A Pastor’s Call to Leave
On August 28, 2005, Pastor Willie Monnet Sr. led about 200 church members out of New Orleans, one day before the levees broke and floodwaters swallowed neighborhoods.
Monnet thought they’d be gone for three days at most. Instead, their journey stretched into weeks. Then, as Hurricane Rita struck just weeks later, the devastation back home made it clear: there was nothing to return to.
“I was joking about staying,” Pastor Monnet recalled. “I’m so glad we didn’t.”
His daughter, Feondra Brown, lost everything when her home flooded.
“If I would have stayed, we probably would have drowned because I had three small kids at the time,” Brown said.
A Modern-Day Exodus
With 40 vehicles in tow, the church became a modern-day caravan, moving from one Texas town to the next.
“I just thought about Moses in the Bible, how he moved around,” Deacon Ralph Woods said. “We were so busy you didn’t have time to be scared.”
Eventually, their journey led them to the Texas Hill Country. In Marble Falls, local residents opened their arms – and their hearts.
Minister June Lemon remembers it clearly: “It really was a blessing how they opened their arms to us.”
A New Home—and New Roots
Members planted roots in Central Texas, even opening the now-popular Real New Orleans Restaurant, which helped support both the church and the community.
Today, Smoking for Jesus Ministry thrives in Burnet, with 56 acres of land housing a sanctuary, school, gym, cafeteria, dorms and rental properties. What began as a flight from disaster grew into a vibrant, permanent community.
Looking Back, Moving Forward
Two decades later, church members are reflecting on what they call their modern-day deliverance story.
“That’s a miracle,” Pastor Monnet said. “And so you can believe in miracles, because God did lead us to this place.”
This Sunday, the congregation will gather for a day of reflection, food and fellowship – commemorating the 20th anniversary of what was lost, and all that was found in the wake of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.