Congregation Swamped by Water, Worry

"Most of the adults who were homeless were working but simply could not afford to live here," church member Jerry Ruel said. Rising Hope, he added, "is a special place for them."

On Wednesdays and Thursdays, more than 350 other homeless adults and children crowd the church to get a free meal and a bag of groceries. An additional 250 come for free clothes and blankets. Some show up on other days just to chitchat with church volunteers.

Mary Baker, who leads the women's group at the church and cooks food for the homeless, said the flooding has been distressing for many of the homeless families.

"When I saw [the flooding], I just started praying, 'Oh Lord, oh Lord,' " she said. "But it's rough, too, for people who come here for the clothes and food and all of their kids."

Fairfax County Supervisor Gerald W. Hyland (D-Mount Vernon) said Rising Hope is a key support for poor families who live in southern Fairfax County. And he was confident that the Mount Vernon community would rally to the church's side.

Hyland said that Kincannon "has been at the forefront of representing people who don't have housing, and is doing his best through his church reaching out to help them with whatever human services he can."

For his part, Kincannon said the flooding dampened the joy of finally having a building for his ministry. But he said he takes the good with the bad in ministry and puts his trust in God.

"Whoever is responsible, it's left us in a mess," he said.

"If the insurance doesn't cover this, we'll be left with the bill. . . . But I just have to trust and believe that God hasn't brought us this far to have everything fall apart."