I spent the last week in Joplin, MO volunteering with Samaritan's Purse Disaster Response Team. I did this because 1.) I couldn't stop the tears every time I saw photos or reports of the devastation from the F5, 200mph tornado that damaged or destroyed over 7,000 homes & businesses, killed over 140 people and left almost 1/3 of Joplin in ruins on May 22 and 2.) Samaritan's Purse is one of the most highly respected and well run christian ministries (started & run by Franklin Graham) that we've supported for many years. When I heard their plea for volunteers on the radio, I just couldn't ignore it.
(Businesses along Rangeline Rd)
So I, along with my daughter and her friend, packed our bags in the car and headed north to see how we could help. The news reports and online photos did nothing to prepare us for what we encountered when we exited the highway and drove down Rangline Rd into the "war" zone. I call it that because as far as the eye could see, it truly looked like this part of town had been bombed...repeatedly. It broke our hearts to see for our own eyes what the news reports as the single deadliest tornado in record keeping history. Knowing many victims had been in those miles and miles of rubble that were once homes and businesses and hundreds of flipped and smashed vehicles was very overwhelmingly heartbreaking.
(a former neighborhood - this landscape went on for miles - the twister left a path of destruction
almost a mile wide and over 12 miles long.)
We spent the week helping homeowners find any valuable items from the rubble we could and clearing debris and down trees from homes that were still livable...but the most valuable thing we where able to do is to love on them...talking to them, praying for them, hugging them and letting them know that God loves them and so do many, many people across the country.
(Our team)
(at a job site)
(Other job sites)
(Taking a lunch break-free food was provided by churches &
relief organizations to victims & relief workers.)
The reason I'm sharing this is to ask you to please remember them in your prayers and if possible please volunteer or give to organizations like
samaritanspurse.org , Operation Blessing at
ob.org or the Red Cross who have all also provided help for the Alabama & North Carolina tornado victims & are still in Joplin...and will probably be for quite awhile...it surely will take years to rise from these ashes...but
with God all things are possible.
(A few of the relief organizations helping in Joplin.)
As with every blessing we try to give away, we receive back many more blessings in return...the most significant one I received was a renewed gratitude and reminder of the most important thing in life...the value of family, friends and the sanctity & brevity of human life.
and
God Bless You & Keep You Always.
