Joplin, MO Disaster Relief - Day 2

Orientation for new volunteers with Samaritan's Purse would not begin until 1pm, so we were invited and encouraged to come early and join Forest Park Baptist Church for their worship service.  We arrived to a packed house that had almost standing room only.  We took a seat on the back wall and listened as the Pastor delivered a very simple, somber and basic message that at the same time was powerfully anointed.  Here is a link to that message:  http://joplin.fpbc.net/media/media_sermon_watch/the_heart_of_god?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=facebook

After service, we found out that the response for volunteers with Samaritan's Purse was so great that it would be a good idea to get our paperwork turned in by noon so we could make Orientation. (They were expecting about 200 volunteers on Saturday, but the number exceeded 800), 

Once we were teamed up with a group, where Stephan led us in prayer, we set out to the site where we were encouraged to just love on people, and offer them whatever help they needed.


(To the left is Pastor John with Franklin Graham)

When we reached 'Ground Zero', we found it hard to wrap our minds around what we were seeing.  For blocks, and in some places - miles, everything was totally leveled.  Everything was mowed down.  Houses, trees, cars - everything!  It looked like a bomb had gone off.

The first family that we met, who's rental house was almost totally gone, told us that the 5 of them, along with 3 kids from the neighborhood who were visiting, and 4 dogs all survived huddled in the bathroom.  They had pretty much scoured the area for the last week looking for salvageable and sentimental items, and we resolved to letting the rest go.  They would be staying with family locally, but would need a place to live.  A Pastor who was with us told them he had heard that the local radio station was giving out info on homes that were being donated or made available to families.  They welcomed our prayers and thanked us for the offer to help.

The next home we stopped at already had a team working that had been given permission to help out, so we joined them to go through the last of the rubble for precious keepsakes.  The home was owned by an 87 yr. old man who had been there around 57 yrs.  His daughter was over the day of the storm and he had just enough time to throw her against an inside wall and try to shelter her before it hit and took nearly 1/2 of their home (the 2nd story was totally gone).  They both survived with only minor scrapes and cuts.  As he sat on his front porch which was still standing with the volunteers, he recounted the memories of life there, and was thankful to God for his life and family.  Occasionally, a volunteer would find a picture or a piece of memorabilia and bring it to him which brought a brief smile.  I was surprised to find a page torn out of a coloring book of Snow White that was in perfect condition and colored by his Great-Granddaughter Allie.  It said, "I love you Grampa" on the bottom.  I think this may have meant more to him than the thousands of dollars worth of Baseball Card Collections, and other collectibles that he spent his entire life compiling.  We later heard that a baseball autographed by Babe Ruth was found several blocks away and brought to him.

This is now an 'outdoor' bathroom!

The last home we stopped at was owned by a lady named Josephine.  A group of young people, who joined SP after working with Convoy of Hope earlier in the week, were already hard at work moving what was left of Josephine's furniture and belongings out to some pickups that would later haul it a few blocks over to a home that she and her husband recently purchased to fix up and rent out.  Josephine was pretty feisty and was schooling our young men on church and prayer!

As we would walk the neighborhoods, and offering help, their were groups of volunteers and organizations who would drive around offering cold water and hot meals to the homeowners and volunteers.  At one point, the Red Cross came through and gave us a meal.
It was amazing to see so many who were willing to come and bring the skills and talents, whatever they may be. We saw one man offering to fix flat tires for free in the parking lot of a Dillon's that was totaled.  He had the equipment on a trailer to take the tires off the rims and repair them.  One family was there with their van that had the windows blown out, but were getting a tire fixed.  Another man was going around and sharpening chain saw blades.  The list goes on and on of "Good Samaritan's".  What a blessing to see and be a part of this!

Joplin, MO Disaster Relief - May 28, 2011 - Day 1

I am totally amazed at how God provided for every aspect of this trip - down to even the minutest of details!  

Let me back up. On Sunday, May 22, 2011 around 5:30 p.m. a multi-vortex tornado (now verified as an EF5) made a "direct hit" near 13th and Rangeline Road (a densely populated neighborhood and major thoroughfare) where several buildings - including a Walmart and St. John's Hospital - were toppled to the ground or totaled. The tornado was approximately 1 mile wide, and it tore a path 13 miles long, leveling almost everything in it's path and causing severe to moderate damage to the areas directly on either side.

On Monday, while I was at work, it was so heavy on my heart, that I wanted to go down there and help in whatever way I could.  I immediately felt in my spirit that God was telling me, "You CAN go. There is no reason not to." The thought of it took my breath for a minute, but as I started to consider the possibility of changing a few plans, and cashing in that 'Vacation Fund' from the piggy bank, I started to get excited. At that moment, I made the decision to go, and believed that if God was in it, He would take care of the details.  That first step opened up a floodgate of blessing and provision that was beyond what I could even ask or think. I began to search the Internet for a group to hook up with, and found that the Samaritan's Purse Disaster Relief Team would be there and they were looking for volunteers.  That was as far as I had to look, and within minutes most of the connections and details were taken care of.  I even put the word out, and dared to ask some friends and family to help fill my back seat with supplies and goods for the tornado victims.  They not only filled my car, but all the funds to pay for gas, meals, and even some lodging were taken care of.  I was also looking for a travel companion, which came through just the night before I was ready to leave.  Not only that, but a last minute text by my Daughter-in-law to a friend of hers in Springfield, gave us a place to stay while we were there!  After all of this happened, I recalled a quote from Leonard Ravenhill who said, "If God be your partner, make your plans large!"  (I'm sure going to remember that for next time!)  
Shari and I left around 6pm on Friday, May 27th; stopped for about 5 hrs. of sleep, then arrived in Joplin, MO around 4pm on Saturday.  We pulled up at the Forest Park Baptist Church which had quickly become a Headquarters for several Volunteer groups including Samaritan's Purse.  They directed us to their property across the street where we could empty the car of all the donations, then park and go to work with them in their bus garage which was converted into a Drop-off Site/Store, where the victims could come and shop "free" for all the goods and supplies that they needed. 

 

It was like a beehive where all the workers were simultaneously unpacking boxes, filling shelves and helping people to "shop" all at the same time!  

 It was so wonderful and amazing to see people from all over the country and community coming together to do anything and everything they could to help!