Joplin Continues to Tug at my Heart

The tears stream as I write this post. I can't get Joplin, MO and it's people off my mind, and I am currently working on the details to make another trip there this weekend.

I can't tell you how incredible it is to have been a part of what God is doing in the aftermath of the tornado there.  I feel such a bond with the people that live there, and with those that don't, but still come out to help the ones that do.

The needs are changing daily, but the needs are great as you can imagine. The Forest Park Baptist Church has converted what was their "Bus Barn" into what they have now dubbed "Mission Joplin". They are still asking that people hold off on giving clothing at this time as they don't have the warehouse space. 

The items that are currently at the top of the list are:

Diapers
Toiletries
Ladies Feminine Products

Denture Cleanser

Denture Adhesive

Laundry Soap

Queen and King size sheets

Tents, cots & air mattresses

Dishes, pots and pans

Bug Spray

Towels

Cleaning Supplies

I will be dedicating my Check-In piece of luggage to bringing donated supplies.  I know that the notice is short, but if you have an interest in giving and/or purchasing some of the above items, and can get them to me by Thursday afternoon, I will be glad to bring them down for you.  Of course, limiting it to the smaller, lighter weight items will allow me to bring more and not exceed the luggage weight limits.

You can also order items online and have them shipped directly to the church if you so desire.

They are at:

	725 S Highview Ave, Joplin, MO 64801

Here is a taste of 'heart and soul' of the people who were affected as written by Steve Mertens from Forest Park:

My people will live in peaceful dwelling places, in secure homes, in undisturbed places of rest…How blessed you will be. -Isaiah 32:18, 20

"Besides Heaven that God has prepared for His children, Isaiah is speaking here of a spiritual place that lies in the Christian’s heart, mind, and soul which comes from a confident strength in the relationship we have with Him.

These past two weeks I have noticed many people who have lost everything in the tornado, including their homes, have such a resolve and peace about them in spite of their surroundings. They meet needs of their neighbors, help clean debris, and are the first to volunteer to help people they have never met. That’s because they live in a “peaceful dwelling place” and an “undisturbed place of rest” that does not rely on a physical structure, but on a life that is constructed by a foundation of walking with Jesus every day; relying on Him to bring security in their lives. To these people, a home is not a physical place. It is an attitude of the heart and soul that accompanies them wherever they are and encourages all those with whom they come into contact."



Joplin, MO Disaster Relief - Day 3

The Newspapers and Television reports can't begin to describe the devastation in Joplin.  You have to walk it, see it, smell it and try to imagine what life in this community looked like before the storm.  You have to wonder where these people will live, what they will drive and where they will work.  Where will next year's graduating class from Joplin High go to school?  You quickly begin to measure the disaster in so many other ways.

But, my purpose in blogging about this experience is not to give the sensational heart-breaker stories, but the "God stories" and the stories of hope and a future.

We arrived just in time to be teamed up with "Team 12" who was going out to take care of tree and debris removal.  There were 1/2 dozen work orders that we set out to take care of, yet found that most of them were already taken care of by random volunteers.  This was becoming commonplace around Joplin, as people continued to pour in from other states and communities to help.  Volunteers came out of nowhere. Others drove the streets handing out water and food. You'd see T-shirts and license plates from all over, from all kinds of organizations.

Our first 'real' job this morning was to help a lady, whose house was not totally destroyed (although severely damaged), to pack up while the guys tarped the roof and shed. 

Her front window blew into the living room and the only power source came from a generator on the front porch, but the mood was good and the blessings recognized. 

 

 It was soon decided that things were under control at this home and 1/2 of the team was then taken to the next stop which was at the home of a middle-aged couple who survived the tornado with their Grandson and dog huddled in the crawl space under the kitchen. Amazingly, this was the only part of the house that was left!  We got to work hauling debris to the street because FEMA would haul everything from the curbs away for free, but anything left on the properties after that, would be hauled at the cost to the homeowner.

The crawl space of this home was just to the left of the steps

 The couple here was fortunate enough not only to survive, but to also have insurance.  They haven't decided if they will rebuild, or what they will do yet.  They are taking one day at a time.  The team will come back after lunch to finish the job and pray with them.

Story after story of survival and hope were emerging from the rubble on a daily, maybe even hourly, basis.  The volunteers seemed tireless and eager to get back out after their meal breaks back at the church.  We were quickly becoming a family, and bonds were formed quickly with almost everyone you talked to.

This was the church in action.  The church was "being the church", and it was wonderful!  I didn't even want to think about having to go home, but our time was up and we said our 'good-byes'.

This is what I am called to do!  This is what life is really about - people, sharing the love of God, the gospel, and eternity.