September 12 – “Kind of sobering”

I listened to a message on the church answering machine yesterday.  Kind of sobering.  After an unintelligible beginning that I assume might have been a name, it went like this, “we just needed some help with clothes or anything really.  We lost it all in the storm.”  <Long pause>  “But really, no, more than anything, we just need your prayers.  Will you keep us in your prayers?  Thank you, and have a blessed day.”  That was it.  No return phone number.  Just “pray for us.”  Yep.  Kind of sobering.

We headed up to the church to meet with the pastor at First Baptist Church over in Bolivar.  Bolivar has been under a boil water notice, and their school children are even being ferried over to Galveston schools until the notice is lifted.  We loaded his car up with cases of water and some food.    

While we were at the church Chris and I worked on doing some more sorting.  Amber joined us.  We finally gathered together a large batch of clothes and diapers and baby wipes and baby food.  We stuffed it into our car and headed to the Texas City Crisis Pregnancy Center.  They were quite pleased to receive the donation, so thank you to all who pitched in, whether from Atoka or Tushka or Burleson or Galveston. 

Next we made a stop at Sam’s for some supplies the church needed.  Gotta complete the Texas list while off the Island, of course.  We went straight back to the church to unload, and sitting outside the church were ten or twelve bags of donations that someone had dropped off.  We really appreciate the thought and the heart behind the donations.  However, much of it was not really appropriate for people who have been displaced from their homes.  A quick glance as we carried them inside showed that there were some Christmas decorations, kitchen things like a blender and a salad shooter, and several glass jars.  All nice thing, mind you, but just not yet appropriate, and not really what we are set up to receive right now.  We didn’t take the time to go through everything, though.  We’ll head back up later this morning.  I also want to figure out a better way to arrange things so we can move the rest of the cases of water out of the sanctuary.  The ladies Bible study begins tonight, and they need access to the area. 

I received a phone call while we were there.  A friend of Dennis, that pastor in Bolivar, had flooded out and he and his wife needed some pillows and blankets, or anything we could help with.  We’ll get with him later today and try to help them out.

As I said in earlier posts, this thing is not over yet.  I understand Florida really dodged a much worse bullet than things could have been with Hurricane Irma.  I also understand that Hurricane Jose might make a twirly-que turn-around and head back for the Atlantic coast.  It’s not over yet.  Yep, also kind of sobering.

Romans 15:13 says, “Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”

Father, in the midst of all this “sobering,” could you also bring joy and peace?  Thank you.  Amen.