How
about a quick look at boots on the ground today? Reports are trickling in. Here are a few of the stories of what we have
been experiencing as the Church being the Church lately.
When
we were unloading supplies from, well somewhere, we noticed that someone sent
adult diapers. Several of us wondered
why in the world someone would have thought to donate something like that. We found a spot for them and continued with
the formidable task at hand. Now fast
forward a bit. Chris and I were out
making some deliveries to people working on their homes. Yes, the destruction was immense. We saw literal mountains of trash that had
once been sheetrock and carpet and furniture and that beloved quilt from Great
Aunt Sue and the precious knick-knack that had represented a boatload of
memories from that one special trip of a lifetime. Cautiously we made our way down streets
crowded with vehicles. Some ruined from
flood waters, many others the transportation of countless volunteers in the
field helping. We made our way to the
home of a young Mom who grew up at Seaside to check on her and see what she
might need. She insisted she was
fine. It’s kind of a Texas thing, you
know. We are … fine. In the presence of the greatest destruction
many of us have never imagined, we are … fine.
But we pressed her a bit. “No,
really what do you need?” And the first
thing that came to her mind? “Do you by
any chance have access to any adult diapers?
The 80 year old lady who lives next door confided to me that she had a
few boxes and lost them all.” Well,
there you go. Whoever donated those
diapers … thank you for listening to the Lord who knew they would be
needed. We gave the young Mom some money
and some hugs and moved on.
One of
our church members made a horrifying discovery.
He lives in Galveston, so he assumed he had escaped the storm. Until he realized that unbeknownst to him,
water had infiltrated through his window, into the wall behind his bed and into
his closet. By the time he found it,
mold was already beginning to form. His
wife was out of town helping her mother replace a refrigerator that had gone
out. He has been unable to get into work
because of impassable streets. Suddenly
it occurred to him that he was one of the displaced. He had no access to money until the end of
the week and had to find someplace to move in a hurry. We were able to cover what he needed
money-wise, and he found some items from the donations that met some immediate
needs.
Chris
and I went to the church thinking we would pick up some supplies and make our
way into Dickinson. Chris had washed
some clothes for one of the folks up there, and I wanted to check on one of the
fire fighters who has two small children.
Our little five or ten minute stop stretched into more like three hours. We ended up staying to greet a family who
came in to “shop.” They were
Galvestonians, but their children who live in Beaumont were on their way,
evacuating to Grandma and Grandpa’s house.
They were trying to figure out what kinds of things they would
need. Chris and our other volunteers did
a great job of speaking calmly and encouragingly to them, assuring them that
they could take some things today and then return later for other things once
the family arrived and they could assess their situation. And while we were there I got a text from one
of the fire fighters. He had been in
Fort Worth during the storm and was returning with his jeep loaded with
supplies. Wondered if there was a place
he could take them to donate. I assured
him we would wait for him.
We finally
managed to get on the road after a stop at WalMart to buy some fans and mosquito
spray. I think we had a bite to eat as
well. I’m not sure about that. We dropped off the laundry and the diapers
and then made a stop at that fire fighter’s house. They were very grateful for the diapers and the
two tiny little stuffed dalmations that I found in the donation pile. We gave them some money as well for
incidentals that may come up.
Please
keep the reports of ministry coming in.
They serve to encourage the folks who made donations of money and
supplies and prayers. I already have
some more written up, but I’ll save some for next time.
Isaiah
43:2 says, “When you go through deep
waters, I will be with you.” Yes,
indeed.
Father,
thank you again for the Church being the Church the way you intended. Amen.
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