Journaling-TORNADO!

Our church was able to respond first hand to the tornado and its destruction this past weekend. Some of our members, including two of our Pastor's families live on one of the streets that was hard hit. Thankful that everyone was okay! Below I also included an email that Justin wrote to folks in his national office in OR...he sums it all up!

Crushed

The many folks that worked tirelessly all day doing what clean up they could!

one of the hardest hit houses

100+ year old oak uprooted...missing the house, but crushing the deck

our church delivering lunches to workers and neighbors with out power
...sharing the Love of Christ...

Friends,

If there’s one joke that I hear most often when I mention that I grew up in KS it’s, “well, you’re not in Kansas anymore.” As many of you know, this past weekend we got a little taste of KS as an historic outbreak of tornadoes ripped-across central and eastern NC. As of this morning there were 62 confirmed tornadoes (many of them were more than likely the same funnel simply descending and then receding back into the storm, only to emerge for more destruction), and a couple of dozen folks (most of them children) who lost their lives. The tornado that came through Raleigh went about 2 miles east of our house and so we merely experienced torrential rain and strong straight-line winds, but nothing more. We did take cover and I think everyone was a bit scared, but all in all we faired quite well. This might be terrible to say, but I was actually a little excited as the storms were coming through…I guess I miss KS more than I thought. Anyway, just because our neighborhood wasn’t impacted we are ever mindful that our community was…

In all of this God is making much of Himself in Raleigh and surrounding area. Our family had the privilege of serving alongside about 60 others from our church who live downtown (one of the hardest hit areas) and had so many opportunities to give of ourselves to the people most affected. To be certain many of the things that need to be done will take skilled labor and much larger equipment than the average weekend warrior has, but there are still plenty of needs to be met and plenty of opportunities to share the love of Christ with our community. So we’re hoping to go back down this afternoon!

Two fun stories from yesterday…

After cutting up a large pear tree that had fallen in a black elderly man’s side yard he came over and asked who we were with and why we were helping. After sharing a couple of things in response to his questions he responded to me (pointing to chainsaw running at my feet), “now, I like the sound of that sermon.” It was priceless. One other fun part to this story, one of his grandsons was helping us with the tree, and in keeping with some of the things are shared in When Helping Hurts, my buddy and I that were working together asked him to come along with us…and he did. In fact, we picked up a steady stream of folks along the way and ended up with quite a crew. It was great to invite them to join us in giving back to their neighbors, some of whom they’ve never met before.

The story that has impacted my life in a very deep way, was one of the gifts that decided to join our convoy of hope and help. Her name is Iris. Iris is the 91 year old elderly black woman and who just showed in one of backyards that we we’re working in and decided to jump right in. When I saw her, purse in hand J I immediately went over and told her to please let us do it for her, it would be our privilege. Well, that didn’t work. She insisted that she wanted to help and do her part. As the story unfolded over the next hour, I found out that she didn’t even live in the area. She drove to downtown Raleigh, saw us working, and joined us. I asked her her story after we finished the house and she shared with me about her upbringing and how she grew up on a farm and on the farm everyone had to do their part…and this was hers. Well, not only did she decide to join us for that yard, but she decided to join us for the next one as well. All I can say is that I was humbled and amazed by God’s work in her life and compelled by the way she gave. My comment to Gi when I got home late last night was, “I can’t help but think how proud God was of one of His daughter’s today.” Way to go Iris, I can’t wait to work together again soon!

My one thought after an exhausting day of work is, it’s truly more blessed to give than to receive.

All that said, I would invite you to pray for the hundreds of families that have experienced loss over the past couple of days, and for the efforts of the local believing community to love our neighbors well. There are quite a few local churches, and some local non-profits responding, including Samaritan’s purse. In fact, I was proud of their e-blast that went out earlier today with the headline Volunteer’s Needed…not, we Money Needed! I’m so excited that they’re coordinating efforts to mobilize volunteers in our local communities to join in the relief. It’s an SPP response to a real disaster, that normal people can do, that’s great!

So the conditions were perfect on Saturday for a storm. But there were actually two storms that happened. One that certainly did great destruction and harm. But another that’s working to collaborate with God’s redemptive purposes to see great good come out of what was intended for evil – a storm of response, a storm of love, a storm of hope.

Justin

those aren't bushes lining the street, but PILES of limbs and small trees!

ironic....beautiful roses with dangerous electrical wire intermingled

that 100 year old oak...they probably need a crane to move the rest!

oh WOW...yes that is my superman husband! Love HIM!

snapped power transformers

If you look closely you can see another huge tree gone....