Last week, our family had opportunity to travel to Alabama for just a few days & assist in cleaning-up/demolishing a few houses which were affected by the tornado which ripped through the state during the last week of this past April. For each of us, it was an eye-opening experience. The devastation was breath-taking. Within the homes, ordinary objects such as a loaf of bread & mail lay in piles of insulation and drywall. In some cases, the roof was completely gone and furniture was heavily soaked in mold from the rain. Clothing, furniture, tools, and other possessions lay scattered all over the house and lawn. What a strong and impacting reminder that this world will pass away! We cannot hold onto our worldly possessions; the only things which truly matter can be carried within our hearts to heaven’s gates!
One day, we arrived at this home:
By the end of the day, all that remained of the house is the pile above. The men would run Bobcats & tear down the walls while the rest of us raked up debris & sorted through personal items. We put all the garbage & unwanted items by the road for FEMA government workers to pick up. The house (in the background; to the left) is the one we tore down the following day.
By the end of the day, all that remained of the house is the pile above. The men would run Bobcats & tear down the walls while the rest of us raked up debris & sorted through personal items. We put all the garbage & unwanted items by the road for FEMA government workers to pick up. The house (in the background; to the left) is the one we tore down the following day.It was so crazy to see people's everyday belongings in the midst of a crushed house.
One of the days we were there, a news television station came by & interviewed a few of the members of our team. That night, we were on the Alabama news. :) If you are interested, HERE is the link for the news video or you can watch it above. They do a good job displaying how we were able to help clean-up these terror-stricken homes.
p.s. there was one mistake in the video: they called our group Apostolic Christian World Religion, instead of Apostolic Christian World Relief. :)
(in the house below, their couch was "falling out" the back door. It is hard for me to imagine the strength of a tornado like this.)
p.s. there was one mistake in the video: they called our group Apostolic Christian World Religion, instead of Apostolic Christian World Relief. :)
(in the house below, their couch was "falling out" the back door. It is hard for me to imagine the strength of a tornado like this.)
In some places, mold lay in a thick layer.
In the remains of one house, we uncovered hundreds of old soda pop cans.
Our work teams's sleeping(the girls)/eating took place in this room. - :)
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In the remains of one house, we uncovered hundreds of old soda pop cans.
Our work teams's sleeping(the girls)/eating took place in this room. - :)
---One of the very best things about the trip was that we were able to go with some dear friends who lived within a few miles of our home until last year when they made a 600 mile move. So wonderful to see them again & hear about how the Lord has led them & blessed them in their new home & church!
(Several girls who were also helping on the tornado clean-up team that week...)
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It was a quick trip for us, but the impact sunk in slowly. I had a hard time sorting through how to respond to it all. My heart hurt for those who had lost their earthly possessions, & yet some of them seemed to know much more about "letting go" than I ever have. Our family definitely views the effects of a natural disaster, specially tornadoes, in new light now.
Matthew 6:20 & 21
"But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal. (...where the tornado cannot destroy & the mold cannot invade.)
For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."
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(Several girls who were also helping on the tornado clean-up team that week...)---
It was a quick trip for us, but the impact sunk in slowly. I had a hard time sorting through how to respond to it all. My heart hurt for those who had lost their earthly possessions, & yet some of them seemed to know much more about "letting go" than I ever have. Our family definitely views the effects of a natural disaster, specially tornadoes, in new light now.
Matthew 6:20 & 21
"But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal. (...where the tornado cannot destroy & the mold cannot invade.)
For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."
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