Who would have thought as we were celebrating Easter on April 24th, on a beautiful sunny day, that just 3 days later our city and surrounding areas would be turned upside down, literally. As we huddled in the basement, we had no idea what torment was raining down just 2 miles away. The power was out, cable and Internet were down, cell phone coverage was sketchy at best. And then we began to get pieces of information. I sent my husband out to our house in The Downs that we bought about 8 months ago, to bring back to life and sell (it's what we like to do). I was able to see on Facebook that a tree had fallen on a friends house in The Downs, so I knew it had been hit somewhat. No words or pictures can describe the devastation. Oh I'm sure you have seen them and read them and poured over them like the rest of us, but seeing it firsthand, just brings tears to your eyes and makes you just say, "Why"? "How can this happen?" "What are we going to do now?"
Well, I'll tell you what our great state is doing. People are coming together, working together, loving each other - not just loving families and friends and those that are easy to love - people are helping strangers and those with nothing and those with much who are now BROKEN. A gentleman in our church gave a testimony yesterday. Samaritan's Purse is headquartered at our church, First Baptist Tuscaloosa, and they send teams out everyday at 8:00 and 1:00 (1:00 on Sundays) to help people, in any and everyway they need it. This man has been volunteering with Samaritan's Purse this week, along with 3300 others of us!!!! He is a structural engineer and he was hoping to see some roofs and analyze and build some roofs and houses. Little did he know that God had greater plans for him. People have noticed what we're doing. Walking through neighborhoods, doing whatever needs to be done. This man sat and listened and prayed and talked and listened some more. His quote, "Brokeness brings Openess". He picked up some limbs here and there, but what many people need is an ear, a loving word, a hug. Yes there are many physical needs, and those are being met, believe me. But there are also many spiritual and emotional needs as well. As this man was leaving a house (or rubble) a power company man from Detroit, Michigan was sitting in his big bucket truck and he motioned for this man to come to him. He called him to come sit in his truck. He began to point to his bright orange shirt and ask him, "what are you doing? What's this all about?" He had seen all these bright orange (and now Crimson, Yay) shirts walking around with smiles on their faces, helping people in many ways, day in and day out. He told the man, I want what you've got. He had just gotten off the phone with his wife in Detroit and told her when he gets back he's putting their house on the market and they're moving down here. He wants what we have. POWERFUL. TESTIMONY. GOD'S LOVE. THE HANDS AND FEET OF CHRIST. God CAN work all things out for good for those who love Him. God CAN turn ashes to beauty. He's doing it - He's working in our city. We CAN Praise Him in the storm.
The following are pictures my husband took from our house in The Downs (we do not live in this house). They are the only personal shots we have so far of this storm, when we have gone out, we have not had camera in hand.
Right behind this house to the left is the Rosedale Housing that was completely devastated. From what I can tell, this was just east of where the tornado really began causing mass destruction, it was not completely on the ground at this point and we got the north edge of the mile wide span.
About 1/2 mile east of here is where Henderson's school stood and the surrounding neighborhood that was leveled. It's so sad to see. We lost about 5 huge trees in the backyard, but they only clipped the house and took the back roof off and broke some windows. We were very fortunate, many houses in the neighborhood must be completely rebuilt. It is an historic neighborhood with trees like you've never seen. HUGE oak and magnolia trees, completely uprooted and blown over, the neighborhood WILL come back, but it will take many years for trees to grow to the height and beauty they once were.
This picture is looking out our front door.
Backyard
The neighborhood from our rooftop
Please continue to pray and give. These needs will not be met this month or the next. Our church, along with many others have committed to this for the longhaul. This is our mission field. If you want it to be yours, please don't hesitate to contact me. I will be glad to assist you in any way, from bringing volunteer/mission teams here, adopting a family in need, donations, support, etc.
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