Joplin

Before moving on to fun things, I simply must write about Joplin, Missouri. As you likely know, on May 21, Joplin suffered one of the most devastating tornadoes in American history. A mile wide F5 tornado with winds of 200 miles an hour tore through the southwest Missouri city on May 22, Sunday evening and changed lives forever. At this time, there have been a total of 139 deaths reported, but the number is expected to rise as there are still persons missing and unaccounted for.

Joplin is special to my family because I grew up about 90 miles from Joplin; my husband attended college and lived in Joplin for five years; and our daughter attended college there as well. On Tuesday after the storm they both left to help with recovery efforts. They were expecting complete devastation, but to be an eye witness and finding familiar locations completely unrecognizable was shocking.

Here is an early video from the Associated Press:

Before and after aerial shots:

There are hundreds of harrowing stories of loss and survival:

1. The loss of young mother and toddler leaving a father facing the future alone.
2. Children were tore from their parents arms.
3. The loss of a young husband as he protected his wife
4. Many emerged from their closet to find only the closet standing and the rest of the house gone
5. People have rummaged  through their pile of rubble, and were only able to salvage a box full of items
6. After hours of searching, a small journal describing a mother’s pregnancy was located from a huge pile of debri

What is more amazing then then the storm is the response to the storm. My family and friends witnessed the following:

1. A grassroots network of support and services developed within a hours on Facebook.
2. A constant influx of individuals and businesses offered their support and supplies
3. Farmers, neighboring fire departments, and construction companies descended on the area with their equipment and crews
4. Nurses and doctors from far and wide rushed to provide services for those injured
5. There was a  sense of cooperation and gratitude from the masses of people in need.
6. The influx of volunteers who raced to provide help was more then the government and relief agencies could initially manage.
7. Universities, colleges, civic organizations, and churches have organized to meet needs.

Here is just ONE church:

The response to the tragedy has been stellar. The statistics from the City of Joplin on Saturday were:
Total number of volunteers registered at MSSU 7,546
Total number of volunteers registered via the phone 12,000
Total number of calls to Wellness Call 6,137
With over 750 people deployed to work per day with the recovery

This weekend I was in Springfield, just an hour away from Joplin, and had the opportunity to listen to a local Joplin radio station as they continued to share information, phone numbers, resources, information about displaced pets, and anything else needed. One caller was a little boy who had collected stuffed animals to give to children who lost everything. He had a generous heart and was sharing what he had with others. He then became philanthropic as he began to collect donations from others.

So I write to encourage you to love and help those in need around you. We have had an extreme season of natural disasters across the country and around the world. From Joplin to Japan, from Minnesota to Mississippi, from Alabama to Arkansas; you don’t have to look far to find someone in need. Take time to share what you have (including time) with those in need around you. Your example will be followed by your children.

~ A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. John 13:34~