Of the tornado, JC asked a man: “What did it sound like?”

The elderly man replied, “I worked for the railroad for 35 years. It sounded like a train.”

Soon after the tornado hit, when he drove to an area that was extremely devastated, Jeremy said that, in order to proceed, “I had to drive through someone’s yard because their house was in the road.”

At a nearby laundromat (the only one in town with electricity), where many folks, like us, needed to wash their clothes, Robin said she heard on the radio, “There has been no request for volunteers [to come and help].” She said this with a sense of wonder, not understanding the reason.

Later in the day, I learned from my husband the cause.

When JC had gone into a local auto parts store, a man working there had informed him, with tears in his eyes, that the massive number of volunteers coming into the town to assist the people was overwhelming.

 While walking through a neighborhood, marveling at the generosity of so many people, I became aware of a putrid stench in the air. I asked, “What is that smell?”

Kim answered, “It’s the meat rotting at the packing plant.”

Later that day, Aaron informed us that millions of pounds of meat had gone to waste because of the power outage.

 

The landscape was unlike anything I had ever seen.

For the first time, in my whole life, I wasn’t viewing a natural disaster on t.v. or the internet.

I was walking among the rubble left behind by a power & force I cannot comprehend.

In addition, I was deeply moved by what I witnessed in mankind. So great had been the outpouring of help & provision, just 5 days after the tornado some of the residents replied to an offer of cold water: “We’re fine! Thank you!”  When asked if she had any prayer needs, a smiling young lady, who was sweaty from cleaning up debris in her yard, replied, “Just that no one is hurt. And, prayer for people and their houses.”

Psalm 63:3 NASB

Because Your lovingkindness is better than life,
My lips will praise You.