Many people in Marshalltown still have so many needs. One woman said all of her family’s clothing is full of shards of glass. Another woman, in need of shoes, said her mother’s house now consists of only 2 walls. Some homes that were not completely destroyed by the tornado have been condemned and will be bulldozed.

Can you imagine?

It is surreal, viewing the town.

Last night, on our way back from visiting some new friends of ours, I realized their neighborhood remains intact. The lawns are manicured with fresh cut grass, trimmed hedges and blooming flowers. The trees are neither split nor splintered. No structures or rooftops have gaping holes, and tarps aren’t needed to keep out the rain.

But, a short distance from there, block after block of homes are severely damaged or altogether destroyed. The trees of the community, once tall & majestic, have been reduced to sticks & branches that form massive piles accumulating alongside every street. Wrecked automobiles remain abandoned at the curb and in parking lots.

In the downtown area, a couple of days ago, I was a passenger in the backseat of the truck of a friend. She drove slowly while we viewed the devastation. It’s shocking to behold. Stuck in my memory is a 2-story brick building I could see had some damage, but, it wasn’t until I turned and looked at it, as we passed by, that I realized most of it had been demolished by the tornado. The inside of the building, which had been reduced to rubble, was completely exposed. It looked like a wrecking ball had hit it, repeatedly.

Who’s going to clean up all this mess? How will the community dispose of so many tons of rubble?

How long will it take?