The city of Joplin is an hour’s drive from my house. The day disaster hit I had just moved back into my house. I had no television or radio so I was totally unaware of what had happened in Joplin. But my son-in-law had been checking the news and he called to warn me. The storm was fierce even in my neighborhood and I wondered if my house was going to blow away before I could get settled in once more.
David and I drove through Joplin on our way to Fort Gibson this past Tuesday. If you just drive by on the Interstate you don’t see the damage; but we took one of the main exits and drove closer to mid-town where the tornado had torn through. I have some practice in taking pictures while driving, so that is what I did. I had heard reports that it looked like a war-zone, like an atomic bomb had hit. And that was true. We didn’t even drive into the worse parts because David doesn’t handle these things very well. “Let’s get out of here!” he asked me.
Here are some of the pictures I snapped from my driver’s seat.
As they say, a picture says more than a thousand words. The mother of my neighbor across the street lost her house and this friend of mine has been digging through the rubble to salvage whatever was possible. She said it was heartbreaking, tearing her apart.
I know of Convoy of Hope and Samaritan’s Purse that are helping out. From my church some men have gone there to help. My friend and former realtor is there helping out. So many people have stepped right in to help. I wish I could!
One thing we can do is pray for those that have been hit, and maybe give some financial help. Next we could be in “disaster mode.”
I have my own “disaster” to take care of. Four children to entertain with too hot weather to send them outside to play. Three-year-old Sarah played a trick on us. We looked all over the house, called her name. She was nowhere to be found. Finally we discovered her hiding in the corner of her brother’s closet. The other “disaster” was that David could not find his Star Wars movie that he had taken to my house. That brought out a commission of “lookers,” but the movie was nowhere to be found. When he finally resigned to watch another movie, I found it safe and sound in a drawer.
Over all, considering all likely situations, we have done great today. Like Sarah said to me this morning when she gave me some number problems that I solved. “You are doing great, mormor! You know your numbers!”
Yes, I know my numbers. And as I said yesterday, it’s not the numbers but the faithfulness that counts. That’s a lesson I hope my grandchildren will learn!
[...] en timmes väg från Springfield. En stor del av stan jämnades med marken. Om du trycker här –Joplin– kan du se en del av bilderna jag tog när jag körde igenom där på väg till Fort Gibson. Ja, [...]