In my own backyard

As many of you know about a week ago a tornado hit the Silver Valley area, which is south of Thomasville on 109. This happened roughly a mile from my house many of my friends and neighbors were affected by this storm. Not knowing exactly what had happened I went to work the next day and talked with neighbors who knew first responders. Between that and the News I soon realized the vast destruction that had taken place in my community. For me it was a site that I had seen before in other places at other times. To keep to the point I had spent time just after graduating High School doing some disaster relief with the North Carolina Baptist Men (NCBM). I had worked at a recovery warehouse and have been part of two call outs. That was almost 10 years ago. So after receiving information about the damage and that the NCBM have had a call out to the area, I knew I could help. There were a few things I knew about helping with disasters. 1. Don't be a lookie-loo or a rubber neck! I understand wanting to know what is going on, but when you are just looking in a disaster site you are only getting in the way of those who actually are helping. 2. No Degree or higher education is required to help. Find a group who knows what they are doing, then find a need and help. 3. It is never about just the damage. I know for me that was one of the things that dug at me a bit. I would hear people ask me about where the damage was and how bad it was. Was it about the damage and the aftermath?.....
Building can be rebuild and things replaced, but lives are what makes it important. As I was helping give driving directions to the assessment team, I had the unique opportunity of putting faces with people affected by this storm. I stood and talked with a family known as the Daniels. I talked with them as people, not as customers or rednecks or something else. These were people with souls and lives who Jesus cared about and died for. It was such a sobering reminder that we have to be personal in a world that isn't.