It has been 2 weeks since the flood. God’s grace and goodness to spare our home is overwhelming. We are surrounded by constant reminders of the monstrous murky brown waters that rose so quickly to overtake our community. They have left devastation that will never be fully repaired. The reality of what has happened is sinking in in new ways for us- it is surreal to be inside your house where everything is the same, but all around us our peaceful street and our world has changed. Looking out the front door, going to the grocery store… there is debris piled everywhere. Physical signs of homes and businesses destroyed. Each day there are five or six search and rescue vehicles parked in front of my house from dawn till dark. Dump trucks and excavators working on the once quiet riverside trail. Boats and cadaver dogs. All signs of life lost, one body not yet recovered. Red cross relief vans. Helicopters circling overhead. Police cars patrolling up and down the street. Today a couple drove by and said some things had just been stolen from their house.
The kids are different too. We could pretend we weren’t scared while the rain kept coming and the water was rising, we told them we are having a rainy day party, with lots of friends over, and Mommy is just organizing some things to pack in the car! But in the aftermath we cannot pretend that people aren’t hurting, homes aren’t wrecked. They see it everywhere we go. And they ask so many questions that are hard to answer without getting into some pretty heavy theology. Their play is different- lots of narrative about natural disasters, a lot of rescues. I pray for wisdom that we will make the most of every opportunity to teach them through this experience. Every night Ben prays, “And thank you God for protecting our house.”
I am not complaining- we are not suffering. But we are hurting for the many people whose lives have been turned upside down by this flood. We are trying to help where we can. None of us will ever be the same.
1 comment:
well written!
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