what we've been up to...

We spent the weekend hosting a work crew of 39 from Cleburne, Texas! Scott spent Friday - Monday working with them on debris removal while Grayson and I organized and cooked meals. Grayson and I tagged along with them to the job site on Saturday. Here's what we saw while on our way...

 

 

It honestly still shocks me every time I drive upon the devastation created by the tornado.  The rate of rebuilding is amazing, though.   Volunteers and relief workers have been working tirelessly for 2 weeks, but there is still much to be done.  

I read last night that the Army Corps of Engineers estimates the total damage from the tornado to be 3,000,000 cubic yards, which is the equivalent to "...an entire football field including he end zones, stacked 200 feet higher than the Empire State Building."  They estimate that contractors have removed 20,000 cubic yards, or less than 1%.

We will still need relief workers and volunteers for months to come!  If you're interested in volunteering, send me an e-mail!

Be strong and courageous...

 

                                                                                Source: joyshope.com via Mary Jo on Pinterest

I saw this on Joy's Hope today and thought it was another fitting verse for our community.

Tornadoes...

I'm not sure where to start with this one...We live about 4 miles outside of Joplin, Missouri, where the devastating tornado hit on Sunday night. Since Sunday night, we've been helping friends salvage their belongings from their homes that were destroyed, consoling teenagers (my husband is a youth pastor), praying for those who have lost family members, and watching our church and our community band together to help those in need.

This is a picture of St. Paul's United Methodist Church, where my son attended preschool twice a week.

I don't even know how to describe the whole situation, other than surreal.  We were under threat of more tornadoes last night, so we hurried to a friend's house with a basement to wait out the storm.  No one takes these things lightly anymore...

If you are interested in helping specific families, please contact me through Facebook or by e-mail.  We have several close friends who have lost homes, cars, and most belongings.

Our church, First Baptist Church of Webb City, is also taking donations to help families affected.  Contact me for their information.

I found this verse on a blog recently and thought that it was so fitting for this situation...

Please pray for our little town that we've so quickly grown to love.