Disaster Relief

Have you ever looked into the eyes of a person that has lost everything? A person that lost  his home, his most prized possessions, his beloved pet, his wedding album,his mother's ring who passed away last month? The tree he planted when his son was born has been uprooted. The mobile home he rented out, which brought him his only income, is wrapped around a tree. His barn was lifted by the tornado and landed on top of his home, crushing it.

I have, and it was by far one of the more difficult experiences in my life. What makes it harder is my complete inability to help out, to make things better, to make this nightmare disappear, to make insurance companies help these people rather than turning them away (one insurance company refused to cover tornado damage because they claim it was wind damage, which the person was not insured for...) Even with all the devastation, I have never seen people face devastation with such strength, such courage, and such a positive outlook on the future.

Shockingly, one of the first things that people ask is not about how we can help them, but how can they help us. "It's Saturday and you're working 13 hours, is there anything you need?" It's a humbling experience to say the least, and it makes me ashamed of all the times I complained about petty things. It really puts life in perspective, makes the things that are truly important shine through. These people had their homes destroyed, but all of them are so grateful that their loved ones are safe, because not everyone was as lucky. In this time of need, we have been welcomed with nothing but kindness and gratitude.

Before my arrival on disaster, I thought the biggest challenge was going to be the long hours. Today is our 12th day in a row of working 12-13 hours a day, but my physical exhaustion has been completely put on the back burner. The biggest challenge is the emotional difficulty I am having, because my empathy has once again proved to be my downfall. There have been many times when I teared up when hearing victim's stories, but the notion of remaining strong for them is slowly starting to seep in. I feel so incredibly blessed to be a part of this experience, and I ask that you keep the people of Oklahoma in your thoughts.

Casey and I assisting tornado victims in El Reno, OK.
The El Reno tornado was the largest recorded in history, 2.6 miles across.