not just another picture

How many pictures have we all seen of the devastation in Joplin? Or pictures of Japan from the aftermath of the tsunami? 

They're awful. Unfathomable. Heart wrenching. Unreal. 

Yet, it's so easy to look over the pictures and talk about how sad it is. Listen to the victims share their stories. Pray for them and send toothpaste and crayons. 

Then weeks later, forget.

Maybe not you... but that's me at least. Unfortunately, it's easy to do if it doesn't directly impact me. 

Hopefully this time it will be different. Days before a big storm hit Kentucky, local meteorologists were predicting these storms would hit my city. And hit it hard. National coverage from the weather channel came to broadcast from a local high school. My school system, as well as others around, released school early in anticipation of the storms. I went home, packed my bags, and went to a friend's basement. 

And...we barely had a rain shower. 

But, about an hour and a half north east of me, this storm system took the lives of husbands, daughters, and friends, and destroyed homes, businesses, and communities. Husbands and wives left their homes in the morning with everything normal. Then came home from work that evening to this... 

Main Street, destroyed.

Their homes, gone.

Storage building, with their prized things,

lost.

This church would have been 100 years old in September.

The sanctuary.

No roof. No walls. Gone.

The closest gas station was a few miles down the road.

This little first grade man was writing thank you notes to each person helping clean up his church. :)

Precious.

I was fortunate to be able to go and help with some clean-up over part of my spring break. Seeing the destruction with my own eyes and hearing the stories first hand from the victims... takes this unfathomable, unreal event... into reality. A reality that I hope is permanent, and I never forget.