Destruction

 Upon arrival in Joplin today, our crew faced complete destruction. This car was thrown into the lake in front of a destroyed apartment complex and near a industrial park that was flattened. The first thing I noticed from the car was the sights. On the way to Joplin, big exit signs were broken. In Joplin, there were hundreds of police men directing the chaotic traffic. There were tons of camera crews  (including a large CNN trailer). 

There were a number of large bulldozing machines. Many patriotic symbols amongst the rubble. When I stepped out of the car, I noticed the sounds of sirens and horns, of fear and uncertainty, and of hope and courage. After a few hours, we finally reached the major destructed path by the hospital and started working with the families in their clean up. I noticed smells, wet carpet and sawdust being the most prominent.

 It's hard to even grasp the entire situation until you see it. Entire strips malls, such as the one to the right, are stripped of their identity. Street signs have been torn from their posts causing traffic to be chaotic and disorganized. There is a lot of help, but it is also very disorganized. Today, we worked with United Way and AmeriCorps out of St.Louis. We met a railroad worker from Kansas City who is taking vacation time to help in Joplin. People are very generous.

We worked for many hours, trying to clear yards of large trees and debris but there is still so much...
It was interesting to talk with the families who own these homes. We heard their stories. They were surprisingly optimistic and light-hearted about the situation. I guess that's all they can do...


PRAY PRAY PRAY CONTINUOUSLY.