This is a news report about the Tent City.
http://ozarksfirst.com/fulltext?nxd_id=491287&shr=addthis
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Sunday, July 24, 2011
July 21 & 22, 2011
July 21, 2011 – Thursday
Today was a really busy & fun day. The volunteers we had to turn away yesterday arrived this morning—30 people from First Baptist Church of Mountain Grove, MO. God has certainly sent us some delightful & very motivated youth groups to work in the WH!!!
I also had the wonderful privilege of meeting Lee Eberhardt in person. She was the lady who called the other day about the Extreme Makeover group in town looking for a family for whom they could provide a new home. She’s a bubbly little lady with twinkles in her eyes & she brought a friend with her to volunteer for the morning.
I can’t remember if I’ve described the work we have the volunteers doing. The far end of the WH has an area filled with lots of boxes & pallets of donations that need to be sorted, have all the different items boxed together on a pallet & be shrink-wrapped & moved into the area designated for those items. That part of the warehouse is not air-conditioned & gets very warm throughout the day as the doors of the loading docks open & close to receive donations or to load shipments of goods ordered by the different organizations that have applied for & received authorization from the city to serve as a distribution center to those affected by the tornado. The sorting areas have coolers with ice & water for the volunteers, but if they need a break from the heat, they can go to the air-conditioned break room. That’s where the rest rooms are located and it’s a nice place to enjoy a snack, or a meal, or a cold drink of water or juice from the refrigerator. During the brief orientation given to all the volunteers, they are encouraged to take breaks whenever they need them & also to drink lots of water & Gatorade to keep hydrated.
“Dad” came in this morning & then came back with his precious wife, Pat, this afternoon. “Dad” made some cds for me, sharing some of his favorite music with me. He also sent me 10+ emails he thought I’d enjoy!!!
Mark S.’ daughter, Jenny, came by the office to see her dad, so we got to meet her, too. She took my having adopted her grandfather pretty well!!!
Today was Mark S.’ last day working with Andrew & me. He is one of the leaders from his church who will be taking a busload of kids to a camp up in IA for a week. It was also Ron Chapman’s last day of work with us. He plans to come back next week for a few days. Before Mark S. & Ron left, we had a team picture taken behind the ACS sign near the warehouse entrance.
The warehouse is looking radically different from when we arrived just 10 days ago. God really blessed our team to accomplish His purposes. With all the other duties in managing the office, I didn’t make very much progress on my inventory spreadsheet, but I did get it set up & ready for data.
It was 102° when we headed back to Carthage & our motel. We decided that perhaps a little ice cream was in order to cool us down, so we split a pint of hand scooped strawberry ice cream from Braum’s.
Last night I downloaded all my Joplin pictures from my camera & put a photo of me driving a forklift on FB as my new profile picture. I’ve been receiving lots of interesting comments, but my favorite came from my son, Isaac: “I'm truly frightened for the people of Joplin!”
It’s time for me to get to bed, but I still have lots to do before I can crash for the night. I’d like to make a card to give to the guys at the WH to thank them for all they’ve done to help us. Good night from Missouri!!! Tomorrow we head back to Minnesota.
July 22, 2011 – Friday
It was a VERY short night last night—only 3 hrs of sleep because I was up late packing, documenting my adventures, & designing a Thank You card to give to the guys at the WH. Shortly after 5 am I started loading the van. Andrew got his things loaded, too, & we left for Joplin about 6 am.
I was so disappointed that I wasn’t able to get all the quantities of items in the 200 categories entered in my spreadsheet before leaving last night, because I had really hoped to print out the spreadsheet, bring it back to the motel & convert the data so I could surprise Carlene when she came in this morning. God obviously knew I wouldn’t have the time to do that along with packing, etc., too!
One of the first things I did this morning was to show Andrew my draft of the Thank You card. After he approved it, I tweaked it a bit & quickly printed it out on some card stock Andrew gave me, making a copy for each of the guys. I was really pleased with the finished product that included a picture of the guys on the front & a picture of our team for the past week, along with a couple of personal messages for the guys.
Andrew gave me a great quote this morning: “There is no ‘I’ in team.” I was feeling bad that he needed to straighten up the break room so I could get the cards finished so they would be a surprise. What a blessing that God chose us to work together this past week!!! HE helped us compliment each other’s strengths in an amazing way!!! We felt a little bit like Gideon’s 300 who conquered the Philistine’s huge army…all praise & honor go to the LORD for what was accomplished at the WH this past week!!! God brought us just the volunteers we needed to fill out His team!!!
This morning I attacked the loose ends, so when Carlene arrived I was able to bring her up-to-speed on upcoming shipments, the spreadsheet data, etc. When Andrew gave her a tour of the WH, she was very impressed & pleased at what was accomplished.
“Dad” stopped by mid-morning to take care of some business with Mark G. & to say goodbye, so I had Carlene take a picture of him with his MN daughter. I told him Andrew & I would enjoy the cds he made for me on the ride home.
The group from First Baptist Church of Mountain Grove, MO arrived to work again today. They were only available to work until noon today, & since Andrew & I planned to leave about then, Mark G. & Kelley decided to close the WH by 3 pm. Before group left at noon they asked to pray for Andrew & me that God would protect us on our trip home. One of the young men offered a very touching prayer for us.
More pallet sheets of 200s were palletized today. My hopes of getting a little experience working with AidMatrix vanished, but I was able to enter all the “200” data received so far on my spreadsheet so Carlene knows what is included in the count so far & can do the AidMatrix conversion. All the other #s are sorted by the 100s in file folders, so once all of them are sorted by classification they will be ready to enter, too.
Mark G. & Kelley designated several pallets of items for me to move with the forklift so I could get a little more experience. I felt very sad to leave & both Andrew & I commented that we wished we had one more week to gain experience & accomplish more work before heading home to MN!
We had planned to leave about noon, but by the time we ate lunch from Suzanne’s, I finished entering the 200s on my spreadsheet, & I moved the pallets & we said our final goodbyes to Mark G., Kelley & Carlene, it was 2 pm & 102°.
We gassed up the van, stopped at Braun’s for a little more ice cream & headed north on Highway 71. About an hour north of Joplin, I got really sleepy, so Andrew [assisted by “Susan”] took the wheel & I slept. I woke up to assist navigation around Kansas City, but once we were on I35, I went back to sleep until we were almost to Des Moines. At Ames, IA we stopped to get gas, eat a little food, stretch our legs, etc. When we got back on the road it was almost sundown & I took the wheel again.
Andrew’s friend, Alex, met us at the Target parking lot in Owatonna about 11 pm. We transferred Andrew’s gear to Alex’s car, had prayer & hugs, & headed our separate ways. Those last miles to Dodge Center were hard for me to stay awake, but God kept me & I arrived home just before midnight. I only brought a minimal amount of stuff inside, turned on the air conditioner, petted Purrcie a few minutes before putting him to bed & getting my PJs on. I’m off to my comfy bed!!!!!!!!!!
Today was a really busy & fun day. The volunteers we had to turn away yesterday arrived this morning—30 people from First Baptist Church of Mountain Grove, MO. God has certainly sent us some delightful & very motivated youth groups to work in the WH!!!
I also had the wonderful privilege of meeting Lee Eberhardt in person. She was the lady who called the other day about the Extreme Makeover group in town looking for a family for whom they could provide a new home. She’s a bubbly little lady with twinkles in her eyes & she brought a friend with her to volunteer for the morning.
I can’t remember if I’ve described the work we have the volunteers doing. The far end of the WH has an area filled with lots of boxes & pallets of donations that need to be sorted, have all the different items boxed together on a pallet & be shrink-wrapped & moved into the area designated for those items. That part of the warehouse is not air-conditioned & gets very warm throughout the day as the doors of the loading docks open & close to receive donations or to load shipments of goods ordered by the different organizations that have applied for & received authorization from the city to serve as a distribution center to those affected by the tornado. The sorting areas have coolers with ice & water for the volunteers, but if they need a break from the heat, they can go to the air-conditioned break room. That’s where the rest rooms are located and it’s a nice place to enjoy a snack, or a meal, or a cold drink of water or juice from the refrigerator. During the brief orientation given to all the volunteers, they are encouraged to take breaks whenever they need them & also to drink lots of water & Gatorade to keep hydrated.
“Dad” came in this morning & then came back with his precious wife, Pat, this afternoon. “Dad” made some cds for me, sharing some of his favorite music with me. He also sent me 10+ emails he thought I’d enjoy!!!
Mark S.’ daughter, Jenny, came by the office to see her dad, so we got to meet her, too. She took my having adopted her grandfather pretty well!!!
Today was Mark S.’ last day working with Andrew & me. He is one of the leaders from his church who will be taking a busload of kids to a camp up in IA for a week. It was also Ron Chapman’s last day of work with us. He plans to come back next week for a few days. Before Mark S. & Ron left, we had a team picture taken behind the ACS sign near the warehouse entrance.
The warehouse is looking radically different from when we arrived just 10 days ago. God really blessed our team to accomplish His purposes. With all the other duties in managing the office, I didn’t make very much progress on my inventory spreadsheet, but I did get it set up & ready for data.
It was 102° when we headed back to Carthage & our motel. We decided that perhaps a little ice cream was in order to cool us down, so we split a pint of hand scooped strawberry ice cream from Braum’s.
Last night I downloaded all my Joplin pictures from my camera & put a photo of me driving a forklift on FB as my new profile picture. I’ve been receiving lots of interesting comments, but my favorite came from my son, Isaac: “I'm truly frightened for the people of Joplin!”
It’s time for me to get to bed, but I still have lots to do before I can crash for the night. I’d like to make a card to give to the guys at the WH to thank them for all they’ve done to help us. Good night from Missouri!!! Tomorrow we head back to Minnesota.
July 22, 2011 – Friday
It was a VERY short night last night—only 3 hrs of sleep because I was up late packing, documenting my adventures, & designing a Thank You card to give to the guys at the WH. Shortly after 5 am I started loading the van. Andrew got his things loaded, too, & we left for Joplin about 6 am.
I was so disappointed that I wasn’t able to get all the quantities of items in the 200 categories entered in my spreadsheet before leaving last night, because I had really hoped to print out the spreadsheet, bring it back to the motel & convert the data so I could surprise Carlene when she came in this morning. God obviously knew I wouldn’t have the time to do that along with packing, etc., too!
One of the first things I did this morning was to show Andrew my draft of the Thank You card. After he approved it, I tweaked it a bit & quickly printed it out on some card stock Andrew gave me, making a copy for each of the guys. I was really pleased with the finished product that included a picture of the guys on the front & a picture of our team for the past week, along with a couple of personal messages for the guys.
Andrew gave me a great quote this morning: “There is no ‘I’ in team.” I was feeling bad that he needed to straighten up the break room so I could get the cards finished so they would be a surprise. What a blessing that God chose us to work together this past week!!! HE helped us compliment each other’s strengths in an amazing way!!! We felt a little bit like Gideon’s 300 who conquered the Philistine’s huge army…all praise & honor go to the LORD for what was accomplished at the WH this past week!!! God brought us just the volunteers we needed to fill out His team!!!
This morning I attacked the loose ends, so when Carlene arrived I was able to bring her up-to-speed on upcoming shipments, the spreadsheet data, etc. When Andrew gave her a tour of the WH, she was very impressed & pleased at what was accomplished.
“Dad” stopped by mid-morning to take care of some business with Mark G. & to say goodbye, so I had Carlene take a picture of him with his MN daughter. I told him Andrew & I would enjoy the cds he made for me on the ride home.
The group from First Baptist Church of Mountain Grove, MO arrived to work again today. They were only available to work until noon today, & since Andrew & I planned to leave about then, Mark G. & Kelley decided to close the WH by 3 pm. Before group left at noon they asked to pray for Andrew & me that God would protect us on our trip home. One of the young men offered a very touching prayer for us.
More pallet sheets of 200s were palletized today. My hopes of getting a little experience working with AidMatrix vanished, but I was able to enter all the “200” data received so far on my spreadsheet so Carlene knows what is included in the count so far & can do the AidMatrix conversion. All the other #s are sorted by the 100s in file folders, so once all of them are sorted by classification they will be ready to enter, too.
Mark G. & Kelley designated several pallets of items for me to move with the forklift so I could get a little more experience. I felt very sad to leave & both Andrew & I commented that we wished we had one more week to gain experience & accomplish more work before heading home to MN!
We had planned to leave about noon, but by the time we ate lunch from Suzanne’s, I finished entering the 200s on my spreadsheet, & I moved the pallets & we said our final goodbyes to Mark G., Kelley & Carlene, it was 2 pm & 102°.
We gassed up the van, stopped at Braun’s for a little more ice cream & headed north on Highway 71. About an hour north of Joplin, I got really sleepy, so Andrew [assisted by “Susan”] took the wheel & I slept. I woke up to assist navigation around Kansas City, but once we were on I35, I went back to sleep until we were almost to Des Moines. At Ames, IA we stopped to get gas, eat a little food, stretch our legs, etc. When we got back on the road it was almost sundown & I took the wheel again.
Andrew’s friend, Alex, met us at the Target parking lot in Owatonna about 11 pm. We transferred Andrew’s gear to Alex’s car, had prayer & hugs, & headed our separate ways. Those last miles to Dodge Center were hard for me to stay awake, but God kept me & I arrived home just before midnight. I only brought a minimal amount of stuff inside, turned on the air conditioner, petted Purrcie a few minutes before putting him to bed & getting my PJs on. I’m off to my comfy bed!!!!!!!!!!
Thursday, July 21, 2011
July 20, 2011 – Wednesday
The heat continues in Missouri--111°. One of my friends from Minnesota called me today, wondering how I was surviving the 100°+ temperatures every day & I reassured her that I’m doing very well—especially since I’m in an air-conditioned office most of the day!!! That is a blessing I don’t take for granted. I pack a clean dry washcloth in my gear everyday so I can mop the perspiration off my face & neck when I need to be out of the office for any length of time.
God is continuing to bless us with wonderful groups of volunteers—some young & some in their 70s & 80s. Today the group from Kentucky was back & they really worked hard. It was sad to bid them farewell, but I’m sure we’ll meet again in heaven!!! We had another group of volunteers—some IT people from Wal-Mart’s corporate office in Bentonville, Arkansas. They were good sports & worked hard, but the heat working in the WH really got to them. Several of them were from India, which delighted my soul!!! Later in the day another group came in to work, but we couldn’t use any more people. Before they left, I put them at the top of our volunteer list for tomorrow.
“Dad” stopped by the office & told Andrew & me about an place in Carthage that sells wonderful ice cream, so Andrew & I checked it out on our way home—I had peach yogurt…yum, yum. What a nice treat on a very hot day!!! At 10 pm tonight, the temperature is still in the upper 80s, with a weather alert for excessive heat through Sabbath.
Before coming back to the motel tonight, we drove through the storm ravaged area of Joplin so I could get a few more photos. I wanted to have my own photo of the cross at the site of St. Mary’s Catholic Church. The church was damaged beyond repair, but the cross still stands tall—a symbol of hope to the entire community of Joplin. I also wanted to capture the image of the vault that is the only remaining evidence that a bank once stood on that site.
Today I spoke to Derri Hanson on the phone & she explained to me how to get around the glitch in the AidMatrix software. The volunteers are still finding goods in the 200’s classification & I won’t be able to start the conversion process until all of those items are sorted & palletized. Tomorrow I’m going to put together a spreadsheet that I can use for entering the conversion quantities.
Isaac called tonight & it was so good to talk to him. Even tho’ I’m having a great time, I still miss Isaac [my son], Kayden [my grandson], & Purrcie Mumbai [my cat]. I also started to do some packing, since we’ll be leaving the motel very early Friday morning to work at the WH until noon when we’ll head back north to Minnesota.
It’s time for some shut-eye so I’ll be able to rise & shine before sunrise!!! Goodnight from Joplin/Carthage. I wish you could be here to experience the joy of meeting & serving the people of Joplin!!!!!!!!!!!!
God is continuing to bless us with wonderful groups of volunteers—some young & some in their 70s & 80s. Today the group from Kentucky was back & they really worked hard. It was sad to bid them farewell, but I’m sure we’ll meet again in heaven!!! We had another group of volunteers—some IT people from Wal-Mart’s corporate office in Bentonville, Arkansas. They were good sports & worked hard, but the heat working in the WH really got to them. Several of them were from India, which delighted my soul!!! Later in the day another group came in to work, but we couldn’t use any more people. Before they left, I put them at the top of our volunteer list for tomorrow.
“Dad” stopped by the office & told Andrew & me about an place in Carthage that sells wonderful ice cream, so Andrew & I checked it out on our way home—I had peach yogurt…yum, yum. What a nice treat on a very hot day!!! At 10 pm tonight, the temperature is still in the upper 80s, with a weather alert for excessive heat through Sabbath.
Before coming back to the motel tonight, we drove through the storm ravaged area of Joplin so I could get a few more photos. I wanted to have my own photo of the cross at the site of St. Mary’s Catholic Church. The church was damaged beyond repair, but the cross still stands tall—a symbol of hope to the entire community of Joplin. I also wanted to capture the image of the vault that is the only remaining evidence that a bank once stood on that site.
Today I spoke to Derri Hanson on the phone & she explained to me how to get around the glitch in the AidMatrix software. The volunteers are still finding goods in the 200’s classification & I won’t be able to start the conversion process until all of those items are sorted & palletized. Tomorrow I’m going to put together a spreadsheet that I can use for entering the conversion quantities.
Isaac called tonight & it was so good to talk to him. Even tho’ I’m having a great time, I still miss Isaac [my son], Kayden [my grandson], & Purrcie Mumbai [my cat]. I also started to do some packing, since we’ll be leaving the motel very early Friday morning to work at the WH until noon when we’ll head back north to Minnesota.
It’s time for some shut-eye so I’ll be able to rise & shine before sunrise!!! Goodnight from Joplin/Carthage. I wish you could be here to experience the joy of meeting & serving the people of Joplin!!!!!!!!!!!!
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
July 18 & 19, 2011
July 18, 2011 – Monday
Today is the day of Andrew’s & my real test—with Sam & Carlene gone it was up to us to provide leadership at the WH!!! Thankfully, Mark S., Mark G. & Kelley were there to answer our questions & give us their advice!!!
The day started very early & Andrew & I arrived at the WH about 6:45 a.m. Andrew chose Psalm 127:1 as our worship text for today & we listened to “We Are United” by the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir as we drove to work. In spite of repeated contacts with organizations that coordinate large groups of volunteers, we only had three volunteers to work sorting donations today!!! Sam called mid-morning to let us know that Carlene would not be able to come & help us today & that she still had not heard a peep about the solution to her trials with Aid Matrix. After a quiet morning, all of a sudden the phone began ringing off the wall, bringing us some orders & donations to process. I’m starting to recognize the voices of some of the people who call us often.
One lady called to tell us that the producers of the TV program, Extreme Makeover, are in town, looking for someone who really needs their help. When Mark S. came into the office, I gave him the information. When he e-mailed her about some of the citizens of the tent city, she responded that she was very interested in checking out the names he gave her. Please join us in prayer that they will choose the right family!!!
Late in the afternoon we got the word that Carlene will be back tomorrow morning. Things went reasonably well today, but I’m exhausted!! In fact I got so sleepy, I just laid down for a moment & the next thing I knew it was almost 9 pm. When I woke up I worked on my blog & now I need to go to bed. The days are long, but VERY rewarding. I’m fighting to keep my eyes open, so I better sign off for tonight!!!
July 19, 2011 – Tuesday
Wow—I can’t believe how fast my time in Missouri is flying by!!! Every day is filled with new joys & challenges & I’m having a BLAST!!! It’s fun to see how God is supplying our needs & helps us moment by moment as we are hanging on for dear life!!! I thrive on working in a team environment where everyone has their role to fulfill…they are empowered to do their job…people help each other without getting caught up in territorial issues…& where everyone connects & works smoothly together like gears in an engine. God REALLY answered Andrew’s & my prayers for the right team this week & we’re praising Him!!!!!!!!!
Carlene came down from Columbia for a while this afternoon, but without resolution of the software issues, she left for a couple of days to help her daughter move. She’ll be back at the WH on Friday. By the way, Andrew & I discussed it & have decided to check out of our rooms at the motel early Friday morning, open up the WH at 6:45 am & work until noon before heading back to Minnesota. It’s going to be hard to leave Joplin because we’ve discovered so many new & very precious friends here!!!
One of my favorite people is Mark S.’ father, Ernie, who stops by the office to check up on the guys & the ACS operation almost every day. I met him my first day working, but forgot his name. When he came the next time, I apologized for forgetting his name & asked him if it would be alright to call him Dad. He said I could, so whenever he comes in that’s how I greet him!!! He’s a character, full of mischief & a fun sense of humor. He’s 84 years young & has turned over most of the business operation to Mark S., Mark G., & Kelley, but he reminds them that he’s “the one who signs their checks.”
Today was Mark G.’s 42nd birthday, so his wife, Gina, brought a yummy cake & asked us to embarrass him with a celebration. Andrew assured her that I could & would comply with her request—he suspects that I had something to do with some getting out volunteers together to sing “Happy Birthday” to him last Friday!!! [I know that all my friends realize I never would be involved with something of that nature!!!!!!!!!!] We crowded most of our volunteers into the office & everyone say to him.
Pastor Dwight Seek from the local SDA Church stopped by the office to talk to the guys. Mark G. [sometimes we call him by his last name, Gooch] had just returned from renewing his drivers’ license at the license bureau & he told us a neat experience her had there. When he got up to the window, the lady working there told him he had to have all of the following documents to renew his license: his birth certificate, a utility bill to verify his name & address & of course his expiring license. He hadn’t expected to need all those documents, & was frustrated, but told the gal he’d have to come back later after he collected all the info she needed. She asked him if he knew anyone by the name of Dwight & he responded by saying, yes, he knew several people with that name. Then she continued, “Dwight Seek?” When he said yes, she asked him if he was connected with the WH. The name of the WH company & his first name was on his shirt, so he pointed to it & said, “yes.” He was astounded when she proceeded to say that he didn’t need to get the extra documents because she had visited the Joplin SDA Church a few weeks ago when Pastor Dwight had told his congregation all about the WH operation and the wonderful guys who facilitate its operation & she trusted him!!! Gooch said it only took him about 20 minutes to renew his license & he was amazed. Pastor Dwight was even more amazed, since he didn’t know the lady & she was visiting from another state!!!
Today we had another dynamite youth group, this time from Kentucky, who came to serve the community of Joplin & were sent to our WH to work. Andrew really connected with some of their leaders & a gal named Rachel who he designated as their “scribe”—filling out the forms describing the contents of each pallet they assembled. Once Andrew showed them what to do, they got down to business & really produced results.
Ron Chapman from the Columbia SDA Church also arrived to help for a few days & “the guys” [Mark, Mark & Kelley] introduced him to Andrew & me as a “forklift operator extraordinaire!!!” Early on in the WH operation he came down to Joplin & helped the team immensely.
The heat down here is suffocating, so we sent the volunteers home at 4 pm. That gave Andrew & I a chance to straighten things up a bit & get all the garbage cans emptied so we’ll be ready for tomorrow. The Kentucky group even cleaned up the break room before they left!!!
Early in the day I totally spazzed up by mixing up an order—sending out some plastic tubs to the wrong agency—but the guys helped me straighten things out & I learned from my mistake. By quitting time, I was feeling much more comfortable in handling the office end of the WH operation & it seems like all our “gears” are meshing together better.
My eyes are getting very droopy, so I’m signing off for tonight. The internet isn’t cooperating tonight & I’m too tired to wrestle with it, so hopefully I’ll be able to post this tomorrow.
Good Night from Joplin/Carthage where we are seeing God’s hand leading & experiencing His abundant blessings in our lives!!!!!!!!!!
Today is the day of Andrew’s & my real test—with Sam & Carlene gone it was up to us to provide leadership at the WH!!! Thankfully, Mark S., Mark G. & Kelley were there to answer our questions & give us their advice!!!
The day started very early & Andrew & I arrived at the WH about 6:45 a.m. Andrew chose Psalm 127:1 as our worship text for today & we listened to “We Are United” by the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir as we drove to work. In spite of repeated contacts with organizations that coordinate large groups of volunteers, we only had three volunteers to work sorting donations today!!! Sam called mid-morning to let us know that Carlene would not be able to come & help us today & that she still had not heard a peep about the solution to her trials with Aid Matrix. After a quiet morning, all of a sudden the phone began ringing off the wall, bringing us some orders & donations to process. I’m starting to recognize the voices of some of the people who call us often.
One lady called to tell us that the producers of the TV program, Extreme Makeover, are in town, looking for someone who really needs their help. When Mark S. came into the office, I gave him the information. When he e-mailed her about some of the citizens of the tent city, she responded that she was very interested in checking out the names he gave her. Please join us in prayer that they will choose the right family!!!
Late in the afternoon we got the word that Carlene will be back tomorrow morning. Things went reasonably well today, but I’m exhausted!! In fact I got so sleepy, I just laid down for a moment & the next thing I knew it was almost 9 pm. When I woke up I worked on my blog & now I need to go to bed. The days are long, but VERY rewarding. I’m fighting to keep my eyes open, so I better sign off for tonight!!!
July 19, 2011 – Tuesday
Wow—I can’t believe how fast my time in Missouri is flying by!!! Every day is filled with new joys & challenges & I’m having a BLAST!!! It’s fun to see how God is supplying our needs & helps us moment by moment as we are hanging on for dear life!!! I thrive on working in a team environment where everyone has their role to fulfill…they are empowered to do their job…people help each other without getting caught up in territorial issues…& where everyone connects & works smoothly together like gears in an engine. God REALLY answered Andrew’s & my prayers for the right team this week & we’re praising Him!!!!!!!!!
Carlene came down from Columbia for a while this afternoon, but without resolution of the software issues, she left for a couple of days to help her daughter move. She’ll be back at the WH on Friday. By the way, Andrew & I discussed it & have decided to check out of our rooms at the motel early Friday morning, open up the WH at 6:45 am & work until noon before heading back to Minnesota. It’s going to be hard to leave Joplin because we’ve discovered so many new & very precious friends here!!!
One of my favorite people is Mark S.’ father, Ernie, who stops by the office to check up on the guys & the ACS operation almost every day. I met him my first day working, but forgot his name. When he came the next time, I apologized for forgetting his name & asked him if it would be alright to call him Dad. He said I could, so whenever he comes in that’s how I greet him!!! He’s a character, full of mischief & a fun sense of humor. He’s 84 years young & has turned over most of the business operation to Mark S., Mark G., & Kelley, but he reminds them that he’s “the one who signs their checks.”
Today was Mark G.’s 42nd birthday, so his wife, Gina, brought a yummy cake & asked us to embarrass him with a celebration. Andrew assured her that I could & would comply with her request—he suspects that I had something to do with some getting out volunteers together to sing “Happy Birthday” to him last Friday!!! [I know that all my friends realize I never would be involved with something of that nature!!!!!!!!!!] We crowded most of our volunteers into the office & everyone say to him.
Pastor Dwight Seek from the local SDA Church stopped by the office to talk to the guys. Mark G. [sometimes we call him by his last name, Gooch] had just returned from renewing his drivers’ license at the license bureau & he told us a neat experience her had there. When he got up to the window, the lady working there told him he had to have all of the following documents to renew his license: his birth certificate, a utility bill to verify his name & address & of course his expiring license. He hadn’t expected to need all those documents, & was frustrated, but told the gal he’d have to come back later after he collected all the info she needed. She asked him if he knew anyone by the name of Dwight & he responded by saying, yes, he knew several people with that name. Then she continued, “Dwight Seek?” When he said yes, she asked him if he was connected with the WH. The name of the WH company & his first name was on his shirt, so he pointed to it & said, “yes.” He was astounded when she proceeded to say that he didn’t need to get the extra documents because she had visited the Joplin SDA Church a few weeks ago when Pastor Dwight had told his congregation all about the WH operation and the wonderful guys who facilitate its operation & she trusted him!!! Gooch said it only took him about 20 minutes to renew his license & he was amazed. Pastor Dwight was even more amazed, since he didn’t know the lady & she was visiting from another state!!!
Today we had another dynamite youth group, this time from Kentucky, who came to serve the community of Joplin & were sent to our WH to work. Andrew really connected with some of their leaders & a gal named Rachel who he designated as their “scribe”—filling out the forms describing the contents of each pallet they assembled. Once Andrew showed them what to do, they got down to business & really produced results.
Ron Chapman from the Columbia SDA Church also arrived to help for a few days & “the guys” [Mark, Mark & Kelley] introduced him to Andrew & me as a “forklift operator extraordinaire!!!” Early on in the WH operation he came down to Joplin & helped the team immensely.
The heat down here is suffocating, so we sent the volunteers home at 4 pm. That gave Andrew & I a chance to straighten things up a bit & get all the garbage cans emptied so we’ll be ready for tomorrow. The Kentucky group even cleaned up the break room before they left!!!
Early in the day I totally spazzed up by mixing up an order—sending out some plastic tubs to the wrong agency—but the guys helped me straighten things out & I learned from my mistake. By quitting time, I was feeling much more comfortable in handling the office end of the WH operation & it seems like all our “gears” are meshing together better.
My eyes are getting very droopy, so I’m signing off for tonight. The internet isn’t cooperating tonight & I’m too tired to wrestle with it, so hopefully I’ll be able to post this tomorrow.
Good Night from Joplin/Carthage where we are seeing God’s hand leading & experiencing His abundant blessings in our lives!!!!!!!!!!
Monday, July 18, 2011
July 17, 2011 – Sunday
I slept in until 8 am this morning—what a treat!!! As I was almost finished with my worship time, I heard a familiar sound that I’ve been missing…"meow, meow." Looking out my window, I saw a cute little grey kitty, so I opened my door, called, “Here kitty, kitty,” & proceeded to get acquainted with a new furry friend. It was nice for me to have a little “pet therapy,” since I’m missing my cat back home. When I was talking to the housekeeper, she said that the owners of the motel have two grey cats. When I went to pick up Andrew, one of them went running into his room & hid under the bed—he doesn’t like cats—but finally I was able to coax him back outside.
On the top of our “to-do list” for today is a visit to the Laundromat. With the extremely hot & humid weather [my thermometer registered 110° today]; it’s wonderful to replenish our supply of clean clothes. There were some children there & they were irresistibly drawn to Andrew, joyously showering us with bubbles from their battery operated bubble guns.
After the Laundromat, we restocked out groceries & other supplies at Wal-Mart. Then we went back to our rooms & changed our clothes so we’d be more appropriately attired for them rest of our adventures for the day. Andrew treated me to a delicious mid-afternoon meal at the local Chinese restaurant, Bam-Boo Gardens & then we drove into Joplin to photograph the unbelievable destruction. Pastor Seek had described it to us yesterday as “a tornado that acted like a hurricane!!!” What an accurate description!!!!!
We drove all through the huge affected area. As we were outside the car photographing the area around the hospital that was destroyed, a car pulled up to me & the man inside asked me if I’d ever seen damage like that before. As we visited a little bit, he pointed out the lot where the house he’d grown up in used to stand. Most of the debris has been hauled away & the only clues to its past were a slab of concrete & a hole in the ground. His daughter had been living in the house, but was at her parents’ home eating supper when the storm hit. His son living a few blocks away had watched in horror as the path of the storm widened & swallowed everything in its path. Just a block from this man’s property, were the homes his grandfather & great grandfather had built—they are still standing, but damaged beyond repair. I took his picture next to Andrew on the site of his home. His courage is inspiring, & he’s planning to rebuild.
When Andrew & I got back to the motel, we spent some time reviewing information in our manuals & doing some planning for tomorrow. I wrote out a primitive checklist for me to follow, but both of us wish we had some written documentation & guidelines to follow. We had a serious season of prayer together, claiming God’s promises for direction as we give ourselves to Him to use tomorrow in managing the WH & office operations.
It’s getting late & we’ve already put some of our stuff in the van for tomorrow—I accidentally locked myself out of my room in the process. Fortunately the motel owner was very gracious to me, even chuckling at my dilemma. It’s time for me to shower & get some sleep—we’re heading out at 6 am in the morning so we can pickup ice for the coolers in the WH & arrive refreshed & ready to go.
Thanks for your continued prayers—we’re heading into the most challenging stretch of our time here!!!
Good night from Missouri—God’s hand is here & we are so blessed to experience His presence & be used by Him!!!!!!!!!
On the top of our “to-do list” for today is a visit to the Laundromat. With the extremely hot & humid weather [my thermometer registered 110° today]; it’s wonderful to replenish our supply of clean clothes. There were some children there & they were irresistibly drawn to Andrew, joyously showering us with bubbles from their battery operated bubble guns.
After the Laundromat, we restocked out groceries & other supplies at Wal-Mart. Then we went back to our rooms & changed our clothes so we’d be more appropriately attired for them rest of our adventures for the day. Andrew treated me to a delicious mid-afternoon meal at the local Chinese restaurant, Bam-Boo Gardens & then we drove into Joplin to photograph the unbelievable destruction. Pastor Seek had described it to us yesterday as “a tornado that acted like a hurricane!!!” What an accurate description!!!!!
We drove all through the huge affected area. As we were outside the car photographing the area around the hospital that was destroyed, a car pulled up to me & the man inside asked me if I’d ever seen damage like that before. As we visited a little bit, he pointed out the lot where the house he’d grown up in used to stand. Most of the debris has been hauled away & the only clues to its past were a slab of concrete & a hole in the ground. His daughter had been living in the house, but was at her parents’ home eating supper when the storm hit. His son living a few blocks away had watched in horror as the path of the storm widened & swallowed everything in its path. Just a block from this man’s property, were the homes his grandfather & great grandfather had built—they are still standing, but damaged beyond repair. I took his picture next to Andrew on the site of his home. His courage is inspiring, & he’s planning to rebuild.
When Andrew & I got back to the motel, we spent some time reviewing information in our manuals & doing some planning for tomorrow. I wrote out a primitive checklist for me to follow, but both of us wish we had some written documentation & guidelines to follow. We had a serious season of prayer together, claiming God’s promises for direction as we give ourselves to Him to use tomorrow in managing the WH & office operations.
It’s getting late & we’ve already put some of our stuff in the van for tomorrow—I accidentally locked myself out of my room in the process. Fortunately the motel owner was very gracious to me, even chuckling at my dilemma. It’s time for me to shower & get some sleep—we’re heading out at 6 am in the morning so we can pickup ice for the coolers in the WH & arrive refreshed & ready to go.
Thanks for your continued prayers—we’re heading into the most challenging stretch of our time here!!!
Good night from Missouri—God’s hand is here & we are so blessed to experience His presence & be used by Him!!!!!!!!!
Sunday, July 17, 2011
July 16, 2011 – Sabbath
What a wonderfully refreshing day this has been!!! After I got up at 7 am, I enjoyed a blessed time as I finished studying the Sabbath School lesson. Since “Susan” was our navigator to church in Joplin, we didn’t leave until 8:45. As we were following her directions, I joyously discovered the simplest way to get to Joplin—WHOOPEE!!!!!!!!!!!! This confirmed my evaluation that some of the signage in the area is less than straightforward & actually downright confusing.
One of the first people I saw when we arrived at church was one of the members who delivered our vegetarian lunch one day last week, Jeanne Simmons. She was the Sabbath School Superintendent & had an interesting presentation. When she described the different classes available, I chose to join the discussion class & Andrew visited the youth class.
Pastor Dwight Seek had a very inspiring & thought-provoking sermon. After church they had fellowship lunch. Andrew & I sat with another visitor, Sam, a man from Louisiana who came to Joplin to see if he could help some people with small home repairs. Pastor Seek & his wife, Jenny, both made a point of visiting with us & expressing their appreciation for our work at the WH.
When I checked my e-mail, my sign-on information for AidMatrix arrived, so Monday I’ll start learning & using this software that is designed to track inventory that comes into & goes out of the WH.
The temperature is REALLY hot—I think my van’s thermometer read over 100° this afternoon. When we got back to the motel, I turned on the A/C, my music, laid down & rested/slept. It felt so good to have a leisurely afternoon & evening. After a light supper, I worked on yesterday’s blog. I already gave Andrew notice that I’m sleeping in late tomorrow.
We’re having a GREAT experience, but starting on Monday Andrew will be the WH manager Carlene is planning to be there part of the day in the office with me, but as far as we know, we will be operating without any other trained and/or experienced volunteers. We’ve made it a prayer priority to petition Heaven for the special people & their individual gifts that will make things run smoothly.
PLEASE keep us in your prayers!!! Your prayers for the people of Joplin & also those serving the survivors are powerful & encourage us to “Be strong & of good courage!!!”
One of the first people I saw when we arrived at church was one of the members who delivered our vegetarian lunch one day last week, Jeanne Simmons. She was the Sabbath School Superintendent & had an interesting presentation. When she described the different classes available, I chose to join the discussion class & Andrew visited the youth class.
Pastor Dwight Seek had a very inspiring & thought-provoking sermon. After church they had fellowship lunch. Andrew & I sat with another visitor, Sam, a man from Louisiana who came to Joplin to see if he could help some people with small home repairs. Pastor Seek & his wife, Jenny, both made a point of visiting with us & expressing their appreciation for our work at the WH.
When I checked my e-mail, my sign-on information for AidMatrix arrived, so Monday I’ll start learning & using this software that is designed to track inventory that comes into & goes out of the WH.
The temperature is REALLY hot—I think my van’s thermometer read over 100° this afternoon. When we got back to the motel, I turned on the A/C, my music, laid down & rested/slept. It felt so good to have a leisurely afternoon & evening. After a light supper, I worked on yesterday’s blog. I already gave Andrew notice that I’m sleeping in late tomorrow.
We’re having a GREAT experience, but starting on Monday Andrew will be the WH manager Carlene is planning to be there part of the day in the office with me, but as far as we know, we will be operating without any other trained and/or experienced volunteers. We’ve made it a prayer priority to petition Heaven for the special people & their individual gifts that will make things run smoothly.
PLEASE keep us in your prayers!!! Your prayers for the people of Joplin & also those serving the survivors are powerful & encourage us to “Be strong & of good courage!!!”
Saturday, July 16, 2011
July 15, 2011- Friday
It’s Friday evening & I can’t believe how this week has flown by!!! This will be a much appreciated & restful Sabbath!!!
My alarm went off at 3:45 this morning, so I wasn’t totally groggy when Andrew called me at 4 am. It is Andrew’s birthday (45th) & wedding anniversary (13th) today so & sang “Happy Birthday” to him—I don’t think I’ve ever sung that song at that hour of the morning before!!!
Today was filled with the challenges of passing the forklift training test [Andrew, Carlene & I all passed—PTL!!!!!!!!!!!!], picking Carlene & Sam’s brains to try to capture all the information Andrew & I will need to lead the ACS warehouse [WH] operation next week so Sam & Carlene can have a break & return to their church & family activities, & saying “goodbye” to the awesome group of young people from Kansas City who have worked so hard & have blessed us so much this week!!!!!!! Before they left town, they stopped by the WH again & presented Mark S. with a bag of money they wanted to donate to help us minister to the people of Joplin—this was money they each contributed from their own personal spending money!!! We were all so touched by their sacrifice, & Mark told them we’d use it to help the people living in the tent city. Sam is planning to get a plaque, go visit their church some Sunday, and make a special report to their church family about their AWESOME ministry in Joplin. They processed approximately 250 – 280 pallets of donations in the two & a half days they worked with us!!!
Carlene had some serious software issues as she was trying to enter corrections into the AidMatrix database that is designed to keep accurate records of our inventory. The only person who has authority to give people access to the system has been unable to set me up in the system due to no internet service where she is staying. This was very disappointing to us because we were planning on getting our inventory records up-to-date before Carlene left tonight.
It was another sweltering day in Missouri with a temperature of 100° outside when we shut down the warehouse early at 4 pm. The weather forecast tonight is predicting 99° temps this weekend with no relief in sight next week.
Suzanne’s Natural Food Store in Joplin provides delicious vegetarian meals for the management team at the warehouse everyday & local Adventist Church members pick the food up & bring it to the warehouse for us. This is a tremendous blessing to our team! They advertised in the local media offering free vegetarian meals to workers & those affected by the tornado, & so the pastor’s wife, Jenny, contacted them & made the arrangements for us. This is a ministry I hope I remember to suggest to my church family back in MN as an awesome way to use a person’s cooking talents in disaster relief ministry.
Andrew & I have been eating breakfast & supper in our rooms at the motel in Carthage, purchasing food at Wal-Mart & utilizing our refrigerators & microwaves. Our rooms aren’t fancy, but are very cozy & comfortable & the owners are very friendly & helpful. It is located on the very edge of town by a lake & it’s wonderfully quiet & peaceful. When we leave in the mornings, birds are serenading us.
Another wonderful blessing I received today was a chair massage from a professional massage therapist. A group of therapists visit different agencies providing disaster relief & give free chair massages to the workers. What a great boost to the spirits & bodies of people working to help others.
In spite of my efforts to avoid this, Andrew & I took yet another “scenic route” to Joplin for our forklift training (if you can call driving on unfamiliar roads before sunrise “scenic”!!!) & it was only by God’s grace in answering our fervent prayers & “Susan’s” directions that got us to our training on time!!! Andrew has been so patient with my stubborn persistence in trying to conquer my navigational dyslexia from Carthage to Joplin. Tomorrow “Susan” will be our navigator to church.
While most of our volunteers were at lunch, I spent a little time practicing driving a forklift. Mark S. showed me exactly how to change the propane fuel tank & Mark G. gave me some very helpful pointers to avoid common problems. I found a pallet that was setting sort of by itself, approaching it from two different directions & raising it. Next week hopefully there will be some slow times when I can get more practice so my brain will have a deeper imprint & I will remember the proper procedures readily & become more comfortable using this machinery.
Andrew & I stopped at Wal-Mart again on our way home & picked up more fruit, juice & other food so we’re prepared for Sabbath. After eating & finishing my preparations for Sabbath it was almost sundown. Andrew came to my room & we welcomed the Sabbath together. Isaac (my son) called so I had a chance to talk with him & my precious grandson, Kayden. They’ve had torrential rain there, but praise God, He has kept them safe. I’ve spent some time documenting the day’s activities, & now it’s time to enjoy a good night’s sleep.
Please keep us in your prayers, that God will totally possess us & that we will hear His voice & follow His direction. We’ve been earnestly praying that God will send us the people we need this coming week & we solicit your prayers for this, too.
Goodnight from Joplin, MO where the devastation is incredible, but God’s intervention is GREATER & His Spirit is working mightily!!!!!!!!!!!
My alarm went off at 3:45 this morning, so I wasn’t totally groggy when Andrew called me at 4 am. It is Andrew’s birthday (45th) & wedding anniversary (13th) today so & sang “Happy Birthday” to him—I don’t think I’ve ever sung that song at that hour of the morning before!!!
Today was filled with the challenges of passing the forklift training test [Andrew, Carlene & I all passed—PTL!!!!!!!!!!!!], picking Carlene & Sam’s brains to try to capture all the information Andrew & I will need to lead the ACS warehouse [WH] operation next week so Sam & Carlene can have a break & return to their church & family activities, & saying “goodbye” to the awesome group of young people from Kansas City who have worked so hard & have blessed us so much this week!!!!!!! Before they left town, they stopped by the WH again & presented Mark S. with a bag of money they wanted to donate to help us minister to the people of Joplin—this was money they each contributed from their own personal spending money!!! We were all so touched by their sacrifice, & Mark told them we’d use it to help the people living in the tent city. Sam is planning to get a plaque, go visit their church some Sunday, and make a special report to their church family about their AWESOME ministry in Joplin. They processed approximately 250 – 280 pallets of donations in the two & a half days they worked with us!!!
Carlene had some serious software issues as she was trying to enter corrections into the AidMatrix database that is designed to keep accurate records of our inventory. The only person who has authority to give people access to the system has been unable to set me up in the system due to no internet service where she is staying. This was very disappointing to us because we were planning on getting our inventory records up-to-date before Carlene left tonight.
It was another sweltering day in Missouri with a temperature of 100° outside when we shut down the warehouse early at 4 pm. The weather forecast tonight is predicting 99° temps this weekend with no relief in sight next week.
Suzanne’s Natural Food Store in Joplin provides delicious vegetarian meals for the management team at the warehouse everyday & local Adventist Church members pick the food up & bring it to the warehouse for us. This is a tremendous blessing to our team! They advertised in the local media offering free vegetarian meals to workers & those affected by the tornado, & so the pastor’s wife, Jenny, contacted them & made the arrangements for us. This is a ministry I hope I remember to suggest to my church family back in MN as an awesome way to use a person’s cooking talents in disaster relief ministry.
Andrew & I have been eating breakfast & supper in our rooms at the motel in Carthage, purchasing food at Wal-Mart & utilizing our refrigerators & microwaves. Our rooms aren’t fancy, but are very cozy & comfortable & the owners are very friendly & helpful. It is located on the very edge of town by a lake & it’s wonderfully quiet & peaceful. When we leave in the mornings, birds are serenading us.
Another wonderful blessing I received today was a chair massage from a professional massage therapist. A group of therapists visit different agencies providing disaster relief & give free chair massages to the workers. What a great boost to the spirits & bodies of people working to help others.
In spite of my efforts to avoid this, Andrew & I took yet another “scenic route” to Joplin for our forklift training (if you can call driving on unfamiliar roads before sunrise “scenic”!!!) & it was only by God’s grace in answering our fervent prayers & “Susan’s” directions that got us to our training on time!!! Andrew has been so patient with my stubborn persistence in trying to conquer my navigational dyslexia from Carthage to Joplin. Tomorrow “Susan” will be our navigator to church.
While most of our volunteers were at lunch, I spent a little time practicing driving a forklift. Mark S. showed me exactly how to change the propane fuel tank & Mark G. gave me some very helpful pointers to avoid common problems. I found a pallet that was setting sort of by itself, approaching it from two different directions & raising it. Next week hopefully there will be some slow times when I can get more practice so my brain will have a deeper imprint & I will remember the proper procedures readily & become more comfortable using this machinery.
Andrew & I stopped at Wal-Mart again on our way home & picked up more fruit, juice & other food so we’re prepared for Sabbath. After eating & finishing my preparations for Sabbath it was almost sundown. Andrew came to my room & we welcomed the Sabbath together. Isaac (my son) called so I had a chance to talk with him & my precious grandson, Kayden. They’ve had torrential rain there, but praise God, He has kept them safe. I’ve spent some time documenting the day’s activities, & now it’s time to enjoy a good night’s sleep.
Please keep us in your prayers, that God will totally possess us & that we will hear His voice & follow His direction. We’ve been earnestly praying that God will send us the people we need this coming week & we solicit your prayers for this, too.
Goodnight from Joplin, MO where the devastation is incredible, but God’s intervention is GREATER & His Spirit is working mightily!!!!!!!!!!!
Thursday, July 14, 2011
ACS DR Deployment – July, 2011
July 11, 2011- Monday
Today was a long day & I’m really exhausted. I left home at 7:13 am to meet Andrew Thompson at Owatonna in the Target parking lot, arriving there just moments before he arrived. After transferring his gear to my car & having prayer with his friend Alex, we hit the road for Joplin.
We stopped about 11:30 am in Bethany, MO for lunch at Subway & filled the tank with gas. Then back on the road again. We were hoping to reach Joplin so we could connect with the ACS DR management team at the warehouse before they closed for the day. Andrew kept me entertained with lively conversation, so I never became droopy or sleepy.
Just south of Nevada, MO we contacted Roy Weeden to give him a “heads-up” about our ETA. After some confusion finding the right exits to Joplin, we discovered we were close to the local AAA office, where I delightedly secured a map of Joplin. It was just after 4:00 pm. Andrew pulled out his GPS to guide us to the warehouse. “Susan” (the name of Andrew’s GPS) directed our route through some of the incredible devastation. The media’s photos I saw before coming to Joplin failed to capture the enormity of the tragedy!!! We arrived at the warehouse about 4:45 pm. My car said it was 104° F with a Heat Advisory!
The ACS Multi-Agency Warehouse manager Sam Whatley & his wife, Carlene, the Office Manager greeted us warmly, introducing us to some of the volunteers. I was delighted to discover that Carlene was the Praise Team leader for the MAUC Constituency Meetings, whose ministry had really blessed my heart earlier this year at Lincoln, NE. Andrew & I were both very impressed with Sam & Carlene’s operation—especially when we found out that they were working without ever having the opportunity of taking ACS/DR training!!! We headed to our motel with eager anticipation of being a part of the Whatley’s team.
After taking the “scenic route” [read a few wrong turns!!!] back to Carthage, we arrived at our cozy motel about 6:30 pm. The desk clerk gave us great customer service, providing us with a map of Carthage & highlighting some of the local tourist attractions, restaurants, & also the location of a grocery store & Wal-Mart. Andrew helped me get my stuff to my room & then we proceeded to get settled. I was very pleased to discover we not only have refrigerators (with a small freezer big enough to freeze the ice bottle for my little cooler) in our rooms, but microwaves, too. God answered my prayers about room location—my room is on the ground floor with a parking space right outside the door. I dreaded the thought of trying to drag my heavy bags up stairs!!!
After unpacking my clothes & eating the cherries I brought & a few almonds, I decided to drive down to Wal-Mart & pick up a few groceries & items I hadn’t even thought about bringing. Andrew had said he was set for the night & had several calls to make, so I didn’t let him know what I was doing. While I was gone, Andrew decided to walk down toward my room, & discovered my car was missing, so he gave me a call. I confessed that I was checking out “Wally-World.” We set 6:30 am as our departure tomorrow morning for the warehouse. When I got back to the motel, I put my treasures away, brought a foam mattress (still in my van from camp meeting) into my room to make my bed a little comfier, took a shower, checked my e-mail & now am ready to crash for the night. It’s about 11 pm & it’s been a very BLESSED day. Tomorrow the real adventure begins!!!
July 12, 2011- Tuesday
I wasn’t ready to get up this morning when my alarm went off, but no time to be lazy today!!! After worship & breakfast in my room, Andrew called me & we headed to work. Today we were introduced to the three guys who own & manage their own business from the warehouse—Mark S., Mark G. & Kelly. These are some really SUPER guys who have put most of their personal business stuff on hold in order to serve the people of Joplin. They are committed to maintaining & assisting ACS in this warehouse for as long as this warehouse is needed—estimated to be approximately a year. Sam gave Andrew & me a tour of the warehouse. It’s a wonderful facility, 60,000 sq. ft, recently built with air-conditioned offices & break room & absolutely ideal for ACS’ operation.
While Sam was showing us around, Carlene came & told us about a call she took from someone at the FEMA office where a teenage single mother of a toddler came in needing diapers & other things to care for her child & herself. What fun it was to pick out items that would bring some hope into her situation & supply her needs!!!
Sam & his team had already put together a large order for delivery to a tent city that Mark S. discovered yesterday. A group of about 100 people, whose homes were destroyed & who were under-insured or without insurance, have banded together, pooled their resources, arranged for electricity to be run out to an open area near a creek in the city, & are literally living in tents. The heat & humidity has been oppressive with temps over 100° F. My car registered 106° F when we left work after 5 pm tonight!!! Apparently several other groups had promised them help, but failed to come through with it. Mark made a list of things stocked in our warehouse that they needed desperately & promised them he’d be back. This afternoon he & Sam delivered the goods in a Penske rental truck we’re using, & the people were thrilled & very grateful. Mark S. & Sam did a further evaluation of their needs, & a group of us (including Andrew & me) will go over there Thursday night to give them more assistance.
One of the volunteers today reported that last weekend there were several deaths due to depression S/P the tornado—people who had lost everything & couldn’t hang in any longer. How tragic!!!
We had lots of volunteers working in the warehouse [WH] today, sorting & palletizing donations. Andrew is working closely with Sam so he will be prepared to manage the WH next week after Sam leaves. I am working in the office with Carlene, shadowing her so I can learn how to manage the office. A group of volunteers is working to get everything inventoried & then Carlene will show me how to enter all the data in the Aidmatrix inventory software. I had an adventure putting together a spreadsheet in Windows 7 & sorting inventory sheets.
Tomorrow Andrew & I will find out when we are scheduled for our training for fork lift certification. We’ll have to be at the training site by 6 am that morning so we can finish our two-hour class including exam before the teacher’s business opens for the day.
During some of our slow time today, I studied my Joplin map & now have a much better feel about the lay of the land. In fact, Andrew & I didn’t need “Susan” to get back to the hotel tonight! We gave Sam a ride to his hotel after work today & he had us drive through the most heavily damaged area of town. After seeing the obliteration of buildings & identifying landmarks, I can hardly believe that the death toll wasn’t in the multiple thousands!!! I think Sam said that over 8,000 homes were completely destroyed. Dump trucks are working around the clock & every three seconds another truck is filled with debris & heading out to haul it away.
Andrew & I stopped at Wal-Mart on our way back to the motel tonight & purchased food we can prepare & eat in our rooms. Andrew shared some Special K Loaf with me that he brought from home & it was a special treat for supper.
It’s almost 11:30 pm & thundering pretty good outside (but no rain yet), so I better close this epistle, get a quick shower & get to bed. I’m not used to the early mornings!!! Hopefully I can get this posted on my blog tomorrow.
Before I close, I must say that although my day was long, I’m having a blast!!! I feel like I’ve known Andrew for years, & I know that Sam & Carlene will be treasured friends because of our wonderful time together. Mark, Mark & Kelly are such neat guys with very tender hearts & fun bantering personalities. Mark S.’ dad stopped by the office & he is a delightful man, too!.
I already know that it will be difficult for me to go home, because a part of my heart will stay here in Joplin. [I’m not sure how it got here from India!!!] It’s awesome to be part of something that touches people’s lives in such personal & intimate ways. What fun it is to work with people with differing denominational backgrounds, but working together to serve others whose needs are beyond my comprehension as existing here in the United States.
July 13, 2011- Wednesday
My tail is really dragging tonight, but it was a very good day. I haven’t quite adjusted to getting up at 5 am, heading to the warehouse by 6:30 am & not getting back to the motel until after 7 pm this evening. The late arrival back at the motel tonight was partially due to a quick stop at Wal-Mart & gassing up the chariot.
It was pouring rain this morning when we drove into Joplin & that cooled off the temps a bit. Carlene had to do some errands today, so I held the fort at the office this afternoon, getting some good experience in processing orders to go out to the local distribution centers. We had a visit from some FEMA officials, too.
We had about 130 volunteers sorting, categorizing & palletizing donations. One group is a group of young people from a Baptist Church near Kansas City. Their leader is a lady named Kathy (sp?) who has the awesome talent of encouraging & inspiring these young people to work together with phenomenal productivity, fantastic attitudes, & having lots of fun along the way. The joy & energy of this group really blessed my heart. Those kids processed 131 pallets of donations. Praise the Lord—they will be back to work with us again on Thursday & Friday!!!
I had planned on posting my epistles on my blog tonight, but for some reason I can’t access the internet at the hotel. After wrestling with my computer & making some calls to my family, it is after 11 pm & I must get some sleep!!! Andrew & I plan to leave at 6 am tomorrow in order to learn the routine daily procedures starting with the warehouse opening at 7 am.
July 14, 2011- Thursday
Getting up this morning at 4:30 this morning was really tough, but we were the first to arrive at the warehouse—in spite of another scenic route resulting in “Susan’s” intervention!!! It really confuses me when I have to take a highway labeled “North” that goes north in order to go south!!! The highway signage in this area is less than straightforward!!!
Every day I’m feeling a bit less uneasy knowing that Sam & Carlene will not be there next week & Andrew & I will need to manage without their expertise. Today was the last day for a couple of our most valuable volunteers—a father (Chuck) & son (Thomas) team from Texas that have been fantastic at training & working with the volunteers Americorps & one of the local Baptist churches send us. It was tough saying “goodbye” to them tonight!!!
It was beastly hot again today, so we shut down the warehouse early—it was getting too hot for the volunteers. Chuck & Thomas purchased some supplies for the people living in the tent city, so we stopped by there on our way home. As I spoke to some of the people living there, I had to fight back the tears. These people have nothing except what they have in their tents. They have put up some toilet & shower facilities, & they have a big chest freezer & full size frig sitting outside that they share.
We visited with a man named Vincent who is living there & covers security there nights. He showed Andrew & me his living situation—a tent & a plastic tarp held up with some poles where he can sit at a card table & have some shade. Vincent introduced us to Christine, who lives in a pop-up camper there & is acting as “mayor” of their community. While we were talking to Christine, another man came up to show us a young bird that survived the tornado as a baby & is being raised by their community. It’s very tame, riding on their shoulders or perching on peoples’ fingers or heads. They named the bird, “Stormy,” & he seems to symbolize the heroic survival spirit of their group. I took some photographs there, but was careful to
ask permission before taking pictures of people’s faces.
The Joplin City Administrator & some higher ranking FEMA officials came & toured the warehouse today to see what is happening in our facility so they can develop plans to eventually transition its operation to meet Joplin’s long-term recovery needs.
Andrew & I spent some time in special prayer after we arrived back at our motel tonight, praying that God will send us the trained leadership team we will need next week. The management team that has been working in Joplin with us this week all need to be gone most if not all of next week. God alone knows who we need to work with us next week!!!
Well, it’s just after 9:30 pm & I MUST get to bed ASAP!!! Tomorrow Andrew & I need to be in Joplin very early so we can start fork lift certification training about 6 am. I’ve studied my map very carefully tonight & by God’s grace, I think I’ve discovered a straightforward route to get us to the training site tomorrow. We plan to head out at 5 am so we have a little leeway. I’m really looking forward to Sabbath & hopefully sleeping in a bit on Sunday.
Please keep us in your prayers!!!!!!!!!!!!
Today was a long day & I’m really exhausted. I left home at 7:13 am to meet Andrew Thompson at Owatonna in the Target parking lot, arriving there just moments before he arrived. After transferring his gear to my car & having prayer with his friend Alex, we hit the road for Joplin.
We stopped about 11:30 am in Bethany, MO for lunch at Subway & filled the tank with gas. Then back on the road again. We were hoping to reach Joplin so we could connect with the ACS DR management team at the warehouse before they closed for the day. Andrew kept me entertained with lively conversation, so I never became droopy or sleepy.
Just south of Nevada, MO we contacted Roy Weeden to give him a “heads-up” about our ETA. After some confusion finding the right exits to Joplin, we discovered we were close to the local AAA office, where I delightedly secured a map of Joplin. It was just after 4:00 pm. Andrew pulled out his GPS to guide us to the warehouse. “Susan” (the name of Andrew’s GPS) directed our route through some of the incredible devastation. The media’s photos I saw before coming to Joplin failed to capture the enormity of the tragedy!!! We arrived at the warehouse about 4:45 pm. My car said it was 104° F with a Heat Advisory!
The ACS Multi-Agency Warehouse manager Sam Whatley & his wife, Carlene, the Office Manager greeted us warmly, introducing us to some of the volunteers. I was delighted to discover that Carlene was the Praise Team leader for the MAUC Constituency Meetings, whose ministry had really blessed my heart earlier this year at Lincoln, NE. Andrew & I were both very impressed with Sam & Carlene’s operation—especially when we found out that they were working without ever having the opportunity of taking ACS/DR training!!! We headed to our motel with eager anticipation of being a part of the Whatley’s team.
After taking the “scenic route” [read a few wrong turns!!!] back to Carthage, we arrived at our cozy motel about 6:30 pm. The desk clerk gave us great customer service, providing us with a map of Carthage & highlighting some of the local tourist attractions, restaurants, & also the location of a grocery store & Wal-Mart. Andrew helped me get my stuff to my room & then we proceeded to get settled. I was very pleased to discover we not only have refrigerators (with a small freezer big enough to freeze the ice bottle for my little cooler) in our rooms, but microwaves, too. God answered my prayers about room location—my room is on the ground floor with a parking space right outside the door. I dreaded the thought of trying to drag my heavy bags up stairs!!!
After unpacking my clothes & eating the cherries I brought & a few almonds, I decided to drive down to Wal-Mart & pick up a few groceries & items I hadn’t even thought about bringing. Andrew had said he was set for the night & had several calls to make, so I didn’t let him know what I was doing. While I was gone, Andrew decided to walk down toward my room, & discovered my car was missing, so he gave me a call. I confessed that I was checking out “Wally-World.” We set 6:30 am as our departure tomorrow morning for the warehouse. When I got back to the motel, I put my treasures away, brought a foam mattress (still in my van from camp meeting) into my room to make my bed a little comfier, took a shower, checked my e-mail & now am ready to crash for the night. It’s about 11 pm & it’s been a very BLESSED day. Tomorrow the real adventure begins!!!
July 12, 2011- Tuesday
I wasn’t ready to get up this morning when my alarm went off, but no time to be lazy today!!! After worship & breakfast in my room, Andrew called me & we headed to work. Today we were introduced to the three guys who own & manage their own business from the warehouse—Mark S., Mark G. & Kelly. These are some really SUPER guys who have put most of their personal business stuff on hold in order to serve the people of Joplin. They are committed to maintaining & assisting ACS in this warehouse for as long as this warehouse is needed—estimated to be approximately a year. Sam gave Andrew & me a tour of the warehouse. It’s a wonderful facility, 60,000 sq. ft, recently built with air-conditioned offices & break room & absolutely ideal for ACS’ operation.
While Sam was showing us around, Carlene came & told us about a call she took from someone at the FEMA office where a teenage single mother of a toddler came in needing diapers & other things to care for her child & herself. What fun it was to pick out items that would bring some hope into her situation & supply her needs!!!
Sam & his team had already put together a large order for delivery to a tent city that Mark S. discovered yesterday. A group of about 100 people, whose homes were destroyed & who were under-insured or without insurance, have banded together, pooled their resources, arranged for electricity to be run out to an open area near a creek in the city, & are literally living in tents. The heat & humidity has been oppressive with temps over 100° F. My car registered 106° F when we left work after 5 pm tonight!!! Apparently several other groups had promised them help, but failed to come through with it. Mark made a list of things stocked in our warehouse that they needed desperately & promised them he’d be back. This afternoon he & Sam delivered the goods in a Penske rental truck we’re using, & the people were thrilled & very grateful. Mark S. & Sam did a further evaluation of their needs, & a group of us (including Andrew & me) will go over there Thursday night to give them more assistance.
One of the volunteers today reported that last weekend there were several deaths due to depression S/P the tornado—people who had lost everything & couldn’t hang in any longer. How tragic!!!
We had lots of volunteers working in the warehouse [WH] today, sorting & palletizing donations. Andrew is working closely with Sam so he will be prepared to manage the WH next week after Sam leaves. I am working in the office with Carlene, shadowing her so I can learn how to manage the office. A group of volunteers is working to get everything inventoried & then Carlene will show me how to enter all the data in the Aidmatrix inventory software. I had an adventure putting together a spreadsheet in Windows 7 & sorting inventory sheets.
Tomorrow Andrew & I will find out when we are scheduled for our training for fork lift certification. We’ll have to be at the training site by 6 am that morning so we can finish our two-hour class including exam before the teacher’s business opens for the day.
During some of our slow time today, I studied my Joplin map & now have a much better feel about the lay of the land. In fact, Andrew & I didn’t need “Susan” to get back to the hotel tonight! We gave Sam a ride to his hotel after work today & he had us drive through the most heavily damaged area of town. After seeing the obliteration of buildings & identifying landmarks, I can hardly believe that the death toll wasn’t in the multiple thousands!!! I think Sam said that over 8,000 homes were completely destroyed. Dump trucks are working around the clock & every three seconds another truck is filled with debris & heading out to haul it away.
Andrew & I stopped at Wal-Mart on our way back to the motel tonight & purchased food we can prepare & eat in our rooms. Andrew shared some Special K Loaf with me that he brought from home & it was a special treat for supper.
It’s almost 11:30 pm & thundering pretty good outside (but no rain yet), so I better close this epistle, get a quick shower & get to bed. I’m not used to the early mornings!!! Hopefully I can get this posted on my blog tomorrow.
Before I close, I must say that although my day was long, I’m having a blast!!! I feel like I’ve known Andrew for years, & I know that Sam & Carlene will be treasured friends because of our wonderful time together. Mark, Mark & Kelly are such neat guys with very tender hearts & fun bantering personalities. Mark S.’ dad stopped by the office & he is a delightful man, too!.
I already know that it will be difficult for me to go home, because a part of my heart will stay here in Joplin. [I’m not sure how it got here from India!!!] It’s awesome to be part of something that touches people’s lives in such personal & intimate ways. What fun it is to work with people with differing denominational backgrounds, but working together to serve others whose needs are beyond my comprehension as existing here in the United States.
July 13, 2011- Wednesday
My tail is really dragging tonight, but it was a very good day. I haven’t quite adjusted to getting up at 5 am, heading to the warehouse by 6:30 am & not getting back to the motel until after 7 pm this evening. The late arrival back at the motel tonight was partially due to a quick stop at Wal-Mart & gassing up the chariot.
It was pouring rain this morning when we drove into Joplin & that cooled off the temps a bit. Carlene had to do some errands today, so I held the fort at the office this afternoon, getting some good experience in processing orders to go out to the local distribution centers. We had a visit from some FEMA officials, too.
We had about 130 volunteers sorting, categorizing & palletizing donations. One group is a group of young people from a Baptist Church near Kansas City. Their leader is a lady named Kathy (sp?) who has the awesome talent of encouraging & inspiring these young people to work together with phenomenal productivity, fantastic attitudes, & having lots of fun along the way. The joy & energy of this group really blessed my heart. Those kids processed 131 pallets of donations. Praise the Lord—they will be back to work with us again on Thursday & Friday!!!
I had planned on posting my epistles on my blog tonight, but for some reason I can’t access the internet at the hotel. After wrestling with my computer & making some calls to my family, it is after 11 pm & I must get some sleep!!! Andrew & I plan to leave at 6 am tomorrow in order to learn the routine daily procedures starting with the warehouse opening at 7 am.
July 14, 2011- Thursday
Getting up this morning at 4:30 this morning was really tough, but we were the first to arrive at the warehouse—in spite of another scenic route resulting in “Susan’s” intervention!!! It really confuses me when I have to take a highway labeled “North” that goes north in order to go south!!! The highway signage in this area is less than straightforward!!!
Every day I’m feeling a bit less uneasy knowing that Sam & Carlene will not be there next week & Andrew & I will need to manage without their expertise. Today was the last day for a couple of our most valuable volunteers—a father (Chuck) & son (Thomas) team from Texas that have been fantastic at training & working with the volunteers Americorps & one of the local Baptist churches send us. It was tough saying “goodbye” to them tonight!!!
It was beastly hot again today, so we shut down the warehouse early—it was getting too hot for the volunteers. Chuck & Thomas purchased some supplies for the people living in the tent city, so we stopped by there on our way home. As I spoke to some of the people living there, I had to fight back the tears. These people have nothing except what they have in their tents. They have put up some toilet & shower facilities, & they have a big chest freezer & full size frig sitting outside that they share.
We visited with a man named Vincent who is living there & covers security there nights. He showed Andrew & me his living situation—a tent & a plastic tarp held up with some poles where he can sit at a card table & have some shade. Vincent introduced us to Christine, who lives in a pop-up camper there & is acting as “mayor” of their community. While we were talking to Christine, another man came up to show us a young bird that survived the tornado as a baby & is being raised by their community. It’s very tame, riding on their shoulders or perching on peoples’ fingers or heads. They named the bird, “Stormy,” & he seems to symbolize the heroic survival spirit of their group. I took some photographs there, but was careful to
ask permission before taking pictures of people’s faces.
The Joplin City Administrator & some higher ranking FEMA officials came & toured the warehouse today to see what is happening in our facility so they can develop plans to eventually transition its operation to meet Joplin’s long-term recovery needs.
Andrew & I spent some time in special prayer after we arrived back at our motel tonight, praying that God will send us the trained leadership team we will need next week. The management team that has been working in Joplin with us this week all need to be gone most if not all of next week. God alone knows who we need to work with us next week!!!
Well, it’s just after 9:30 pm & I MUST get to bed ASAP!!! Tomorrow Andrew & I need to be in Joplin very early so we can start fork lift certification training about 6 am. I’ve studied my map very carefully tonight & by God’s grace, I think I’ve discovered a straightforward route to get us to the training site tomorrow. We plan to head out at 5 am so we have a little leeway. I’m really looking forward to Sabbath & hopefully sleeping in a bit on Sunday.
Please keep us in your prayers!!!!!!!!!!!!
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