Monday, November 07, 2005
Mike & Canteen #15, stories
Today I want to share these few shorts stories from one of our team members Mike from HOPE FORCE who went home to Maryland yesterday. After you read his stories I ask you to pray for him. I closing his email to a few of us on the team he stated the following:
"In closing, let me say that it was difficult to go home. I was sitting in church yesterday with no sense of closure. I was thinking of my crew on No. 15 and wanting to be with them as they drove through the neighborhoods. I am praying for whatever closure God wants me to have so He can help me see a bigger picture, and continue to use this experience for His glory."
He states "I wanted to quickly relate a few stories to you before they slip from my memory. Perhaps you can somehow use them later."
Story 1: I saw a mother standing in line for drinks with her 2 kids in tow. Having 2 kids of my own I felt an overwhelming compassion for this woman and wanted to help her. So, I took her some drinks so she would’t have to wait. Her response stunned me. She said, “Thanks but no thanks. I’m trying to teach my children to stand in line.” I was blown away at how despite her circumstances; she was using her situation as a teachable moment. I had no category for this kind of response in my own mind before going to Biloxi.
Story 2: When Deborah came to our canteen truck, she eyes were red and swollen, and her body frail looking like it had been fighting sickness for some time. She was already a grandmother and didn’t look older than 35. We talked with her and she told us that she was sick from the mold and mildew in her house. She invited us in so we could see it and also talk with her mother. Both women appeared depressed and broken. We informed them about the local clinics and service centers nearby where they could get help. We also talked about God’s love for them. We were glad when they gratefully received the Bibles we offered. I prayed with Deborah before leaving that God would reveal Himself to her everyday through someone or something. I prayed for her to have hope. Afterwards, I gave her a long, hard hug like I really truly loved her as a sister in Christ. She hugged me back hard and began to cry. For a brief moment, our souls seemed locked together clutching to God’s provision. I’ll never forget it.
Story 3: Regina and her husband are both around 80 years old and have been married to each other for more than 50 years. They lived in the same house since 1955. Today, everything they owned, including their cars and all the little things they had collected over the years that represented so many memories, is gone. They now live in a small room in one of their children’s homes. Two months ago they had a nice house, no mortgage, and no car payments. But, because they didn’t have flood insurance, the only compensation they received from their insurance company was $8,000 for roof damage. They are too old to take on a new mortgage, and Regina cries every night because all she wants to do is “go home”. We prayed with Regina and her husband for God’s provision and love to meet all their needs.
Story 4: Many people we encountered are still in various forms of denial. One woman whose house was very severely damaged seemed most concerned about the bushes in her front yard because they always flowered this time of year. She wanted them to flower so badly, but they were dying because of all the saltwater from the hurricane. We gave her a Bible and told her that we’d pray for her. We continued to see her husband in the days that followed as we drove through their neighborhood and we always inquired about his wife. He said that she does a little better each day, but that she continues to worry heavily over the bushes. Also, Gloria and Howard’s house was lifted off its foundation and slammed into their neighbor’s house about 500 feet away. Everything they owned, including the equipment for their lawn care business, was either gone or destroyed. Howard also has back problems and is unable to work. We gave Gloria a Bible and asked if she would like us to pray for her. She said yes. When we asked her what she particularly wanted us to pray for, she said that her biggest fear right now was getting the bird flu. She worries about it day and night.
Story 5: We first saw Mona Stockstill, now a widow, crying in her front yard, picking through the debris of what used to be her home. She had lost all her photo albums, and all her other meaningful possessions that were attached to the memories of her kids’ weddings, etc. We fed her, gave her a Bible, and prayed for her. We didn’t see Mona again until a few days later. We asked her where she had been? She said that she had been too depressed to come out of her FEMA trailer and get our food. She said that the cold dark nights are always hard for her. We hugged her, prayed for her again, and told her that from now on, we’re bringing the food to her door and knocking hard until she answers.
Story 6: Nelly is 78 years old and had helped the Salvation Army for more than 50 years. She had spent most of her life in service to others. Now, she lives in a FEMA trailer and her house is damaged beyond repair. We took special care of Nelly and made her trailer a stopping point each day so we could pray and have a nice conversation with her. However, one day Nelly’s son answered the door and said that someone had found Nelly collapsed on the floor of her trailer. She was rushed to the hospital. We were crushed. That night, we went to the hospital to see Nelly, pray for her, and tell her that we loved her. She was so glad to see us.
"In closing, let me say that it was difficult to go home. I was sitting in church yesterday with no sense of closure. I was thinking of my crew on No. 15 and wanting to be with them as they drove through the neighborhoods. I am praying for whatever closure God wants me to have so He can help me see a bigger picture, and continue to use this experience for His glory."
He states "I wanted to quickly relate a few stories to you before they slip from my memory. Perhaps you can somehow use them later."
Story 1: I saw a mother standing in line for drinks with her 2 kids in tow. Having 2 kids of my own I felt an overwhelming compassion for this woman and wanted to help her. So, I took her some drinks so she would’t have to wait. Her response stunned me. She said, “Thanks but no thanks. I’m trying to teach my children to stand in line.” I was blown away at how despite her circumstances; she was using her situation as a teachable moment. I had no category for this kind of response in my own mind before going to Biloxi.
Story 2: When Deborah came to our canteen truck, she eyes were red and swollen, and her body frail looking like it had been fighting sickness for some time. She was already a grandmother and didn’t look older than 35. We talked with her and she told us that she was sick from the mold and mildew in her house. She invited us in so we could see it and also talk with her mother. Both women appeared depressed and broken. We informed them about the local clinics and service centers nearby where they could get help. We also talked about God’s love for them. We were glad when they gratefully received the Bibles we offered. I prayed with Deborah before leaving that God would reveal Himself to her everyday through someone or something. I prayed for her to have hope. Afterwards, I gave her a long, hard hug like I really truly loved her as a sister in Christ. She hugged me back hard and began to cry. For a brief moment, our souls seemed locked together clutching to God’s provision. I’ll never forget it.
Story 3: Regina and her husband are both around 80 years old and have been married to each other for more than 50 years. They lived in the same house since 1955. Today, everything they owned, including their cars and all the little things they had collected over the years that represented so many memories, is gone. They now live in a small room in one of their children’s homes. Two months ago they had a nice house, no mortgage, and no car payments. But, because they didn’t have flood insurance, the only compensation they received from their insurance company was $8,000 for roof damage. They are too old to take on a new mortgage, and Regina cries every night because all she wants to do is “go home”. We prayed with Regina and her husband for God’s provision and love to meet all their needs.
Story 4: Many people we encountered are still in various forms of denial. One woman whose house was very severely damaged seemed most concerned about the bushes in her front yard because they always flowered this time of year. She wanted them to flower so badly, but they were dying because of all the saltwater from the hurricane. We gave her a Bible and told her that we’d pray for her. We continued to see her husband in the days that followed as we drove through their neighborhood and we always inquired about his wife. He said that she does a little better each day, but that she continues to worry heavily over the bushes. Also, Gloria and Howard’s house was lifted off its foundation and slammed into their neighbor’s house about 500 feet away. Everything they owned, including the equipment for their lawn care business, was either gone or destroyed. Howard also has back problems and is unable to work. We gave Gloria a Bible and asked if she would like us to pray for her. She said yes. When we asked her what she particularly wanted us to pray for, she said that her biggest fear right now was getting the bird flu. She worries about it day and night.
Story 5: We first saw Mona Stockstill, now a widow, crying in her front yard, picking through the debris of what used to be her home. She had lost all her photo albums, and all her other meaningful possessions that were attached to the memories of her kids’ weddings, etc. We fed her, gave her a Bible, and prayed for her. We didn’t see Mona again until a few days later. We asked her where she had been? She said that she had been too depressed to come out of her FEMA trailer and get our food. She said that the cold dark nights are always hard for her. We hugged her, prayed for her again, and told her that from now on, we’re bringing the food to her door and knocking hard until she answers.
Story 6: Nelly is 78 years old and had helped the Salvation Army for more than 50 years. She had spent most of her life in service to others. Now, she lives in a FEMA trailer and her house is damaged beyond repair. We took special care of Nelly and made her trailer a stopping point each day so we could pray and have a nice conversation with her. However, one day Nelly’s son answered the door and said that someone had found Nelly collapsed on the floor of her trailer. She was rushed to the hospital. We were crushed. That night, we went to the hospital to see Nelly, pray for her, and tell her that we loved her. She was so glad to see us.
# posted by Alexis @ 10:31 p.m. 
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