Friday, October 4, 2024

Helene

I began this post thinking I'd wrap up our UK trip with a few stray thoughts still lingering, but then I started writing and ended up here. 

Hurricane Helene. 

Many of you have reached out to ask how we fared and I thank you for that. Honestly being out of town during a very major hurricane is both a good thing and a bad thing. We were literally an ocean away from it all, which meant whatever was happening was completely out of our control. 

Honestly we're never in control of the weather are we? 

Or many things we tell ourselves we can control, but especially the weather. 

We have wonderful neighbors who kept us in the loop, who checked on the house and the property, and who let us know we had no big trees down and no obvious damage. Our yard was covered in tree debris and we were without power for a few days, but it was restored by the time we arrived home Wednesday. Many in our area are not so lucky. The girl bagging my groceries today said they won't have power until Tuesday, fingers crossed. The storm happened September 26th. More than a week ago. 

I'm in South Carolina, in what is called the Upstate (so not the coast). We're just a hop, skip, and a jump from the beautiful NC mountains and we love the natural beauty and the many charming towns that dot the landscape there. 

Some of those towns are literally gone. Washed away. There one day and just completely gone the next. 

I don't feel like the media is adequately portraying the devastation, the tremendous loss of life, work, home, and nature that have happened here. It's hard to understand how a hurricane hits the highest point east of the Mississippi, but that particular geography complicates rescue efforts and help getting to people in need. 

This is turning out to be larger than Katrina in terms of scope and the death toll will rise as areas yet to be accessed are finally reached. Eight days in and people are still unaccounted for. 

One of my favorite things about America is the way her citizens rally in times of trouble and we are for sure seeing that here. Individuals, businesses, fire departments, and the like are collecting much needed items and pick up trucks are finding a way to get supplies over the mountain. Churches here have partnered with churches in the hardest hit areas to meet specific needs, volunteers are flying helicopters and small planes to both rescue the stranded and also drop essentials into remote areas. I saw a video of a woman getting her insulin via a drone drop which seems crazy but that's where we are. 

Many parts of Asheville and the surrounding small towns have no water and it's going to be that way for quite some time. Major highways are washed away and the rebuild for the interstate is expected to take more than one year. The major highway running from our area through NC and into Tennessee is going to be shut down for at least a year. 

And yet, in the midst of something hard to comprehend people are kind. They're generous. Their hearts are hurting and broken for people they don't know and this is the America I love. People doing practical things like making meals for the linemen and first responders, donating diapers and formula and get this-benadryl-because apparently the bees are really angry and out in force in some places. 

There are organizations on the ground like Samaritans Purse, the World Central Kitchen, and Operation Airdrop that all need donations to do what they do. If you can help in that way know it matters. The cost of recovery after Helene is estimated to be something like 34 billion dollars. 

It's easy to feel helpless in a situation such as this, but we are not helpless. And we are not alone. 

"God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging..." Psalm 46:1-3

14 comments:

  1. Hello Joyce, I have been praying for you and your family. Praying along with you for all.

    We have friends in Florida that have major damage. Our Florida friends lost a business and 1/2 of a home. Thankfully they are well and have a lot of support. We mailed a care package on Wednesday. They did receive good news, they received a forbearance on their mortgage until February.
    May our People continue to be the light of America.
    Love, Carla

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  2. I can imagine having mixed feelings about not being there when it hit. I just donated to Samaritan´s Purse from the link on your page. I say that not to toot my own horn about giving (I should have given prior to this...) but to let you know that your words were impactful... and having the links provided was convenient :). I appreciate your positive and uplifting words. I have been reading about the federal government´s shameful response and have found myself so angry. Your post highlighted the positiveness and that was just what my hardened heart needed.

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    1. Thanks so much for that. I went on a bit of a rant (maybe more than a bit) about the government's response but deleted it before I published. Shameful is a good word for it though. I think about how Bush was eviscerated for his response to Katrina but the media and Biden? Crickets. It's maddening.

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    2. The mainstream media isn't reporting this (obviously) but James O'Keefe has come up with another one. An exec at MSNBC admitted (/bragged) that MSNBC is doing everything in its power to get Harris elected. Basel Hamden said that MSNBC anchors say the exact same thing as Democratic party leaders. So, yeah, not a big shock that mainstream is not being critical of the administration's response.

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  3. I'm glad you arrived home safely and didn't have any major damage to contend with. The devastation sounds awful.

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  4. Helene has done so much damage and caused so much headache and governments can be so slow in responding to such tragedies.

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  5. I agree with your comment above, Joyce It is maddening. We were lucky here in my town but my sister, in Georgia, is still without power. Her immediate neighbor lost their home and car to fire and no help got there for over an hour because phone towers were down. At least they got out with their dogs and lives, if nothing else. It is devastating. Then I heard that most of the damages aren't covered by insurance. Who can come back from that? Maddening.

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  6. I agree with everything Maria said, and also thank you for posting the links. After going through Hurricane Harvey, I clearly saw the lack of help from FEMA and the Red Cross. I remember Red Cross driving around the neighborhood offering us a sandwich while we were mucking out our house. It was a nice gesture, but 2 pieces of white bread with a slice of lunch meat really didn't help much. All of our help came from local churches, coworkers who weren't affected, and even friends in other states who mobilized their churches and collected money. Now when a disaster strikes, I look for faith based or local charities to donate to. I guess we can file this topic under "Don't get me started..." :)

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  7. When disasters like this happen, it's normal to help as best you can. Neighbors who may never have said hello bring food and medicine and help! I believe that it is like this in all countries and not just in America!

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  8. What a worry to be away from home when a Hurricane was happening. I have seen the aftermath of what happened mostly on TikTok, the news here is never good at reporting things like that.

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  9. Thank you for your well written update on things as they really are in the swath of area near to you that has been devastated. It is so heartwarming to read about the churches and neighbors and other organizations that are giving and helping. We have family in North Carolina that were not in the heavy path of the storm and who are helping in any way they can. Just three years ago we drove through from Tennessee to Hickory, N.C. through many of these little towns that have been wiped out. It is so hard. Praying for God's comfort and mercy and that people will get what they need to survive and to be at peace with God.

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  10. I am so heartbroken over my favorite area of the country. I am glad y'all are safe.

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  11. It must have been REALLY strange to have this hurricane ravaging through your neighborhood when you were, as you said, an ocean away. I'm glad you're back now so you can feel some measure of control, such as it is (or is not). Thanks for the update. I have wondered what you would find upon your return.

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  12. I can't imagine the loss and devastation, even though I keep seeing pictures of it daily. My heart hurts with yours for all that you've shared with us today. I am sure that you have such mixed emotions about your property being fine, but seeing all the damage close by that affects you.

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