Mallard Nest: 2011

May 22, 2011 a massive 3/4 of a mile wide tornado tore through the middle of Joplin, MO.

(After and Before aerial photo of Joplin taken from the internet)

"The tornado, which struck around dinner time, crushed nearly a third of the city. It pounded about 2,000 buildings, knocked out power and cellphone service for many, and damaged water treatment and sewage plants. The tangled remains of cars and trucks were overturned and thrown against buildings and trees. Some blocks were jagged mounds of debris, while others were stripped to utter emptiness: just foundations of homes and tree trunks — no leaves, no branches, no bark.

The tornado did catastrophic damage to a Wal-Mart, a high school and a nursing home apartment building, and ripped through the places that exist to respond to emergencies, like a fire station, where a brick wall was crumbled over a fire truck, and the hospital, whose sign was reported to have been spotted miles from Joplin.

It was the deadliest single tornado in more than half a century, and it adds to a season of particularly deadly tornadoes. Storms in the Midwest and South have killed hundreds of people in the last two months, and left millions of dollars of damage behind."

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/24/us/24tornado.html

23 days later Hope and I joined our church to spend the day helping with the relief effort.

Here is what we saw.

Originally, I was planning on changing the pictures of the destruction to Black and White to enhance the solemn feeling I thought I was going to have driving down 20th street. But that is not at all what I felt.

I saw a strong city, heeling with the help of friends, family and neighbors. I saw people who didn't know each other, from all walks of life, working hand in hand to rebuild the city. I saw Life and Hope! It felt exhilarating and empowering to see America coming together!

The storm may have won the battle, but Joplin was not defeated!

All over town there were workers and relief stations set up to help the victims of that terrible storm. Despite the devastation it was heart warming to see America coming to the aid of those in need!

The beginning of our day of work organizing donations and helping the victims who came.

35 people from our church went down for the second trip to help. Children under 17 and their parents were put to work in the distribution locations. There were 3 adults and 6 children from our group. The rest continued on to help clean up the devastation.

We heard heart warming stories of human selflessness and of countless miracles.

One such miracle happened shortly after we arrived. All the volunteers at our location were called together to pray for a volunteer who had fallen in a well. Later we found out that that volunteer was a young teenage boy who picked up a board covering a well. He took a step and fell 40 into water. It took an hour and a half to get him out. Thank God he only had a sprained ankle and needed some stitches on his arm!

The donations were flooding in all day!

One of the boxes I opened had a note that I thought I would share!

The kids from our church worked hard all day! When they were done with one task they would search out where they were needed next! I didn't hear one complain and they did it with a smile!

I saw products that I have never even heard of! This one is Aloe Vera Toothgel!

What the.... Aloe?!?!?...Toothgel?

It gets better. I tried to read the directions to figure out what it was and they were in spanish! And.... it is made in TX! If anyone can read spanish can you please translate!

My heart went out to all the children who came through those doors who had been affected by the tornado! They were princes and princesses still smiling!