They measure their experience from their baptism, when faith and hope became more than just two words.
I was listening to a volunteer from South Carolina at lunch today. She told us that her group came down only a few weeks after Katrina. Their volunteer coordinator directed the group to a name and address to begin helping.
Well, it was pretty confusing then. The road signs were mostly gone, toppled trees and debris lay everywhere.
Eventually they found their way to the disheveled house. After a knock on the door, there was nothing but silence. After a minute or so, another knock. Nothing. They turned to go away concluding either they got the wrong address from the volunteer or the people weren’t home.
As they reached the first step, the front door opened and a man stood with the weary look of a person who has carried too great a burden for too long.
The group leader introduced himself and explained they were here to start helping the family clean up. The man’s eyes brightened.
“We have given up hope, it just doesn’t seem like we are ever going to get any help.”
The leader objected.
“Oh Mr. Bryan, no, we just got your name, that is why we are here. We are going to be the first crew who will eventually get you back into a new home.”
Mr. Bryan had a strange look, it seemed that his mouth was frozen in a frown but his cheeks were forcing the crack of a smile. Except there were tears in his eyes.
By this time his wife had come to the door and was holding onto the husband’s left arm.
We are the Doyles. The Bryan’s have the same address but they live on the next street over. You are at the wrong house. He said this haltingly with a broken voice. His wife whose face was expressionless, was squeezing his arm tightly as if would she let go her whole world might just spin right out of existence into the either.
“We are sorry, we did not mean to disturb you.”
“Oh you just do not know what you have done. We had given up and were sitting in our home looking at the moldy walls and the dirt. We had just made our pact, one of us was going to shoot the other and then turn the gun and end it for both of us. You saved our lives.”
You make a difference in everyone’s life when you volunteer your life to help someone. That difference, I think, in part has helped change people’s outlook here in Mississippi.
Now in year 3 A.K.E. , so many have rediscovered hope and can laugh again, even joking about their worst calamity as I saw on the rear fender of this Ford pickup in traffic yesterday afternoon…
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