Day Two!

Hey Everyone

When we as a youth group decided to come to Joplin, I wasn't sure what to expect to be honest. Would the town be all picked up, homes rebuilt, and buildings reopened? As the second day of work comes to close, I have gained a few insights.

One, the town for the most part is pick up. However, there are many, MANY deep wounds that are still fresh. The part of Joplin that was most affected was once filled with trees, hospitals, office buildings, apartment complexes, school, churchs, senior citizen centers, and perhaps most importantly houses that were homes. Most of the rubble is cleared with the expection of the high school, hospital, and a few houses. But when one takes a closer look, the houses still have massive amounts of repair work to be done. Rick, the homeowner of the house MacP is working on, said something today when I spoke to him that really resinated with me. He said that he is surprised yet eternally thankful for the amount of work that continues to be done in Joplin. He told me that all to often with disasters people come and help rebuild/clean up and then leave after a few months. He expressed his concern that Joplin would become one of those cities, helped yet forgotten once some other disaster happened. As I listened to Rick, I realized how true this statement was and I became very greatful that we can to Joplin so show Rick that 'outsiders' still care about the condition of Joplin.

Two, the enormity of the tornado really sunk in when I saw those infamous Katrina X's. For those of you who don't know, when Katrina hit the disaster workers would go around and spray paint massive X's on the houses to signify if the house was searched, occupided, and the condition. To the nation, these X's came to signify the dispare and the gravity of the entire Katrina horror. I never thought that I would see one of these X's firsthand anywhere else besides Katrina. However, as I left the house for the afternoon on Monday, I glanced out the car window to the house across the street from where we are working. There it was, point blank on the boarded up door. The X with the four corners filled with the info about the condition of the house. Right then and there did I cone to realize that this Joplin disaster is just as real as Katrina and any other disaster.

Three, this has been a pretty sweet Mission Trip! I mean, I have been with the group that is literally rebuilding the porch on the second floor roof. Who would have thought we could we making walls! And for the record, nailing in nails is much harder than it looks. Totally over estimated the amount of work needed to nail in a nail to flashing.....

I hope everyone is doing well at home!
Love and Peace,

Clara D.