United

It has been a long week in Alabama. Don't get me wrong, there are other states in need. Mississippi, Georgia, Tennesee, and Virginia were also affected. I spent some time Saturday working at a shoe collection. The only time I saw this kind of mass destruction in places I have friends, family, and places I love was after Hurricane Katrina. The difference for me was 1) I had no electricity after Katrina, so I was unable to see any type of coverage. I could only listen on the radio 2) I had to phyiscally clear our own property so I didn't have a lot of time to really ponder it.

I have felt compelled to help. I think others have as well. A rather large group of people who call Alabama home really stepped up to the plate. If you look on facebook, the group Toomers for Tuscaloosa is organizing a HUGE effort to provide relief and assistance. They have another website up and running, but I think the address is in the process of being changed. I don't know about anyone else, but it really turns me off when I hear Red Cross or other officials say, 'Donate money! We don't need anything else.' I get it, I do. However, not everyone has extra cash. Also, folks like to see immediate results when they want to help. This group is finding needs directly and trying to help. For instance, yesterday, they asked for large sized clothes. People really only had what they had on when the tornado hit. When places offered help, there wasn't really anything but small clothes. So, the group set out to find clothes. They did. They asked for help finding showers, then shower trucks showed up.

I don't have family in Tuscaloosa. I do have family in Calhoun County, which was hit pretty hard. My aunt's home and 'stuff' is in Cahaba Heights, which was also damaged pretty badly. All of my family has been accounted for, thank God. The widespread destruction from Smithville (?) , Mississippi all the way to Virginia is staggering.  It is really more than anyone can bear.

The majority of the help getting to Alabama for the time being is not government led. It is people-led, which is the way we have accompished things in this country. Neighors helping neighbors, and in this case, rivals who have become brothers in arms.

I just wanted to write for a little bit. I have a lot of my heart, and it is tough to articulate it the way I want to, but I thought I'd least get some of it out. There is more work to be done. More love, more stuff, more prayers are needed.
Greater things are yet to come and greater things are still to be done.