Things Are Looking Up

As I type this, the bleak situation in New Orleans and the Gulf Coast seems to have come to a turning point. The last of refugees taking shelter in the Superdome have been evacuated, only a few more remain in the god-forsaken NO convention center, and steadily people are being plucked from rooftops and upper floors of flooded buildings by boat and helicopter.

Becky and Rick made it home safely arriving at about 2 am on Friday. We had reserved not one but two rental cars for them in Houston -- just in case. They were able to give one of the two cars to a couple from somewhere in Texas who they had met on the cruise. The man, Rodney, called our house around 10 pm Thursday night (Becky and Rick had given our number as way for us to contact each other). He was calling to see if we had heard from Becky and Rick and to let them know they had made it home safely. He was relieved to hear that they were en route and had just called from near Texarkana to let us know their progress.

No word yet from the Richmonds in Biloxi. Hopefully, they are safe and simply do not have Internet access. We continue to pray for them as they must rebuild their homes and their lives -- assuming they survived.

My brother's brother-in-law, Wayne, has been called up for Air National Guard duty. Originally on a mission to build a "tent city" near Baton Rouge, Wayne spent Tuesday and Wednesday gathering and packing equipment to build a satelite communications center (his thing is telecommunications). When they arrived in Little Rock, they were told their mission had been changed and were told to leave the communications equipment and take a truck loaded with guns and ammo instead. He is now on the streets of New Orleans with a gun over his shoulder. Please keep Wayne and all the guardsmen in your prayers.

We've helped in small ways and will continue to. My brother and sister-in-law took about $500 worth of air mattresses, sheets and pillows to Goodman Oaks Church of Christ where evacuees have been welcomed since before Katrina made landfall. We donated a portable crib to Bellevue Baptist where a shelter is being created in their Grace Family Life Center. We asked what their immediate needs were and were told "men's underwear - LARGE". No problem. Found you can get quite a lot of men's underwear, T-shirts (and women's underwear, too) for $100 at Wal-Mart.

Today, our church is holding a potluck lunch and special worship service open to evacuees/survivors/refugees from the hurricane affected areas. I'm sure -- especially if we sing that song "still my heart will say, blessed by the Lord" -- I will be fighting back the tears.

God is good. All the time.