Go Beyond

It’s one thing to hear that 1,000 people in Central Texas have been displaced by recent floods but quite another thing to meet some of those people. Today I had the opportunity to meet three families in the small subsidized housing community where our Disaster Response Team has served the past couple of days. My heart has been heavy all day as result of listening to their personal stories.

We started our day with an early breakfast followed by prayer. Monte Vincent, our missions ministry’s point man for our disaster response initiatives, led our men in prayer. He asked that the Lord would use us to be a blessing and encouragement to those we have come to help. Today, we had ample opportunities to do both.

This morning I met a man and his daughter-in-law who were moving out the last of their personal belongings from their modest little duplex. He spoke to me in Spanish and told me about all of the things they had lost when their home flooded. He was worried sick because the vouchers they had received to stay in a hotel were good only until Sunday. After that, he and his wife, daughter-in-law, and grandson would have no place to live until their little home is repaired.

Later in the day I noticed two older women sitting on a bench outside of the homes where we were working. I approached them and asked them to tell me their stories. One of them has lived in the same home since 1972. The other has lived next door for less than a year. Neither of them have any family that they can lean on. “So we only have each other now,” one of the women told me.

Once again, they will have no place to live while their homes are being repaired. Their hotel vouchers are valid only through this weekend. One of the women has a car. The back seat was filled with the few possessions they were both able to salvage. I told them that the people of Kingsland had sent us here to bless them. So, I filled up their car with gas, bought them some groceries, and gave them gift cards to get through the coming days. I know it’s only a short-term solution but it meant so much to them. They cried.

Every place we worked at today has a story associated with it. I can’t help but wonder about the people who have had to move out of the homes where the guys and I have been removing sheetrock to help expedite repairs that will follow. If the damaged walls could talk I wonder what stories they would tell about the fear that gripped the people when the flood waters came rushing in and turned their lives upside down.

Mother Teresa once said that it is a kingly act to assist the fallen. We certainly want to honor our King by helping those in need here in San Marcos. Yesterday, three local young men joined our team and worked alongside us. As they drove off at the end of the day one of them leaned out the window and said, “Thanks for coming to help the people of our town.” We are all glad that we came and that we have had the opportunity to help. Thanks for praying for us and for the people whose stories will never be heard by anyone but God.

“I was sitting in my chair,” the elderly woman told me, “when all of a sudden the water rushed in and covered my feet.” Within minutes her little home was filled with more than a foot of silty brown water from the nearby flood-swollen Blanco River. “But,” she continued, “all we lost was furniture and stuff. Thank God my husband and I are ok.” We continued our conversation as she looked through an album of pictures that had gotten soaked. She managed to dry and salvage most of them. Looking at the photos made her happy.

Our Disaster Response Team was assigned to work in a low-inclose subsidized housing area yesterday. When we walked into the first little home there was a jumble of stuff that could not be salvaged — furniture, clothing, toys, and just the general everyday stuff of households. Before we could start removing water-damaged sheetrock, we had to empty the place. Doing something like this is sad. The folks who could least afford to lose the things in their homes lost the most. All of their hard-earned stuff ended up in a pile outside the house ready to be carted off to the dump.

As we worked all day removing sheetrock and appliances and, essentially, gutting out two homes, I thought about the next folks who would live in these places. Life will go on after the floods. People will relocate and readjust and find their new normal. Doing so will be more difficult for some, especially those who are older. But, life will go on. As the elderly woman reminded me, people are more important than things, and when you can walk away from a disaster with the people you love then you have much to be thankful for.

This morning, we will return to the area in which we worked yesterday and continue our work of clearing out homes and removing damaged sheetrock. These are just the first steps toward helping to get things back to normal here. In a few months, these homes will one again be occupied by low-income families. They will start a new chapter of their lives here with their families and their own stuff.

The elderly woman told me that this is the third time she has been through something like this in her lifetime. She is a reminder that we can make it through difficulties and that God is good. Please remember the people whose lives have been impacted by the floods and also for all of the volunteers who are here to help. There is still lots of work to do. We are happy to be here to help.

One of the most compelling characteristics of Jesus’ life is that He moved in the direction of people in need. Whether it was a woman at a well, a despised tax-collector in a tree, an adulteress being dragged through the streets by her accusers, or a widow at the funeral of her only son, Jesus did not shy away from messy or painful situations. And, because Jesus moved in the direction of the hurting, He was able to bring healing, health, and hope.

On Thursday morning, our Disaster Response Team will move in the direction of people in need — specifically those who suffered great loss during the recent flooding in Central Texas. During the month of May, Texas was pounded by lots of rain — 35 trillion gallons by one estimate. That’s enough water to cover the whole state up to nearly eight inches deep. This record-setting rainfall resulted in dangerous flash floods all over Central and East Texas, including the Greater Houston area — damaging property and resulting in loss of lives.

Our Disaster Response van and trailer are loaded with supplies and our guys are eager to hit the road. Our team is scheduled to spend the next several days serving those impacted by the floods in the San Marcos area. We pray that our presence will be a comfort and encouragement to those who are still trying to piece their lives back together after the floods. We also pray that we have lots of good and hot sunny weather so that things can begin to dry up.

If we want to become more like Jesus, then we must learn to consistently move in the direction of those in need. We must close the distance between ourselves and those who are overwhelmed by loss, hurt, and pain. Demonstrating kindness is one way to show people in need that God loves them, believes in them, and has not forgotten them.

Please keep our team in your prayers and also the many other volunteers who are working hard every day to help those in need. And please pray for those who are grieving the loss of loved ones and the loss of property in the recent floods. The area where we will work is still considered a recovery area which means that they are still searching for those swept away by the flood waters. I will post updates in the coming days as well as pics of our relief work on my Instagram account at #omarcgarcia.