Thoughts on the People

My lasting impression of the people is their stories from their experiences so far, and their stories that are yet to unfold. Their stories are at once, both heart wrenching and heart warming. I'm eternally grateful that we were able to become a small part of the stories that are yet to unfold.

To hear Shirley Jones (across the street from the Swearingen house) describe the horrors of the hurricane and the days and weeks immediately proceeding left me with a huge hole in my heart. However, to then witness and hear testimoney of her and her family's perseverance, faith and trust in the Lord, and gratefulness to those that have come to help was one of the most heart warming sensations I have ever felt.

She tells this story about her personal items that she salvaged during the flood (paraphrased, of course):
Shirely and her family (husband and son) also have a cabin on the bayou a couple of miles away from their Forrest Drive home. They began to ride out Katrina at this cabin because this is the place they were worried about flooding. They were hoping to be able to stave off flooding at this cabin, and were totally unconcerned about their Forrest drive home because, "Why would it flood there? It never has in our 50 years of living here."

As the water became too high at the bayou cabin to entertain any chance of keeping the water out, they abandoned and swam (that's right, swam) back to Forrest Drive. Exhausted and spent, they reached their house only to find that it was indeed inundated. Shirley faced a decision with the water still rising, "What do I try to save?". Here's what she saved:

• Family Bible
  
• Her son's honor student awards and credentials

Everything else was less important.

The story goes on and has so many more facets, but I wanted to highlight the things that were important to her in her time of greatest challenge: God, and her family. She answers the "How did you make it through? How do you keep going?" questions with Faith and thankfulness to still be here. It's still tough for them, don't make any mistakes about that.

How does this speak you? I know it speaks to me. Perspective is an often skewed thing. If we simply look first towards the cross, and second towards those we love, won't life become simpler and more meaningful? If those are our priorities (in that order), and we work towards satisfying those priorities every day, won't we go to bed each night and rest peacefully?

Shirley had no flood insurance on her home, and very modest wages for the family. They are working to fix it themselves. Not relying on FEMA (they are reasonably pleased with FEMA, by the way), not relying on the system, not crying "Foul!" and screaming at the government. They are doing it themselves, and as far as I know, have not received any volunteer help (other than friends and family).

The perspective we get from afar via the media, and our own naivety are not necessarily accurate. I have prayed for them every night since Chris and I had the greatest pleasure of meeting them. I ask you to do the same.

One thing I know for sure, I learned something that day, and I'm a better person for having met them.


John Macdonald