After reading a book called Radical by David Platt and with my pending adoption I was feeling like I should do something to give to others. Then Joplin came to mind. That was it - I was pretty sure that God would move for me to go there. I looked into going by myself but after hearing how far it was I didn't think that it was wise to do that. So I prayed for an opportunity to go. So when a friend from my small group mentioned that she knew of a church that was going I asked her if she could inquire if they might be able to take on another team member. When the team leader said she was pretty sure that there would be room I knew that it would work out. I had prayed for an opportunity and here it was. She told me to pray about it but I knew I didn't have to - He had already answered that prayer.
We worked with a Christian organization called Samaritan's Purse. It was founded by Franklin Graham (Billy Graham's son). We stayed at their "headquarters" - a church in Joplin that was right on the edge of the devastation. They fed us three meals a day. Each day we would go out with one of their leaders to a job site (the owner had file a work order and given us permission to go on their property). They would give us instructions for what the homeowner wanted done there. Sometimes the homeowner was there and sometimes he/she was not. A Bible is always given to them when the work is finished.
Samaritan's Purse Headquarters - trailer to the right is the shower trailer, white trailer is for the Billy Graham chaplains.
I will not forget the first time I saw the devastation. There is no explaining it. The damage went on for miles - it was all I could see. A lot can happen when over 240 mile an hour winds hit a place. Cars looked like they had been tossed around like rag dolls. Trees were stripped of bark and what had once had been tall, full, mature trees were now left destroyed.
Before I left for the trip I was a little concerned because I was already one who didn't particularly like tornadoes. But after being there instead if being more scared of tornadoes I wasn't. The loss of life was incredible and CANNOT be minimized. But the story to me was the physical salvation of so many lives. There is story after story of the way the Lord saved so many. On May 22, 2011 our God was still on the throne - busy at work saving lives, putting his hand on people to get them in the right place. Our God is big and powerful enough to save us from the storm. And when it's our time He determines it. I believe He gives us grace right at the right moment to handle what we need to go through - whatever that may be.
One story I heard was about a manager of the Hardee's near the church where we stayed. He and his wife lived in a two story apartment building. They lived on the second floor. His wife was screaming for him to come in the bathroom where she was. As he was headed that way he said that he felt "something" physically turn him and "it" moved him into a corner by some stairs. As soon as he was to safety, the windows blew into the apartment - right where he would have been standing! He said he stayed down for what he thinks was 40 seconds. When he looked up the third floor was completely gone. He checked on his wife and she was fine and he didn't have a scratch on him! He reached into his pockets and both of them were full of insulation! Clearly God saved the life of this man.
Also, Joplin high school's graduation took place one hour before the tornado hit. It was held at the university in the city. Had that decision not been made many months before this many other lives could have been lost too. The high school is a twisted up mess. This reminded me that the decisions that are made are really in God's hands. I believe we all have free will but somehow God works to affect decisions - I'm not sure how all that works but I trust the One who does. This one situation built my faith in Him - knowing that every aspect of my life (specifically my pending adoption) are in His hands and He will move in the hearts of those making decisions.
The J, L, I, and N were gone and someone replaced the letters with H and E - pretty cool.
One of our leaders on a work site shared something he believes the Lord impressed upon his heart. He is a resident of a nearby community but goes to church in Joplin. He had been volunteering right from the beginning. He started to get weary of dragging debris to curbs. One night when he got home Stephen felt God was impressing this upon him - "I carried your junk to the top of a hill - will you just carry these people's junk 45 ft to the curb?" Wow. That made a big impact on me. He did nasty dirty work for us on a cross - surely we can do work for those in need here.
What I think I came back with was a greater trust in the Lord. That actually surprised me but it won't be the first or last time he surprises me because my ways and thoughts are not like His - praise the Lord!
I would highly recommend a trip like this to anyone. Samaritan's Purse will most likely be back in Joplin sometime within the next year to start to rebuild the city - if you are interested in going to help keep your eyes on their website. Until then please, please pray for the people of Joplin - that they would let the Lord change their hearts and that they would have the peace and strength that can only come from Him. 
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