The Flood {And How YOU Can Help}

My feet made that wet, squishy sound as I entered the bedroom of my friend’s home last Monday, the carpet soaked through. That previous Saturday she and her family almost washed away with the flood waters that ravaged areas of Lafayette. Over three feet of water rushed through her living room and the rest of the lower floor of the two-story home. By Thursday of this last week the walls were down to the studs and so many of their belongings sat at the end of their driveway for the trash. So much of their life, gone with the water.

I’ve never been through something this devastating (knock on wood) but now that I have personally witnessed it I can only imagine what it was like for those who suffered after Katrina. I was still living in Texas at that time and I remember watching the news coverage of people being rescued from their roofs, how many were evacuated and staying in shelters and just the aftermath of it all.

Although this nameless storm, that decided to sit and circle over us for a day and half, did not get (and has not gotten) nearly the coverage that Katrina received, it broke records and is being called the “1,000 year storm”. It took so much from so many. The recovery is going to take a very long time, both physically and emotionally.

For my friend here, it’s a chance for a fresh start. Things were lost but she and her family are okay. I truly do see this as a cleansing for her personally. Although her story is not mine to tell, just know that a new beginning is just what she needs. And I clearly believe in new beginnings as of late.

I believe God has a plan for all of us. My life recently took a turn I never expected. Sometimes things happen to us that come completely out of left field…  however, I truly believe they happen for a reason. I am almost ten months out of experiencing some quite painful and personal devastation of my own, yet I know that my life is going to be better (and already is). These twists and turns give us perspective and new hope.

Am I grateful that my home was not affected by this storm? Absolutely! But SO many homes were (40,000 +). So many lives turned upside down for a while and maybe even forever. Thankfully I live in a place full of good, giving and resilient human beings. Our community has rallied to help those locally and even those in the Baton Rouge/Denham Springs area.

Please donate/give if you can. I am including some additional links below to places you can go that need your help the most during the recovery from this historical event in Acadiana (the name for Lafayette and surrounding areas) and Baton Rouge.

And please don’t forget to pray, however you do. We need that too.

For all areas affected:

American Red Cross

 

For Lafayette:

The United Way

FoodNet Food Bank

 

For Baton Rouge:

United Way

Great Baton Rouge Food Bank (lost their stock in the flood!)