As many of you know Jen and I are from Mississippi. As scattered reports come in about the state of emergency in my home state, I have learned that my family has been affected by the wrath of this storm. I have a grandmother in Magee, MS that has lost part of her house and a cousin there that has also lost part of his house. I also have an another grandmother in Laurel which we have been unable to contact and an aunt in Gulfport who we have not been able to contact. This is all the family I have in Mississippi and it seems as though they have all been displaced by the storm. My cousin - who has spent time in Africa and the Middle East - says the devastation is on par with that of the war torn areas he has seen. All form of communication and power are down for the entire lower half of the state, as well as, all major roads are closed. The report is that it will be 4 to 6 weeks before they can restore the areas.
I will be leaving for the area tonight or tomorrow morning with relief supplies and equipment to help clean up. I also know that Tyson Foods is taking a first run of 18-wheelers to set-up cooking stations all over the area to BBQ and provide food for people. I would greatly apprentiate your thoughts and prayer over the coming week as my family and the rest of the southeast begin to recover. I have had many questions about what can people do to help and I don't really have an answer. Feel free to contact me and I will tell you what I am doing. Thanks!
1 comment:
you don't know me, nor i you, but my thoughts go with.
yesterday, in an attempt to connect my English as a Second Language lesson with current events, i told my students about a story I heard on NPR about a man in Miss. who was seen carrying a plastic grocery bag and was asked if it was his lunch. "no," he replied, "it's all i own." that image and the simplicity of his answer to describe such loss struck me, and my students were also quite touched (once i could get the idea across to them, that is). next week we will be creating a written piece from our discussion, asking ourselves what would be in our bag.
Post a Comment