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Published: October 16th 2012
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Team Joplin, Oct. 8-14, 2012
Thrivent Builds volunteers in front of Ed and Angela's house It was a joy going to Joplin with a group of 10 strangers, who over the period of a week became great friends and workmates. We spent nearly every waking hour together. We ate every meal together. We worked hard. We played hard. We laughed and cried together.
I asked each of my fellow volunteers to answer four questions about their experiences in Joplin. Here are their responses:
1. What has surprised you the most about Joplin? · The incredible progress and flurry of building activity.
· The depth of hope, gratitude and faith in the people that live here.
· It feels a lot like my hometown. I feel like I’m helping my own neighborhood, friends, family, loved ones.
· Thankful Joplin residents…especially the new homeowners! Great progress in rebuilding this community.
· Missing street signs. In some instances, without GPS, we would have no clue where a particular street is located. The city has painted street names at the asphalt intersections, but the volume of traffic has faded the paint, and it’s tough for the city to keep up. There are more important things to worry about.
· How everyone we talk to has been affected in some way by the tornado. The resilience of Joplin’s residents is amazing – they are ALL heroes in my mind. I would pray that our own communities would respond in the same way should we experience a disaster of this magnitude. The story of the protective butterflies will always touch me. God and His Angels are definitely at work here!
· That so much clean-up has already been done. Having seen the pictures, I didn’t expect to see so many building lots ready to go.
· I have never seen tornado destruction before. I was shocked by the extent of the devastation – even over a year later.
2. What has excited you the most about Joplin? · Visiting and working with the receiving families; hearing their stories.
· Hearing the stories about people’s lives and rebuilding.
· Stories. Even people who were not affected by the tornado can tell you why they weren’t there, or if they were, about people they knew or situations that they heard about. It touched EVERYONE.
· Meeting new home owners and hearing their stories of recovery.
· The excitement of the community itself – this IS a boom town! While we may see that rebuilding may be taking a long time, everyone we talk with is so happy to see such progress.
· I’m excited about coming back and building more homes. About sharing my experience with others and sharing that excitement with them. We are going to help rebuild Joplin and touch lives forever.
· They are ready to build and should accelerate in the next couple of years, since the debris is cleared and the permitting process is now a done deal.
· I was blown away by the level of cooperation and collaboration at work in Joplin between the various churches and agencies. What’s going on out of the Warehouse is an excellent example of a constructive partnership.
3. What has challenged you the most about Joplin? · Understanding the why of this disaster.
· The thoughts of loss and the ways people try to explain why.
· How the survivors are coping. Living in FEMA trailers, no homes or material possessions, bad memories still are evident everywhere and how they remain so positive in the midst of it all.
· Seeing and hearing the stories of the people that lived through this disaster.
· This disaster and the ongoing recovery have made me think more carefully about paying attention to tornado sirens in my own community. Most everyone shares the same response: heard the siren, went outside to look, and went on with what they were doing. Many were not concerned – tornado sirens are pretty much normal routine and there’s nothing to worry about. NOW, people get jittery during thunderstorms.
· The challenge for me was just getting here…. taking the time to schedule the trip.
· Wanting to fully be engaged with the team, but at the same time feeling I need to get my regular work done.
· Nothing! I thought I would be challenged by certain characteristics of the team and the situation, but I delighted to discover this was not a challenge at all!
4. Why should someone come to volunteer at Joplin? · The rewards of helping these beautiful people will send you home with a great feeling of accomplishment.
· We are called to serve and this is a place that needs service and that appreciates the blessing that they are to us.
· Why not? It’s a beautiful town, the support system (Habitat & Transform Joplin) are AMAZING, the cause is in need, and the experience itself is so impactful. It’s a must!
· There is such a great need right here in our own country – Joplin is a community of thankfulness and compassion for their neighbor, but the need continues to be great.
· Try it – we guarantee you’ll like it! We have received so much love in return for our volunteering. Can’t wait to pay it forward to others!
· Consider adding volunteering in Joplin to your bucket list! You may discover a new skill – you may discover something new about yourself!
· I believe that the people that went through this tragic storm will get more from a volunteer then the help with building a home or volunteering in some other way. They will continue to have trust and hope in mankind to get them through whatever other challenges life on earth brings. As has been said, it’s the thought that counts.
· There is such a great need and a wonderful spirit here that will encourage you to participate.
· If you are open to being profoundly moved by power of both destruction and hope, then a Joplin Thrivent Builds Worldwide trip is for you!
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