It’s Possible to Serve in Storms

Hurricanes, tornadoes, blizzards, avalanches, fires, earthquakes, mudslides, and even dust storms leave devastating damage behind, requiring help from others. Disaster relief is only one way to serve in a storm, and the most popular.

Living in Kansas, tornadoes strike frequently giving plenty of opportunities to serve in varying capacities. My husband and I experienced assisting in three main efforts. Each one from a unique point of view. Our first was unexpected. The second, made national news and broke records. The last, we provided help to our own town with unusual circumstances.

We also have helped less formally by passing out gift cards in Moore, Oklahoma’s tornado. The only other disaster we provided aid to, was when we took hygiene kits to Lousiana after a hurricane, where many dwelled in shelters from extensive flooding. No matter the disaster, there are as many ways to serve as there are disasters.

Disaster Relief #1

In 2008, an EF-5 category tornado, the worst, blew through Picher, OK. Part of the town beamed up with it. Absolutely eerie. Vast space with no evidence of prior civilization, like scenes from movies where a nuclear bomb had exploded. No buildings. All trees and shrubs were non-existent. No utility poles or wires. No street signs existed, either, to inform you of your location.

Normal damaged houses and debris dotted surrounding landscapes. Picher was fortunate for two reasons. One, the tornado was narrow and didn’t stay on the ground long. Secondly, two-thirds of the population had already moved. The U.S. government was in the process of buying the town out, deeming it unsafe from improperly shored mine shafts, which could cause cave-ins.

The church we pastored was among those who had already relocated. Our empty structure stood secure in the aftermath of the tornado. Our members desired to give clothes to tornado victims. Once there, City Hall declared us to be the official disaster relief center ready, or not.

The next thing, we knew, kind souls from all over the United States brought cars and huge trucks with water, cleaning supplies, food, and clothes. Plenty of media interviews also. Every day, I gathered volunteers to assist bandaged victims, share resources, sort donations, and listen to broken hearts.

In those few weeks, I gained more knowledge than official training I would later take. However, I learned it’s much easier to assist those you’re not emotionally-connected with personally.

Disaster Relief #2

Three years after Picher, a tornado of the same force struck Joplin, Missouri about twenty miles from our home and church. Still categorized an EF-5 tornado, this one was rain-wrapped and fast building, giving little warning. Extra-wide, it hit a populated area and stayed on the ground much longer, leaving 158 dead and well over 1,000 injured.

Already knowing the needs forced us into action, regardless of our heavy hearts. Joplin is where friends and family work, it’s where we shop, and doctor. Every one of our church members knew someone who had a family member lose a home, were at work, shopping, or had been eating out when the tornado tore through in a fury.

Our son-in-law immediately was called in to start rescue efforts. He even found one of the first deceased. There was no escaping continuous stories and reports flooding in every moment, every hour, yet people flocked to my husband and I wanting to help.

We served in multiple ways, starting with donating water to a couple of churches we networked with. We donated hygiene kits, took gloves, rakes, and other clean-up supplies. However, most of our time was filled with preparing approximately 10,000 meals per week for those volunteers cleaning up near St. John’s hospital. which was destroyed. We coordinated a few clean-up crews ourselves.

I must admit, the strangest, was when my husband played ambulance driver, after dropping more supplies off to a church. Rescue teams were searching nearby when a woman got run over by a deer. Yes – you heard correct. This fearful beast’s hooves kicked her in the gut and scratched her entire shins.

Disaster Relief #3

Once again, three years passed before another tornado landed. Small, categorized an F-1, it was the strangest of all, and it struck our town. The sun was shining, mowers were buzzing, and children played with delight. Our family proceeded to church for evening service. In those four miles, the sky clouded up, hail began pounding our van roof, sirens went off, and we played chicken with the tornado on our main street. Our daughter made it inside, but my husband and I were forced to drop against the outside wall of our church. His body covered mine.

Debris flew over our head while some struck the other side of our church. The tornado’s winds lifted us,  depositing us ten feet over in the parking lot. Dusting ourselves off as we ran toward the door, our hearts raced at the sight of our crying daughter running out to meet us.

Immediately, we checked the neighborhood to ensure everyone’s safety. People showed up at our church to see if anyone had been hurt, and to offer assistance. Water was passed out and a meal prepared. From then forward, it became a blur. While we functioned on auto-pilot with experience and God’s leading, doing so from the inside of a disaster felt and operated totally differently.

I do recall generous souls bringing generators and supplies, allowing the Salvation Army to utilize a room in our church, and raising money to furnish a couple of homes.

Other Storms

Serving in these types of storms where you help regardless of your own emotions and on fumes from lack of sleep, I believe is what enabled my husband, Pastor Steve, to react to all the diverse mishaps encountered on what was supposed to be a 12-hour bus ride. I believe it is when we serve during disasters and unexpected storms in life that God can be glorified.

All of us experience some kind of storm where everything goes wrong. If we trust God, they can end up like my husband’s trip, which is recorded in my first published book, “From Mishaps to Mission.”

It’s possible to grieve while in a storm, and still serve. The following might help:

1. Memorize 2 Cor. 4:8,9
2. Praise God by listening and singing along to the song, “Eye of the Storm,” by Ryan Stevenson
3. Trade depression by serving God and others in some way.
4. Sign up for the mailing list and download the free Focus On checklist. When things don’t seem to be going as they should, and life feels unfair, just change your perspective.

© 2022, Jena Fellers. All rights reserved.