Heavy Heart

My heart is so heavy for Joplin today. I've been looking at the pictures and watching different videos of news reporters and to think they are all only an hour away from where I live.
I literally get sick to my stomach and teary eyed every time I look at these images. The damage is just devastating. Marc went with a big group of guys today to help start some of the cleanup and take supplies. I can't believe just a few weeks ago this also happened in Alabama. Can you imagine in a blink of an eye that everything can be taken away or destroyed in an instant. There are still over 1500 unaccounted for, which are hopefully still alive. I always think this can NEVER happen to me or in my area, but it can. We are actually supposed to get severe weather tonight. I keep seeing tweets of northwest Arkansas being extremely "high risk" and I saw a weather guy tweet earlier, "if you have never taken a tornado warning serious, today you really should."
I mean to be honest, I'm pretty fearful of what tonight could end up looking like. I'm praying hard against this.

The high School

.

this was a neighborhood

The Hospital

And a Church...I think God wanted everyone to know He is still with us and will not be shaken

The good news is that God is still in control. Although we will always have the "why" questions, He is with us and will never forsake us.
As my heart breaks for so many, there are several people around our area that have family there. My co-workers kids & grand kids attended this church (shown above). Their lives were spared as well as their home. They are in shock. Her son works at Lowes and they setup triage in the lumber department sunday night.
I really can't fathom the amount of devastation. I know I've never been this close to something of this magnitude. So please join me in praying for these people. They are hurting.

Here are some other ways to help if you are local in NWA...

1. Financial Aid :: Fellowship has an account set up for those wanting to make financial contributions to the Joplin Relief Effort.  You may do this through your my.fellowship account under "Joplin Relief," or you may write a check to Fellowship Bible Church (please notate "Joplin Relief" in the memo).   

 2. Relief Items :: Fellowship is joining JB Hunt and Mercy Health Systems in coordinating the collection of relief supplies for Joplin.  Beginning Tuesday, May 24th, there will be trucks available on the parking lot at Mercy Medical Center in Rogers, 2710 Rife Medical Lane off the Promenade exit from I540, to receive your donations. 

Suggested items are:

-       -Canned and NON PERISHABLE food items (they are running out of freezers, refrigerators, etc)

-        -Underwear, all shapes and sizes from children to extra-extra large adult

-          -Personal hygiene items that don’t require water (especially baby wipes & deodorant)

-          -Duct tape

-          -Paper products for eating

-          -Generators

-          -Chain saws

 3. Volunteer Assistance :: We are planning to send teams from our area in the coming days. Contact me at miyount@fellowshipnwaorg to be part of one of these teams. You may also find updated information on my church's website: fellowshipnwa.org 


4. Donate Blood at any local red cross!


Thanks!