Aftermath of Ike

Copy and paste this link into your browser for some incredible pictures of the aftermath of Hurricane Ike.

http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2008/09/the_short_but_eventful_life_of.html

I am so thankful that none of our family, friends, and colleagues sustained any injuries. After creating much havoc in the Gulf Coast, Ike headed on a direct path to St. Louis. We received quite a bit of rain, perhaps 5-6 inches, in a 12 hour period. Winds were strong, but didn't cause too many problems. We went to church, and the Bishop announced that he was hearing lots of folks were experiencing issues with water, so the sacrament was administered, and the meeting was ended. We knew that our good friends the Raymonds were experiencing basement flooding, so we went to their house to see how we could help. A drain in a swale had plugged, and several homes in their neighborhood were flooded. A backhoe was working to clear the drain, and the water was receding when we arrived, but not before a foot and a half of water found its way into the basement. They were only able to salvage the most valuable things, such as electronics and important personal items. The furniture was soaked.

Jon and several helpers used a sump pump to get the majority of the water out, and within about 36 hours a restoration company was there to begin the dryout and repair process. I guess what impressed me most was Jon and Darlene's attitude--they dealt with this setback in a very positive manner and rather than feel sorry for themselves, they just went to work, cleaning clothes, drying out the house, getting contractors lined up, and keeping the kids focused on what they needed to do to work through this. What I saw was the influence of the gospel; even in the face of disaster, the Spirit of God can bring peace and reassurance to help us deal with life's challenges.