It doesn't seem like it was only four weeks ago that our little Island's world changed. Quiet bedroom community of over 500,000 woke up to find that their security was gone. But there is always a silver lining or should I call it what it was. A blessing from God.
For the last 4 weeks the Staten Island community led by neighbors, friends, churches and compassionate out of towners showed the rest of the world who we are.
We woke up Tuesday morning to a new landscape and paradigm of who our neighbors were. They were next door, the local church and a group of people that had never heard of Staten Island till then. We had Mennonites who had just finished up working rebuilding after Katrina. We had a family of farmers rebuilding and so many others.
As we pumped out someones basement a block away from the water, I was handed one of the best hamburgers I ever had. As people from all over marched up and down the 100's of blocks and thousands of homes offering water, sandwiches and labor.
You would probably be amazed to see so many people in and out of the community giving of themselves. What a Blessing!
We're now helping those same people to rebuild their lives. Walking with them for the next 3-6 months. Remember, these may be people without homes but they are not homeless. Joan me in prayer for this affected group of families.