We finally reached Mrs. C. She had become a friend after being Puppy's teacher in various subjects over the last several years. I am certain she never thought she would be taking in her former student's wet, muddy family. Once we reached her by phone, she told us that she would send her husband to pick us up. The only problem was he couldn't make it to the community center. He was directed to go to the middle school that was several blocks away. Our next task was to find a ride from the community center to the middle school.
The people who came out to help those of us who flooded were truly amazing. A couple in a pickup drove up to the community center and announced, "Anybody need a ride?" They were on their way home from the grocery store and decided to see if they could help. Puppy and I climbed into the front seat. Little Man and others were in the back seat. The wife was crammed into a child's car seat while the husband drove. The Professor climbed into the bed of the pickup with others. I don't know the names of that couple or even really remember what they look like, but I am thankful for their kindness.
We arrived at the middle school and Mr. C was there to pick us up. We were very happy to see him. We arrived at the Cs' BRAND NEW home with our wet muddy selves and could not have been more warmly greeted. We removed our shoes in the garage, but I am not certain that really helped any in not tracking through their house. We were covered in sewer water!
We were escorted upstairs to bedrooms and bathrooms where everything was new and shiny. We were told that we could get cleaned up and then go downstairs for something to eat. It felt wonderful to take a shower. It was like washing some of what had happened down the drain. Mrs. C gave us a basket, told us to put our wet clothes in it, and put it outside the bedroom door. A few hours later, she returned to us fresh clean clothes. She also took Mozzy and gave him a bath.
When we went back downstairs, we learned that the C's had also taken in an elderly couple who had truly lost everything. That couples' home was a one story so no moving anything upstairs. When they left their home with the clothes they were wearing, that is all they had. Their daughter lives in the area, but could not get to them because of the flood water.
We stayed with the Cs several days over the next week. They cooked for us, washed our clothes, and let us borrow their car. They were a great blessing when we were truly homeless. We will forever be grateful for the kindness they showed us.
Our "new" house is a couple of miles from our "old" house. For a couple of days, we had no idea if the new house had also flooded. The friends who were going to stay there ended up going to another friend's where there was furniture. The area around the new house was underwater so it was not accessible. We were hopeful that it remained dry.
Once it stopped raining and the water started to recede, our friends went in a canoe to check out the new house for us. We were overjoyed to learn that it did not flood! The house beside it and the houses across the street from it flooded, but our house was high and dry. We had a place to go! Thank you, Jesus!
We jumped into high gear to try to get the new house where we could move into it. We talked to our handyman and asked him to get toilets installed in the bathrooms as soon as the house was accessible by car. A friend let us borrow air mattresses and sheets, and she and her daughter cleaned for us. The house had never been cleaned since the former people moved out and all the construction work had been done. It was a dusty mess to say the least. Again, we are so grateful for the kindness shown to us.
I spoke to my neighbor by telephone numerous times. She and her family had been taken a different direction when they left the neighborhood by boat. They were staying with friends who were also housing several other flood victims. Each of us was trying to keep the other informed of what needed to be done and when we could access our flooded homes. Her husband had been able to go in by boat and sent us a few pictures. When she told me that she had no idea where they were going to go, I immediately told her that they could come to our new house with us.
You see, our new house is large. It has a total of six bedrooms, five of which are upstairs along with three bathrooms. Why did we purchase such a large home in great need of repair? I had no idea at the time, but God worked it out for us to purchase it. After the purchase, my prayer was "May this house be a safe haven." A "safe haven"? Why those words? Why were those words put on my heart? Why did I pray those words daily? And, now, here we were going through a flood and had enough space for not only our family of four, but our neighbors as well. We were most definitely in need of a "safe haven". God provided what we needed before we even knew we needed it.
And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19
There is JOY in trusting God to meet my needs.
The story will continue . . .
Tami
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