Water receded, help needed!!!
June 6, the rains came & at least 8 inches were dumped onto Iowa within a week. It seemed so unreal as I watched the images on TV. The pictures sent by friends via e-mail were shocking. These streets that were flooded were ones that I used to drive down everyday when I worked in downtown Cedar Rapids. I often drove through some of the neighborhoods that were severely damaged. I had lived here since 1998, moving into this beautiful city just a little over three months after graduating from college.
The whole city was impacted by this disaster. For several days, the bridges from one side of the river were impassable. You couldn’t drive from the east to the west side because the river flowed over the bridges. Interstate 380 running north and south right through the downtown heart of the city also closed for a couple of days, so commuting to work for some people was impossible. The water system almost had to close down because the wells were disabled due to the flood. Thankfully, many CR residents pulled together & sandbagged around the one remaining functioning well, although this still limited everyone to using drinking water only in their homes for over a week. That restriction has since been lifted.
I cried out to the Lord to be with those who had to move into shelters & place their pets in temporary shelters. How devastating it must be for them! Not just in Cedar Rapids either, but in several other towns & cities through out Iowa and down the Mississippi from us.
Some of the flood victims were blessed and able to move in with friends or family right away, however there are still some in shelters even today. My home church in Cedar Rapids has placed many of these victims with families in our church. It’s been awesome to see how from the very beginning of this disaster how people have given a helping hand. They’ve reached out in so many ways in different communities. From baking treats for volunteers & handing out water bottles, to gutting houses and just offering an understanding shoulder to cry on. It has been amazing and I don’t think my words here can truly express all of it. God will use this flood for His good. I believe the Body of Christ has been getting prepared for this & many lost souls will be shown His love through our work in this disaster.
Last Thursday, June 26th, I visited the Time Check neighborhood with our director Mary Alice, and other COI missionaries Scott & Prescott. We wanted to see places with the worst damage, so we had driven down there. While driving in this neighborhood we stopped along the street when we saw Sam. She was pulling things out of her house with her boyfriend. The water level had risen to the first floor. It was obvious that she was grieving the devastation as she talked with us. Still, Sam had a sense of humor & shared her desire to buy an acreage in the future where she could have horses & own a duck named Sparky. It was a privilege & a thrill when I was asked to pray for her before we left her house. I’ll never forget her gratitude towards us. I was not able to go back to visit her with the others a couple of days later, but I plan to visit her again soon.
Please come to Cedar Rapids to help people like Sam. Don’t worry about money because God will provide everything you need. There is no doubt in my mind that He wants you to just show up with a willing heart. If you think you won’t be of use because you don’t know much, believe me–there are ways you can help. It’s not rocket science! Just come & you’ll find out how much God can use you to touch someone’s heart. Don’t waste anymore time thinking about it. The waters have receded, and now your help is definitely needed. Please come!
-Kristy Koranda
