Memories

Tony – ChaingLink Ministries

Perseverance, that is the one word that comes to mind when I think of the situation down here. The news really portrays the bad things that happen down here and gives all the air time to the people that like to complain. But what they don’t show are all of the people that have traveled by our work site and thanked us for our help. It wasn’t even their home that we were working on. People are so appreciative of any and all help. A lot of people are working hard to restore their homes and they are doing their best to repair their lives. I wish I could have taken the picture that I wanted, but I will always carry it in my mind. (The picture was of a family having a bbq outside of their camper with their family, having a good time. The house to their left was completely destroyed and their neighbors on the right only had the foundation where their house once sat. I will always remember that scene.)

I have done a little of everything while I’ve been down here, but the hardest was when we were helping dismantle a home. Tearing down walls was one thing, but we were throwing away pictures, books, clothes, antique furniture, and anything else that may have sentimental significance to the owners. That was hard. But the owners were going to be all right. When I first arrived and saw everything for the first time, I felt overwhelmed. But then Phyllis said that we are just helping people one person at a time. When I think about it that way, it helps because I know that the one family that we help, will make it, they will persevere.