Disaster Response Trip to Wanchese/Manteo - tomorrow to Rodanthe

Well . . . I am NOT sure if the folks here are GLAD they chose to come w/ me on the trip or not . . . certainly if someone else was the lead on the team then there would have been greater odds of NOT getting up at 3am to go to Stumpy Point to catch an early ferry to get to Rodanthe.

However . . it is me . . . and when the Disaster Response Coordinator called today around 11am and asked if we would consider not staying long-term in Wanchese/Manteo but going on to Rodanthe - how could we say no????

"Not many are willing to go the 2 hour ferry ride so if you guys could that would be great. They only opened the road back up last week so there is much to be done. Many have lost everything."

Well - that's all I needed to hear . . .until she said "You will need to catch the ferry. Leave the church at 3:30 and hopefully you will be in line for the ferry @ 4 and should arrive @ 6."

I wondered . . .why would they send us over at 6pm? We would lose an entire day of work . . .

After a few more minutes of conversation I realized "hmmmmm, I don't think it is 6pm . . . i think she may mean 3:30 AM!" So I asked for clarification and then she said "oh no . . it's AM."

So I lamented for a few minutes internally and then whined audibly to those unfortunate folks around me (Thank you Lee & Season for listening) and then off we came.

When we arrived they offered us the option of working here instead of going to Rodanthe . . . and I KNOW what the easy decision would be . . . but we were asked to "go" and that was no hesitation. . . . it's what we will do!

The decision was confirmed as we were at dinner b/c I took a phone call and was chatting about the ferry ride, etc. w/ some folks and the hostess heard me.

She said, "Oh, you must be going to Rodanthe! Are you here to help?"

"Yes mam." I replied. "Our church was here last week and another team is here now and we are travelling over in the morning to Rodanthe after we stay at Bethany UMC."

"That's where I go to church! I am so glad you all are going over there . . my daughter and son-in-law live there . . they own a building supply company and also some cottages. They have lost everything."

We chatted for a few minutes and then right before I walked away she said, "Oh, you know one thing . . . even though many here have lost all their things no one lost their lives. No one lost what mattered. We have been blessed."

It was at that moment that the 3am alarm time didn't matter to me, nor did the 2 billion mosquitoes that were circling my entire being like I was fresh bait.

What did matter was that I am the one blessed enough to do this "for a living."

And blessed to be surrounded by a church that is supportive of trips like these . . .

And now to be blessed by a staff @ West and a team of volunteers that carry on the ministries and enable me to regain my focus on the things nearest and dearest to my heart!!!!!

No longer do I wear "all the hats" but am able to share those very freely and am so grateful for this as a reminder of who we are and who we are called to be!

Tomorrow we will encounter those who have lost all their worldly possessions . . . and for them we will have the honor and privilege of being the hands, feet, eyes, and voice of the one who said those earthly things don't matter . . . what matters is the issue of the heart.

May our hearts both here in Wanchese, NC, @ WCUMC both West & Brawley, and ALL over be full of love & selfless giving of monetary resources, time, and our personal gifts of talents. Let us Change Lives & Change the World through Christ" so that all may see and know there is SOOO much more . . . .

Grace & Peace,
Andrea





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