The staff of HisHands2Go ventured up to Hackleburg, AL, last week (5/23 - 5/27) to assist in the relief efforts. The devastation in Alabama resulted from a powerful tornado ripping through the town of Hackleburg and it's outlying areas. Homes were left in shambles- most resembling toothpicks tossed in piles by the roadside just waiting to be picked up and taken to the dump. The folks of Hackleburg found themselves without home, several without cars, without the convenience of a grocery store, and the burden of cleaning up the overwhelming mess.
After awful events- most often natural disasters- an amazing thing happens... people of all ages, races, and ethnicity pull together. They now have something in common and work together to clean up the mess, rebuild their homes, and care for each other by providing food, drink, and encouraging words. Food tents were set up all around the devastated area. We actually went to one for lunch everyday. Portalettes were easy to find, and construction workers drove tractors, skid loaders, and other vehicles around the town offering assistance where it is needed. I absolutely do not wish for disasters to occur, but I long for the raw atmosphere that follows a disaster. Love and kindness are genuine, and the grace, peace, and hand of God are undeniable and exposed. It's an amazing experience.
While volunteering in Alabama we worked alongside a special (especially to us) team of hard-working, mid-western volunteers from German Valley, IL. This team spent numerous hours, days, and weeks assisting the residents and churches of New Orleans in the rebuilding process after hurricane Katrina. The two teams combined to take apart a church building that the tornado ruined. The work was hard and resulted in many scrapes and bruises, but to be able to bless a pastor who is trying to hold the church together amidst personal loss as well was definitely worth it. Below are pictures of the devastation in Hackleburg and the work done on the church.
Please continue to pray for the folks of Hackleburg as well as those in Joplin, MO.
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| The church that we took apart. |
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| Rich and Aaron on the roof. |
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| Even the cooks came out to help! |
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| The machine that deserves A LOT of credit for the clean up. |
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| The master mind behind the machine, and his young assistant driver. |
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| Hard worker! |
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| Larry Swift- director of HH2G, and Dan Miller. |
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| Rich, the slave-driver of the roof crew (I was on that crew :-) A wonderful person to work with! |
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| The owners of the "salvage company." |
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| My battle wound- I was kissed in the head by a steel beam. |
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| The sanctuary of the church. Where angels trod. |
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| The sanctuary when the clean up was finished. |
