A few posts ago, I mentioned how my husband and I helped my best friend, Tina and her family evacutate their home before the floodwaters came last Wednesday. We helped them load everything in their home in livestock and horse trailers to be put into storage. It was the quickest move job I’ve ever been a part of! We are so thankful we did, because after the floodwaters rose and then receeded, the mud line that was left showed their living room had almost three feet of floodwater in it!
Tina and Mike were able to get into her home on Monday to see the damage. It was overwhelming to see the pictures she took…I can’t imagine how overwhelming it was for them to see if first-hand. They are so thankful to God that He nudged them to get everything out! There is mud dried on the floors and their basement still had almost four feet of water in it.
Today my friend Karen and I went to help them begin the process of cleaning up the mess. My husband picked up bright green rubber gloves, dust masks, bleach and hand sanitizer for us early this morning…I’m so thankful he did! I arrived at Tina’s home around 12:30. Picture this…I wore the oldest pair of shorts I could find, a holey (not holy) white t-shirt, my hair pulled back in a ponytail and no makeup. To top it off, I borrowed my nephew’s rubber boots…so I was quite a sight, in my boots, my bright green rubber gloves and a dust mask! 🙂
I began working in their garage, as there was some things they decided to leave behind in it. Good thing I had the boots…there was black sludge mud at least an inch thick and more in some places all throughout the garage floor. Everything that had been covered in water was covered in the same black mud, and some had already dried. You can imagine the smell. Mike, their friend Pat, Karen and I hauled things from the garage to the street, and Tina was working inside the house. It felt good to help Tina and Mike…and it was probably the dirtiest job I’ve ever done, but it felt good. My legs will be sore tomorrow though…those boots were heavy!
And looking at the pictures after returning home, I couldn’t help but smile. Friends helping friends. Tina’s been my life-long friend, and God blessed me by bringing Karen into my life just 18 months ago. God has been bonding us three together, and today was a small piece of that bonding. I’m so thankful and so grateful for both of them.
Please keep Tina, Mike and their family in your prayers. They won’t be able to live in their home for quite some time, as well as most people in their small community. I will keep you posted on their progress and share what God continues to do in their lives.
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