Hurricane Katrina

A MonsterCommerce client, on the MonsterSmallBusiness Forums, added one of the most heart warming post amidst heated discussion about the recent Hurricane Katrina and the treatment of FEMA and other criticism of the government within the media.

I've been really busy lately, but wanted to take time to throw some hopefully heartwarming insight into this discussion.

Our wholesale company relies on the gulf coast for a large part of our market. Many of our suppliers are from areas along the gulf coast as well. I was deeply moved by the response after Ivan from all of our customers (and even competitors) who offered to truck down generators and supplies to us. We received a generator from Texas and one from Pennsylvania.

After Katrina hit our friends to the west, missing us (if 90 mph winds are a miss), we felt compelled to help out in return. We sent 2 of our delivery trucks over to Long Beach with goods gathered from several local churches (the outpouring has been really amazing considering that some of these folks don't even have their own homes rebuilt yet). Our drivers stayed and worked out the rest of the day helping to hand out toothpaste, baby formula, feminine products, cans of veggies, and more. They were then given the opportunity by the National Guard and military to help unload helicopters bringing in other supplies. The scene was both somber and uplifting at the same time. Its a feeling thats hard to describe without going through something similar.

They described the handout procedures to be very well organized and obviously well received.

I can tell you from experience that the most immediate and most heartwarming assistance from Ivan came from those surrounding us, even those living right amidst the devastation. I have seen folks helping to tear out drywall from a friends house, when you ask them how they fared, they tell you, 'oh, my house is gone, so there's nothing to work on there.' By the way, the most common greeting for a year after this type of storm is 'How did you do?'

Now, what I'm about to type is not a shot at FEMA (I dont believe that talk of that type is in the least bit constructive to the people without a home right now), but we experienced a realization from Ivan that FEMA is there to collect funds for generators purchased, kick in the extra $5,000 toward home repair that wasnt covered by insurance, help pass out blue tarps from the Albertson's parking lot. They were not there pulling people from buildings or rescuing neighbors who clung to a tree during the night praying for survival. The real heroics were performed by your everyday average neighbor. I dont know all of the stories from Biloxi, or Gulfport, or New Orleans, but Im sure they will be similar to, if not eclipse some of what we witnessed. One neighbor went out into chest deep flowing water in the middle of the night becasue he new a woman was staying in her home next door and would likely have difficulty surviving if the water were any higher. He was able to get a lifejacket from a boat that was slamming against the side of his house and make it to her place and save her life that night.

It is the individual person that defines our nation. Its not the current government officials, its not the current head of FEMA, its not the current Chief of Police, its the guy that lived quietly next door to you all of his life, who when faced with a sitaution so extreme it would test anyone, and suddenly, without any precept or false agenda, becomes a hero to one elderly lady, or a young child next door.

So, when I read that our counrtry is floundering, I think, you need to open your eyes to the folks around you. Ive never seen more heroism or caring for one's fellow man than Ive seen over the last year and am seeing in response to this storm. Lets just please stop the poitical rhetoric for a while and talk about what matters to those who will soon be browsing through water stained belongings and then piling them up on the roadside for the weekly FEMA trucks. Its a sight I dont ever want to see again and am full of sorrow for those who dont even have a clue as to what they are about to go through over the next year or so. The worst is down the road. And when the news stops focusing on things in New Orleans so much and well-meaning friend from the north call and ask, 'things back to normal now?', thats when they will need the full support of everyone else in the nation who may be focused on the next national crisis.

If you haven't given, please donate to a reputable charity, if you can't afford to donate, pray fo rall of those impacted, pray for your local government, pray for our national leaders. Pray for those impacetd by the storm, that they have the wisdom to see God's will for their lives and the courage and strength to walk in it.