“I remember standing in the hot sun looking around. I was sore, muddy, and very sun burned, and I realized I was witnessing God at work. “
Lisa Valentine-Cummings from Community of Christ Sanford, Michigan USA reached out to the Australia Mission Centre with the offer of prayers and practical support back in January; in response to the bushfire crisis we were experiencing. Today we have heard from Lisa again, in the shadow of her community’s own struggle, as she shares about the love and hope that is present when we come together.
“…..As for things here, besides all summer camps being cancelled, my community just suffered extreme devastation after two dams failed and the waters from both lakes and rivers came through.
Everyone with cell phones recovered an emergency alert stating the first dam collapsed on the 18th [of May]. We prayed our dam would hold strong with the extra water, but the next day we received another alert stating our dam failed and to evacuate immediately.
Alert after alert went off as the areas that needed to evacuate grew larger and eventually into the next city. Over 11,000 people had to evacuate. It took us 3 days before the good waters receded and we could return home. We were fortunate. Only our yard was soaked. We were on the edge of the flood. Our church, however, was in the middle of it.
I had seen a picture of town on the second day and began crying. I knew our church was under water along with every house and business. My entire community has been destroyed. It's like we've been erased off of the map. Entire homes were swept away and floated down river or crashed into other buildings. Roads have been washed away. Part of the expressway missing where it went over the lake.
The first day of clean up started with five of us. Within 30 minutes we had a family approach, the husband said "Our house is gone. It is some place down river and all that's left is the foundation. We don't have anything to clean up or throw out since nothing is left. We've come to help you." By that afternoon, we had strangers from distant cities helping us. Some came from out of state. We even had a group of Amish and Mennonites show up with a large food trailer. They set up in our parking lot and cooked and served homemade meals to the community. I remember standing in the hot sun looking around. I was sore, muddy, and very sun burned, and I realized I was witnessing God at work.
We had people who had lost everything helping others. We had strangers helping a community in need. We had people feeding the community. Hotels that were closed due to the virus opened up for those of us who had to evacuate.
Sanford Community of Christ lost everything except a large cross, two wooden wall plaques, and a storage bin of Christmas decorations. We said goodbye to the old church and our old ways. Like Noah, we have survived the flood and will create a new environment so we can grow.
The town has an estimated $640 million worth of damage reported so far. Our church sustained over $400,000 if damaged based on the items we lost. I created an itemized list as each thing was being brought out. I had 264 lines. But it read like this... Bibles: 60, Doors: 13 interior etc. “
Further acknowledging the power of community when we come together with God Lisa asks us for prayers for her town and the congregation at Sandford as the clean-up and re-build continues.
Images supplied by Lisa Valentine.