Thanks To All The Many Friends And Supporters For Your Support During This Recovery Season From The Oklahoma Tornadoes

Thanks seems like such a little word to say in tribute to such a response of support and giving that we here in Oklahoma have received from all over the United States. Here at Two North Villa in Oklahoma City 73107, W.W.J.D. has received mountains of donations to help the poor and needy and those recovering from the devastating storms that affected Oklahomans in 52 of our 77 counties 2013. You cannot imagine the change on the faces of those who are told you may have whatever you need that is available --no red tape, no qualifications, no forms, no waiting period. Honestly they just sigh and look at you with wide eyes of unbelief and then throw their arms around your neck and cry!

Those with good insurance

You would think that since May would be plenty of time to recover, but the damage was so much and so wide spread that it has overwhelmed many --even those with good insurance have spent it all only to remember that now they have no winter belongings --in all the turmoil they didn't even think about that. So here we are facing winter and they have no jackets or coats or gloves or warm underwear or heavy blankets...etc. Now, that's just the ones with good insurance.

The under-insured are a different story

Many of them have no furniture or household goods --much less winter clothing. They are in housing. Many have been on the move: moving from temporary shelters and/or tents to hotels to rent houses. Some, the ones whose houses were not totaled by their insurance companies, are actually having to pay their old mortgages and at the same time come up with rent along with all now deposits for utilities.

Another thing to be considered is that if the family dwelling is under-insured the family’s mode of transportation will mostly likely be underinsured as well. Vehicles with liability only or too small amount of insurance to replace were tossed by the tornadoes, pounded by the hail and/or flooded by the severe flooding. These vehicles were piled up on huge lots and junked; leaving many owners without hope to replace what they originally had.

The under-insured are more likely to be those families that are living 12 to 24 even up to 36 in a home with the uninsured relatives clinging to them in what housing they do have. After all these months they are just now starting to separate back into their own family units and to have some sense of normality again. This transition takes deposits, rent money, cars, often new jobs, furniture, household goods, counseling, etc.

The uninsured's situation is even worse

The devastation of the multiple huge storms that ravaged Oklahoma threw many of them on the street. And yes, the Red Cross shelters picked them up and helped as did Salvation Army and the City Rescue Mission here in Oklahoma City. Indeed, many churches both large and small opened their doors as well, doing great works of charity all over Oklahoma. But with many of the uninsured struggling still, very hard, in many many ways, most of the churches that opened their doors to help have now shut them, leaving the uninsured frantic since the Red Cross and FEMA pulled up stakes as well.

The uninsured are more likely to be those living from pay-check to pay-check and with their homes, cars, and the tools of their trades all torn up they would have lost work as well as belongings. They are in some place temporary but, are limping severely. Meantime, the cheap motels were over-run and still are. The rental properties that were available went up in price due to the increased demand.

These folks have not recovered; because, even though they are off the street, they are stuck at subsistence levels of: food, clothing, and shelter. This is because they were the ones already in trouble --the poor, and already needy at times. These are the ones that are hurting financially the most and they are the ones that know the least how to budget. They are the ones that continue to need food and clothes and hygiene items to help them to recover. It literally takes these folks years to recover from the blow they received –because they have little or no back-up plan.

Who are these folks? These are not the lazy bums. Many of these folks actually own Mom-and-Pop businesses. They are the shade-tree-mechanics that try to fix their own cars because they can't afford to pay someone else to do it. They are the ones that get up on their own roofs and do their own repairs because they have not insurance and they struggle to get first traps and then building materials to redo what was damaged. And YES there are many tarps draped still over homes and businesses.

The home-less poor already on the street.

Much to most’s surprise, the ones who have been the most resilient through these horrifically devastating monster storms are the home-less poor. They are the tough survivor type already and know how to get out of harm’s way. They live on the street any way. In fact, the outpouring of charity helped them live better than usual –for which the honest ones are quite shocked and very thankful.

Those who work with the home-less poor have seen an increase of self-worth among them and many have started to work temporary jobs that did not before. This is a really good thing that is occurring among them. They saw an outpouring of affection and caring for the hurting and it has stirred their hearts to want to re-enter society again. Also, desire or interest in attending worship services among them has increased. Not only that, most recently W.W.J.D. had encountered more and more home-less poor actually wishing to give back by helping give to others and even to minister to them. So this turn- about of events has been very very interesting to see.

What we learn through this is that for the home-less poor the most important way for them to receive help is through ministries, so that the temptation to fleece individuals is reduced. Too many hand the beggars with signs on the corners cash and they do not respect you they just want drug, alcohol or cigarette money and are scamming for it –often lying in appearance or on their signs. In other words, don’t hand out cash to the bum on the street. Give it through a reliable God-centered ministry and it will actually be of more assistance. The reason is because they will see it as more from God, Himself; which lifts them up to prayer and thanksgiving.

Another thing we have learned is that those ministries helping the homeless poor have fared better since the storms than before. Because of this the helps that have been received are better. And the secondary effect is that the home-less poor are responding quite positively. Therefore, these helps need to continue.

Then there are the injured, ill and infested

Many spent months in the hospital. If they were not directly injured by the storm they were made ill by the storm. This huge circulating storm sucked up the sewer water and then spewed it back on them. Those in it's path --especially those out in the storm, spent months getting over severe respiratory infections. Many had to have their lungs physically drained. After months in a hospital, they have to come and restart again. These need our help to do so.

Others are just now becoming ill due to other situations however, along with the stress of the ravaging storms, it takes a greater toll.

Also, it seems that the sewer waters being spewed out caused in overwhelming increase in such creatures as: poisonous snakes, spiders, roaches, crickets, and mosquitoes …among other things. Therefore, there is an increase of bites and secondary infections from these bites.

Another, seemingly unrelated problem has been bed-bug infestation. Many have lost beds, couches, chairs, clothing and all their bedding, and many other items and have even been forced to move due to bed bugs. The replacement and moving and/or removal costs are substantial. The bed bugs have been spread more than usual by persons being displaced from their original homes into temporary housing and/or into cramped quarters. Also, the usual cleanliness habits were reduced during the time of the storm and immediately after the storm –for sure. And for those who became depressed over it all, their cleanliness habits were also less. All these things have increased the bed bug infestations to alarming levels.

Those who must replace items and/or have to put down new (unexpected) deposits often find themselves without the extra funds to do so. These also turn to ministries like W.W.J.D. to help.

The Multiple Assault Survivors

These are the ones who rode through the midst of the storm and came out with their lives, but they are traumatized more than one way. They jump at loud noises and cringe and cry at thunderstorms because their losses were multiplied:

(1) Many in Moore Oklahoma who lost their homes in 1999 went through the loss again in 2013,

(2) Multi-generational family homes lost --meaning the parents, grandparents and children all lost their homes,

(3) Entire neighborhood loss --such as Steelman Estates in Bethel Acres,

(4) Loss of health and/or lives in the family plus severe loss of property,

(5) Loss of business, or way to earn a living --such as work vehicles and tools with loss of health and/or lives in the family usually along with the home and household and personal belongings loss.

(6) Some families suffered the event of two storms back to back. If you will remember some of the storms were following the same tracks. Those who survived with some belongings intact (not to mention and their beloved pets) could not get back in to retrieve them because of the storms that followed. Others were held out by authorizes for safety sake and robbers stole what belongings they had that remained.

(7) Still other suffered the unimaginable of actually going through all three storms: May 19th 2013, May 20th 2013, and May 31st 2013 --having moved from the first place to a 2nd and 3rd only to be hit again and again.

SO, WHAT'S THE BOTTOM LINE?

The good work that has begun is not finished!
So keep the helps coming --please.
For the sake of all the many folks still in much need of help.

W.W.J.D. sees their faces and knows their stories
--and God does too!
Would you be the one to continue to dare to care
Do What Jesus Would Do?