June 27, 2008 Waterloo, IA
Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ---
First of all, I will tell you that we could use some help in our area. Like everyone else, we really hate to ask—there are so many great needs everywhere in our world. And our little ol' floods actually are small compared to some of the great disasters in our world, even in recent months…
Yet, this is a GREAT opportunity, if you feel called to pray for, share with, or partner any efforts in this area. If you have a prayer team of 2 or 22, a mission team, some dollars to share, we are being shown hour by hour one or ten or one hundred more persons who are experiencing great loss and grief along with many of their family and neighbors and friends….
A quick punchline is that our small-but-loving church in the north part of Waterloo, IA is hosting and helping to dispatch mission teams from UMC churches, UCC churches, ANY churches, individuals, groups from Habitat for Humanity, Vista/Americorps, and anyone the Lord sends to minister to folks not only in our city, but also in smaller towns and rural places within quite a radius of here. I am someone who is simply trying to enhance the wonderful working-together and praying-together of so many terrific folks. I also seek to be a support to my own parishioners and everyone else God is putting in my path—as well as encourage and communicate with others who may wish to do the same.
A great big enthusiastic thanks to Pastor Terry Plocher of Reinbeck, IA (30 miles away) who already after a brief communication with UMC Volunteers In Mission has been here in person and has brought several in his church to "BE the church" TO affected people. One small example of many things they are doing in Christ's name--they have helped one homeowner carry out very heavy water-soaked papers, ruined furniture and multitudinous personal items, have helped to finish pumping and cleaning a basement, have now stripped and hauled out sheet rock, all while being of great comfort and cheer to a very stunned lady who can't understand why she can't really move—after all, she has only been "inconvenienced…" They (Reinbeck) have been here twice—and promise more in the future. Pastor Terry even took the time to visit three of my folks in the nursing homes this week (I have about 30!), to remind them of the Lord's love—and that Pastor Sheryl and the church have them in our thoughts and prayers but are just a little busy right now.
Pastor Terry and at least one of his former churches were impacted by massive flooding and disaster 15 years ago. He now is equipped to help with keen insight to the chaos and need. I was serving a Lutheran church part-time in Grand Forks ND/East Grand Forks MN when 80-90% of that combined community went under water as the build up from blizzards melted in April, 1997. I then was able to stay with them full-time for a year of their disaster, cleanup and rebuilding process. Now we learn from them. Another colleague from Waterloo's Eastside Ministerial Alliance, Martha Frazier, helped and served in Katrina for years and now helps ministers to minister in Waterloo. May we all continue to learn from one another, as we unite to build one another up in the Lord.
Also a GREAT thanks to so many others who have called, who have scheduled, who are praying and discerning what to do. I so much want to hug you all! Our churches and many other agencies are working together QUICKLY to share across every denominational line to host and dispatch any one who would like to come and help. We were so happy to receive a visit on Monday, June 23 from Bishop Gregory Palmer of the Iowa Conference United Methodist Church, along with Bishop Alan Scarfe of the Episcopal Diocese of Iowa. They came with people from UMC Iowa Conference Disaster Relief, UMC Iowa Volunteers In Mission, UMC news and publications, and UMCOR (United Methodist Committee On Relief). They listened to us carefully, though they had so MANY other people in the state to listen to as well that day! The Bishops will be happy to know that we at St. Paul's UMC already are partnering with St. Luke's Episcopal Church to host short term mission work groups coming in this summer. I am kind of assuming this will lead to more…
You—or someone you know—can help church-to-church, neighbor-to-neighbor, or in many aspects of the cities, Red Cross, United Way, and more. Many of you already are—thank you! Large experienced early-disaster-response Christian agencies such as World Hope and Samaritan's Purse have set up and can equip-train-dispatch individuals or small/large working groups immediately to help those on the lists. (World Hope has helped several of our parishioners already!!) More are coming. I hear MUCH praise from those who have worked Katrina and other disasters for years about what United Methodist (UMCOR) and Presbyterians and Lutherans and others do in ongoing wondrous work and help for others—again, hand-in-hand with all the above-mentioned and more. I know they are at work in Iowa, preparing to do it again, and stay for the long haul. As far as now, you don't have to be from afar off to lend a hand—local residents who are not overwhelmed can help for a half-a-day or a day or more as they are able. Physical labor, friendship walking-with, or even helping an elderly person sterilize their flooded china or jewelry or other keepsake can be of great help and support. And pray.
I am writing from St. Paul's UMC in Waterloo Iowa. Anything I say here can apply to many many communities around us, most certainly and worse (?) Cedar Rapids, Coralville/Iowa City, and more to the south of us all. Towns such as New Hartford, Palo, Chelsea and others have widespread damage beyond our belief—AND all of the environs, of course. Crops and grazing lands have been ruined for the season. Other businesses are out-of-business or struggling to figure out what to do now. Our news media simply cannot cover it all adequately in order that we all should understand the extent of the damage and havoc for all… I will speak for my perspective of our immediate area, and you can simply project the same and more for areas north and east and south and west of us.
Waterloo/Cedar Falls area (we call it "Cedar Valley") and surrounding towns have experienced a greater "natural disaster" crisis than anyone ever can remember, with the incredible flooding that began June 9 and 10, and then kept continuing, and continuing. Waverly has been incredibly hit. Parkersburg, New Hartford, areas north of Dunkerton, and so many rural areas around still are stunned and many out of their homes since an incredible F-5 (really-really-big-and-destructive) tornado hit May 25 and took or greatly damaged many homes, churches, farms and other businesses. New Hartford then seems to have been much-covered by flood waters—I haven't even been there yet—but my friend who lost her sister-in-law (killed in the tornado)—and also suffered much wind damage personally and everyone else there she knows—told me yesterday that the green flood slime which came two weeks later is still in her home as she and her husband are living with their grown kids in another house for now. The pictures of New Hartford under water several days ago that I finally saw on news media last night were incredible.
My eyes are here in Waterloo where more have been affected than ever before—with floodwaters, storm sewer back-up, ground-water in basements, and more. No matter how large or small the water damage, the mold is here, which creates more problems of its own.
Sometimes this massive flood has taken, wrecked and twisted a whole home like one of my parishioners. Sometimes it has "simply" filled a home-including the main floor-with violent flood waters, leaving a stinky mess to clean up and incredible waiting, paperwork, more waiting, confusion and chaos—while the adults of the family need to still go to full time work every day and then deal with whatever else they can do after hours. Sometimes it is like another one of my parishioners who just had to wait for days and days for the water to quit coming in through the basement walls, inundating and ruining "only" the water heater, furnace, washer, dryer, everything stored there they had no time to get out. They feel much better now that they have removed 7000 pounds of soggy crud from their basement, have actually been power-washed and sanitized thanks to a Christian volunteer group, and now simply have to connect with overworked contractors with long waiting lists for all the rest and deplete the personal savings they had. They are so happy to have running water again after two weeks without. Hot water will come later. Their pets are still with them. SO fortunate compared to others! Did I mention they both are over 80? Their grown son has helped them constantly. He is worn out, too—though the flood never touched his house.
Another couple I know did not want to call any of the Christian or city or United Way agency help lines. After all, they only had an inch or two of water in their basement. But that is enough to completely soak a carpet, make dressers fall into pieces and render a precious cedar chest unusable, and mold up every piece of camping equipment, along with all their daughter's bedroom belongings, Christmas decorations and more. Fortunately, a Habitat for Humanity group already staying in our church made themselves available after their other work yesterday to come over and lift everything, including that horrid now-moldy carpet (it used to be red!), up out of the basement and to the curb. Across the street they could also watch the heavy-loading equipment driving and scooping up multiple building-high mounds of personal items and furniture that used to belong to everyone in the east-Waterloo neighborhood—last Saturday everyone who lived in the area was invited to dispose of it there—and the ones who had the energy and the strength did. My couple was a little behind—he has been out of work (self-employed) since a very difficult surgery 4 months ago, and she still limps from last year's hip-replacement surgery. They did enjoy sharing with the Habitat folks about the 17 years' worth of mission trips they used to go OUT on, around our country, shoulder-to-shoulder with friends from Methodist and Catholic churches—they called the group the "Metholics." Anyway, they now have had the energy to call a help line and get on a list. World Hope will take care of the next steps as soon as they can—and they are discipling the rest of us to help people like them and others in the future.
I found out two days ago that three predominantly Black churches were so flooded that they likely will never be in those buildings again. I know many others were greatly damaged. Parsonages have been damaged—including those of our own local UMC brothers and sisters and more I don't yet know of. Others, like ours, were not touched—which enables us to offer our worship space to share (we only have one Sunday service at 9am), and to pray for others, and to host work groups. We also are continuing with our brand new 1st & 3rd Wednesday Evening worship—that is bringing some new people in the doors—some who "don't do" Sunday mornings… we'll see.
I don't know what else to say—I'll share what I can as I can, but sitting in front of a computer to write is a luxury I used to do for an hour a day, and now simply try to find a few minutes here-and-there in order to catch up.
There has been incredibly low numbers as far as loss-of-life directly due to these hits—yet we all know that to each family that has lost THEIR loved one, the disaster is beyond hurt—as with everyone suffering at any time whether or not it makes the headlines. Keep praying for those now facing post-disaster injuries, depression and other mental afflictions, reactions from air tainted with mold or carbon monoxide, and more. We have to be so careful, and so caring, now and on into the future.
Let the Holy Spirit remind us all to be so careful and caring, in these situations, and the others everywhere day by day. May we all be ready to let our lights shine in the name of Christ, to help lighten another's darkness or share the load, to offer our time and worship and prayer and praise to the God who made us and loves us, including taking that Sabbath time to allow God to restore peace to our souls.
Please pass this on to whomever you think should read it. I don't know how to reach you all, and even those I could look up in directories of various kinds, I just don't have time right now. Bless you all.
In Christ, "Pastor Sheryl" Eash Campbell
Serving at St. Paul's United Methodist Church
207 West Louise Street Waterloo, IA 50703
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