"Their sadness turned into gladness..."
The tornado took out everything in its path. It leveled homes, crushed dreams, lives splintered by heartache and despair. Loved ones hurt, missing or gone. How could these hard hit areas ever survive?
People kept asking where was God in all of this chaos.
Within seconds after the areas far and wide were hit, it was evident where God was...He was rekindling the fire in strangers' hearts...caring erased all prejudices. Citizens came running to help their fellow man. And so, it began...
What began? A spark of HOPE
We waited patiently for the word we could travel down Crescent Ridge Road...not too far from our home. William seated in the backseat, holding onto the precious cargo: his stuffed teddy bears. He was very quiet and spoke only a few words..."God, help them." I had made a pact with William. If at any point he got scared, we would turn back.
And so, we began our journey through a war zone of sorts; much worse than I ever imagined. Everything decimated...rescuers at every turn. Voices yelling, trees and debris being lugged off of homes and cars. And yet, lining the streets people walking in water and food... giving it out to anyone in need.
William spotted 2 little girls...their home damaged by the storm. Making sure there were no wires out of the way, William carried them a teddy bear a piece. "There you go. I'm praying for you." He smiled at the parents and made his way back to the car. Another family was spotted. When William gave little boy and girl the teddy bears, he hugged the children. The parents met William on their driveway. The mom reached out and took William's hand in hers..."Their sadness turned into gladness when you gave them these toys. Thank you."
What began? A spark of HOPE
---
Our spark of HOPE began when we started getting calls from people wanting to donate stuffed animals. Businesses joined in hosting bins: Cotton States Insurance, Movies Plus, Southland Restaurant, Boys Scouts of America, Morgan Keegan, B101.7 & 95.3 The Bear ...
Not only have the children in this community been helped, but children in these areas: TUSCALOOSA COUNTY- HOLT, ALBERTA CITY, CITY OF TUSCALOOSA, ROSEDALE, FOREST LAKE, BROOKWOOD, HACKLEBURG, WEBSTER'S CHAPEL, HOMEWOOD, PELHAM, MCCALLA, VANCE, PRATT CITY, COALING, CLAY, TRUSSVILLE.
Here is a list of places we have visited:
BIG BIRD DAYCARE
FOREST LAKE BAPTIST CHURCH
WINGS OF GRACE RELIEF CENTER
TEMPORARY EMERGENCY SERVICES
CENTRAL DAY SCHOOL (TEMPORARILY HOUSED AT UNIVERSITY CHURCH OF CHRIST)
WEEPING MARY AME CHURCH-HOLT VBS
DCH PEDIATRIC FLOOR
LITTLE PEOPLES DAYCARE
CALVARY LITTLE FRIENDS
CAPSTONE CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTER
FOREST LAKE METHODIST DAYCARE
THREE BEARS CHILD CARE
SKYLAND ELEMENTARY
NORTHINGTON ELEMENTARY-BACKPACK COALITION
HOLT HIGH SCHOOL-BACKPACK COALITION
COTTONDALE ELEMENTARY
HEADSTART (TEMPORARILY HOUSED AT MARTIN LUTHER KING ELEMENTARY)
BABYPALOOZA-UNIVERSITY MALL
FOREST LAKE METHODIST BLOCK PARTY
HACKLEBURG ELEMENTARY
REINS OF LIFE-HAMILTON, AL
People kept asking where was God in all of this chaos.
Within seconds after the areas far and wide were hit, it was evident where God was...He was rekindling the fire in strangers' hearts...caring erased all prejudices. Citizens came running to help their fellow man. And so, it began...
What began? A spark of HOPE
We waited patiently for the word we could travel down Crescent Ridge Road...not too far from our home. William seated in the backseat, holding onto the precious cargo: his stuffed teddy bears. He was very quiet and spoke only a few words..."God, help them." I had made a pact with William. If at any point he got scared, we would turn back.
And so, we began our journey through a war zone of sorts; much worse than I ever imagined. Everything decimated...rescuers at every turn. Voices yelling, trees and debris being lugged off of homes and cars. And yet, lining the streets people walking in water and food... giving it out to anyone in need.
William spotted 2 little girls...their home damaged by the storm. Making sure there were no wires out of the way, William carried them a teddy bear a piece. "There you go. I'm praying for you." He smiled at the parents and made his way back to the car. Another family was spotted. When William gave little boy and girl the teddy bears, he hugged the children. The parents met William on their driveway. The mom reached out and took William's hand in hers..."Their sadness turned into gladness when you gave them these toys. Thank you."
What began? A spark of HOPE
---
Our spark of HOPE began when we started getting calls from people wanting to donate stuffed animals. Businesses joined in hosting bins: Cotton States Insurance, Movies Plus, Southland Restaurant, Boys Scouts of America, Morgan Keegan, B101.7 & 95.3 The Bear ...
Not only have the children in this community been helped, but children in these areas: TUSCALOOSA COUNTY- HOLT, ALBERTA CITY, CITY OF TUSCALOOSA, ROSEDALE, FOREST LAKE, BROOKWOOD, HACKLEBURG, WEBSTER'S CHAPEL, HOMEWOOD, PELHAM, MCCALLA, VANCE, PRATT CITY, COALING, CLAY, TRUSSVILLE.
Here is a list of places we have visited:
BIG BIRD DAYCARE
FOREST LAKE BAPTIST CHURCH
WINGS OF GRACE RELIEF CENTER
TEMPORARY EMERGENCY SERVICES
CENTRAL DAY SCHOOL (TEMPORARILY HOUSED AT UNIVERSITY CHURCH OF CHRIST)
WEEPING MARY AME CHURCH-HOLT VBS
DCH PEDIATRIC FLOOR
LITTLE PEOPLES DAYCARE
CALVARY LITTLE FRIENDS
CAPSTONE CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTER
FOREST LAKE METHODIST DAYCARE
THREE BEARS CHILD CARE
SKYLAND ELEMENTARY
NORTHINGTON ELEMENTARY-BACKPACK COALITION
HOLT HIGH SCHOOL-BACKPACK COALITION
COTTONDALE ELEMENTARY
HEADSTART (TEMPORARILY HOUSED AT MARTIN LUTHER KING ELEMENTARY)
BABYPALOOZA-UNIVERSITY MALL
FOREST LAKE METHODIST BLOCK PARTY
HACKLEBURG ELEMENTARY
REINS OF LIFE-HAMILTON, AL