100 Reasons to Add This Destination to your Travel Bucket list NOW!

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When most people plan to spend money and time traveling, they want to find relaxation, peace, beauty and wonder at the world.  My most recent trip did not provide any of those desired expectations, but it is the most life-changing experience!  I wish I could give every human alive an opportunity to travel the world and see it through the lens I experience on this trip.

I just got home from South East Texas (Port Arthur) helping relieve aftermath of Hurricane Harvey with the Mormon Helping Hands group.  In trying to process and describe my weekend, my thoughts and emotions are bouncing all over the place.  One second I’m crying, then I’m disgusted and then exhausted.  The things we experienced are really indescribable.  I felt every emotion as we journeyed through this horrible disaster.  And I am only an observer from a distance of the chaos.  I can’t imagine the feelings and thoughts of those living this nightmare. The trip is so overwhelming, I can only describe it with snippets of emotions that washed over me throughout the trip.

1. Anxiety for an early alarm and making it to the meeting spot at the church on time.
2. Sleepy at 4 am
3. Worried about the safety of drivers in all the groups
4. Buoyed up by the numbers at the church meeting spot
5. Excited to serve
6. Fear of scarcity of gas and scarcity of time to work
7. Reliance on God to provide for our need of gas
8. Appreciation of Him providing for us

Arrival in Port Arthur

9. Shock
10. Unimaginable destruction
11. Pity for the entire town
12. Unworthy to do this major work for them
13. Jaw-dropping breath-sucking disbelief

Job Site

We pulled up to our ‘job site’ which was the only house on the street without a pile of household-items-turned- junk in front of it.

14. 14. Anticipation
    15. Gung-ho
    16. Enthusiasm to get started
    17. Overwhelm at the amount of stuff in the house.
    18. Disgust at the moldy, mildew smell
    19. Determination to get it done
    20. Unsure, Where to start, what to do? Where are my efforts best used?
    21. Inadequate in what I can give
    22. Appreciative of teamwork and the homeowners working with us

        

    23. Monotonous… load after load of stuff out of the home
    24. Hopeful at progress, and then another bout of …
    25. Despair at the amount of work
    26. Potent smells
    27. Hot
    28. Sweaty
    29. Sticky
    30. Exhausted
    31. But unwilling to give up
    32. Glad for a lunch break
    33. Proud to finish 3 de-junking rooms 100%
    34. Puzzled about how to get the swollen wooden built-in drawers open
    35. Impressed with the organization and structure of the church (all 100% volunteers)
    36. Humbled by the sacrifices in time, money and effort of all 1000+volunteers that each had their own story in getting to Port Arthur.
    37. Thankful for my church family providing a hot, delicious meal
    38. Pleasure in the best shower of my life
    39. Tired
    40. Nervous about being able to camp out and sleep in a room with 300 people
    41. Mad at the bear-snoring sleeper
    42. Freezing cold with only a small blanket
    43. Comfort with a towel-turned-blanket at 2 am

The next morning

44. 44. Rejuvenated to start again
    45. Inspired by the numbers of helpers willing to endure the long night together, the long car ride and the exhausting work
    46. LOVE for my fellow church members at the sacrament meeting that was held.
    47. Awe for the Atonement and sacrifice of Jesus Christ to heal and redeem us, to take the mess of our lives and restore us to whole and completeness
    48. Peace of Jesus Christ
    49. Strong conviction of the power of the Healer and the Redeemer
    50. Strength in my covenant to serve Him by serving my fellowman
    51. Wonder at the beauty of real-life angels, willing to get dirty to serve others rather than the stereotype of angels wearing pure white and praising God in song only
    52. Gratitude my husband is such a good husband and father to allow me this opportunity away from my four kiddos
    53. Yearning to be with my family
    54. Thankful to have a peaceful time to meditate and reflect on the Sabbath without my kids
    55. Ready to start again
    56. The incredulity in the number of walls and sheetrock throughout a house
    57. Nervous of the black mold and lead paint and asbestos
    58. Sadness at throwing out such nice furniture

        

    59. Kindness toward those we are serving
    60. Empathy, so much empathy
    61. Humility – Why not me? Why do they have to go through this?
    62. Frightened for the mom who told me her story. {She laid out the first day of school clothes and backpacks and 4 hours later huddled with her kids on the couch as the water came pouring in and 911 calls were unanswered.}
    63. Irritated at those who aren’t giving their all to help these people
    64. Powerful with a body that won’t give up
    65. Persuasive to keep the teenagers going
    66. Understanding to allow the aging breaks
    67. Drained during my break, wondering how to start again, and then
    68. Surprised at my body’s ability to continue and endure
    69. Watching a garbage truck with a crane pick up, lift and crush all of their personal belonging – HEART-Breaking
    70. Tearful
    71. Only one hour left… Relief
    72. Immediately followed by guilt
    73. Sorrow for those who can’t get out of the stench and muck
    74. Head-shaking distress about the future of those we are leaving
    75. Crushed that we didn’t have time or means to help more
    76. Baffled at the future they will have to live

    77. 

        Unsatisfied with leaving a job half done

    78. Weary
    79. Frustrated we can’t stay longer
    80. Ashamed at the mess we made in the nicest house on the street
    81. Regret at all things I should’ve done and way could’ve used my time more wisely
    82. Amazed by those who worked with me despite age or health concerns.
    83. Inspired by the heart and peace of the homeowners, and their slow movements to tear down all they’ve lived in for 10+years
    84. Helpless as we drive away
    85. Hopeless and
    86. Hopeful -all at the same time
    87. Confused
    88. Fearful of their future
    89. Prayerful that God can heal their heart and rebuild their lives.
    90. Painful at the reminder of how my entire community and city made their donations and then moved on with their lives when these people are trapped.
    91. Wishful that more people would give of themselves working hard to help others instead of only meager donations and prayers
    92. Heavy
    93. The desire to do more
    94. Disappointed I’m so far away to help
    95. Upset at my beautiful home and things in it
    96. Perplexed because ‘things’ in this world aren’t the most important, yet it is such a part of our lives that losing things feels like losing life.
    97. Concerned I have my priorities on ‘things’ instead of love and relationships
    98. Sorry I couldn’t do more
    99. Sure that my life will never be the same
    100. Compassion for my brothers and sisters in the family of God

If you ask me about my trip and how it was, I may just stare blankly and let my mind rush through all these thoughts and feelings.  When the tears form, know that it is a mix of all the ugly and beautiful of the world.  I hope every person gets to experience giving back to humankind.

Please add a humanitarian trip to your bucket list, ASAP!

Port Arthur, Beaumont, Houston, Miami, Montana, Carribean Islands, all those affected by storms, fires and the ravages of nature: I love you and wish I could fix it.

I have every confidence in a God who can use these temporal tragedies to build our character and faith in Him when we turn to Him.  He can make all things work together for our benefit and our progress.

And in the process, I will stand by you and cry with you. And show you God’s love for you.

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