Tuscaloosa Tornado Brings The Most Amazing People Together!!!!!!

April 30, 2011

I heard the news of the tornado from Chuck at Bayou Lumber when I was picking up materials for work that day. He was telling me about the damage, the deaths, and the search and rescue for the trapped people. I began thinking about Haiti and Japan’s people being trapped in that rubble. Before I knew it, God was pounding on my heart. I went home and packed some clothes, all my food, sleeping bag, and some other supplies. I stopped by Master Boats and ask my friend David Rice if he had any flash lights. David printed me out some directions and sent me to pick some supplies up at Bayou Lumber and gave some funds to p/u water and food. On my way out-of-town I called or stopped by the jobs that I was in the process of doing. Everyone was pretty understanding and even asked to help. Thank you Collier family and Julie Rice. I was all ready on the road and had to leave with what I had.

What could God do with Davids help and myself, 1o- cases of water, 12 protein bars, 6- pack of slim fast, couple of flash lights, roll of plastic, sleeping bag, bottle of bleach, box of handwipes, half of a jar of peanut butter and jelly, and a loaf of bread, and a lot of praying?

GSU arrived mid afternoon in Tuscaloosa. Went by the mall and in that area in the beginning.  I knew in my heart that this was not where I was to be. I kept on praying and I was guided out-of-town about 8 miles. Area around Holt, Cottendale, and Peterson. I drove this section of about 1 1/2 to 2 miles long on Kennedy Mill Rd. and Hwy 88. I went back and forth down that road about 6 to 10 times. I knew this was the place I was supposed to be. I began stopping and asking the folks who needed the most help. I came across a side road and stopped to turn around.. After the second time turning around there, I had a sense of driving down it. Thank God I did. I came up to a mobile home park and it looked like a bomb went off. I drove up to a mobile home that only had one side of its walls up. Six of the homes where total gone and 1 rolled over and was sitting up side down 100 feet away from where it stood before. All the 30 homes suffered damage. They have no electic or water. That won’t be on for another week or so. There was a family there. Husband, wife, and two teenage children. I told her I had food and water. The first words she said was I must have been God sent. This is where the amazing people are. Her family was cooking and setting up supplies for everyone there under a shad tent. There supplies were very few. I remember maybe seeing a few gallons of water and a couple of boxes. June had a list of supplies that the families needed there. Most of what I had was on that list. It was enough to get them thru the night without worrying. I slept in my truck at a rest stop on the highway. I was laying there and thinking hum…..I gave all the supplies,water, and food away. Here I am cold , hunger, and thister!!!!!!!!That peanut butter and jelly sure sounds good right now!!!!!!

Friday morning I headed to a Red Cross looking for water and food for that community. Red Cross was set up at Bowers Park. When I pulled in  I seen the Church of Highlands there giving out clothes, supplies, and water. I stopped there and told them about the mobile home park and there needs there. They loaded one of there trucks and mine full of supplies and we headed back. We empty my truck and most of theres with the supplies. Then Bubba and his crew from the church drove down Kennedy Mill and Hwy 88 finding more families that needed help. I went back to town looking for ready to eat meals. No luck on them however I ran into another group of local volunteers giving out water. I stopped and told them about the area and we loaded up more water and brought it back. They also went around and help other familes. I was leaving one section and I stopped a van and asked them if everyone was ok down there road. A woman and her son about 8 years old said they believe everything is good except for one home. We went to this home and it was on top of a hill and the driveway was completley covered with trees. We were able to climb up there and the home was completlty gone. It looked vacant. I was able to talk with one on the news reporters and sent them an e-mail of the address and the needs of the mobile home park. My cell phone service was down most of the time. I talked with WFR Relief and gave them the heads up of what is happening here. There sending a team today.  It was about 2pm on friday and my heart was at peace. My mission was complete for God. Back to that question what could God do with two people. I like to change that question to “What do you think God can do with you”?

GSU is just a spec of sand in this disaster. This tornado spun all the way to Brimingham and there were other tornados in other states that has destroyed there communities also. Here is the contact information about helping Chalet Ridge.

Chalet Ridge Mobile Home Park

11820 Roaring Fork Dr

Tuscaloosa, Al. 35404

June Ellis 205-657-4659

Needs- 2 travel trailers,4- port-a-pot, flashlights, sleeping bags, sheets, air mattresses, hygene products, wetwipes, bleach, charcoal, paperplates, alumun pans and foil, cook set(coleman outdoor), radios, batteries.

Other areas that were hit. St. Matthias-Skyland Blvd., Rosedale Apartments, Alberta City, Cresent Ridge Rd., Brookwood-Peterson, Church of Christ lost there whole church. Please keep everyone in your prayers.

GSU wil bel joining forces with some local folks to ship some supplies up there. Another way to help is mail, ups, or freight line supplies right to the address of June Ellis and her community. They have no jobs due to the torando and things will take time for them to recover.

Donation Drop Off Site

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