Arriving in Jamaica, I was struck by the amount of destruction I saw. Trees twisted off, many homes flat on the ground in a pile of rubble, power lines down everywhere. Within the first day of working for people, getting some roofs covered in tarp, I saw a wonderful spirit of gratitude and thankfulness for life. Many of the people I spoke with stated that they Melissa took everything, but we are thankful for life, and God can bless us again with what we have lost. Seeing the faith they have, that God will work everything out and provide for them, I had to consider my own trust in God.
One of the people I met here was Judith. While we were working on getting a tarp over the two rooms of her house that were left standing, she told us a bit about their experience in the storm. She and her four children were at home on the day the hurricane hit, as the wind got worse and the water started rising, they went next door to their neighbors house, which was a concrete house and much safer. The water kept getting deeper and reached about chest high. Inside the house they climbed up on whatever thy could to try to stay out of it. Outside, their own house got torn apart. Their kitchen and two other rooms got completely torn away and disappeared, along with all their possessions. With all that loss, she was grateful to be alive and well, thankful that her family was ok, and trusting that God would provide what they need.
Her story is one that will stick with me and remind me not to take for granted how richly I have been blessed and to be thankful continually.