Long Beach Boardwalk destroyed in Hurricane
Sandy 2012
I
like Long Beach, and I’m thankful it’s home. Last summer, as I rode my bike
along the red path overlooking the bay, I thought the same thing. Living in
between the Atlantic Ocean and the bay is like living at a vacation spot. The
beach is beautiful with soft sand and rushing waves. The boardwalk is great for
running, biking, or walking with a picturesque view. I can bike anywhere and
don’t need to depend on a car; everything seemed perfect in Long Beach. Then
Hurricane Sandy flooded our town. The ocean met the bay and filled our homes.
Water filled our basement and continued to rise two more feet on the first
floor. Those who stayed, like my husband, lived through a scene from Titanic. Well, almost.
Like
many Long Beach residents who evacuated, we returned to a ruined home.
Everything wet had to be tossed out to prevent fast growing mold; the streets
became lined with ten-foot mountains of garbage. Brand new washers, dryers,
ovens, and mattresses waited their turn for the crane monsters to lift them
away. The surging water had smashed the boardwalk and carried sections of it blocks
away as if a bomb had exploded.
The
National Guard drove army trucks filled with emergency supplies to central
areas. The Recreation Center became a
storage place for donations. We filled yard bags with needed supplies, towels
and warm clothes for all of us. We wore our donated FEMA clothes, happy to have
more layers as the temperature dropped in our drafty house. Nothing was the
same. Even the evergreen trees turned burnt orange from salt water. It didn’t
feel like home for more than half a year.
*******
But
I have to thank God for blessings today. Samaritan’s Purse Ministries is going
to fix our home sometime around mid-October. Shortly after Hurricane Sandy hit
Long Beach, Samaritan’s Purse volunteers came to help our town and set up their
offices at our church. I’ve heard of their ministry through church and knew
they travel all over the world to help where natural disasters occur and help
the poor, but never thought we’d experience their help personally.
Another
special aspect of how this ministry works is that they depend on volunteers and
even our family will be required to volunteer and help with another family’s
home. It will feel good to encourage someone else going through a similar
experience. Hopefully this will be something we can continue even when our home
is done.
God
is so faithful. Even though our hope and faith sometimes wavered, He had a
plan. Going through hard times does bring blessings we could never experience
otherwise. It opened our eyes to have compassion for others who experience a
similar loss and to appreciate the wonderful people who care and go above and
beyond in helping and providing for the needs of others. Every act of kindness
during that difficult time brought tears to my eyes and prayers of blessings
for them in return.
I
intend to update posts of the progress in our home. Can’t wait!
Our
living room being gutted a month after storm
Where’s
my kitchen?
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