I have lived all or most of my life in and around the Susquehanna an Delaware Rivers. Mostly the Susquehanna. That being said I remember floods. Not just from what other people tell me but my own experience. In 1972, I was 11. I remember the Hurricane Agnes flood as we lived in Kingston PA. All I knew is something was happening in the middle of the night as my dad woke my sister and I and drive us to a friends house in Dallas, PA. We were away for what seemed like weeks. At that time we didn't have Internet and TV news was not on 24 hours. So I remember the siren sound on the radio as the announcer talked about people needed to get out. I remember him telling us about a bridge from Wilkes Barre to Kingston that was gone. My first experience was when we were able to stay in our home, as the flood only damaged the second floor. It was nice to be in my own bed for a change but believe me the "flood mud" smell is one not soon forgotten.
I remembered that well in 2006 but I am getting ahead of myself. I was living in Lawnton, a suburb of Harrisburg, PA in 1996 when, while I did not have flooding, but I saw who did. I also saw the walking bridge from the West Shore to City Island get pushed off its moorings and slam into another bridge downriver and crumble like a bunch of tinker toys. Do you all know what those are? Showing my age again. lol
In 2006 I was in a place west of Binghamton, NY called Deposit. While the flooding was initially minor, the reservoir which holds drinking water for New York City was over capacity. So they group who runs that decided to let water loose to ease that situation. That devastated many people in Deposit. The parsonage was far enough away that only water got in the basement.
So now we come to 2011 in Central, Northeast PA and the Twin Tiers of New York, again. Wind and rain one week and more rain the following week. And it goes without saying that what happens not only here, but upriver, affects these regions. I have only been back n the Harrisburg area for 2 1/2 months. But as I watched the news, read messages on Facebook, I got a strong sense of heartbreak that I have had before.
You see flooding always tests our ability to let go. In 2006, I remember that it was after garbage had been picked up and i looked out and my garbage can and lid were floating in the street. I quick got changed and chased it down. I wasn't letting that get away! Flooding causes helplessness and sometimes hopelessness. I have heard and seen pictures and stories of people who know what it is to live near the river and respect it. Some who have given up and won't come back to devastation. Others have said, we know we pay to live by the river, and this is just one drawback as opposed to the blessings of living by the river. I read a story on Facebook of a friend who was traveling this week worried about what was happening in this area. She met someone who had someone in their family die on 9/11/01. She said it put things in perspective for her.
Often when I feel this heartbreak I turn to my faith and pray and stop looking at pictures and the news. It only seems to feed the helplessness and hopelessness.
In the Bible, or even on the Internet, I would encourage you, as I did, search for the words, "and Jesus had compassion." Those words and the stories of Jesus feeling there are all over. My heartbreak for so many comes from the same place Jesus' compassion comes from. From knowing that so many people are hurting, in pain and need healing and hope. At one point in the Jesus Christ Superstar play/movie Jesus is overwhelmed by it all. We can be too. That is why we are called to remember our communities and specifically the communities of faith.
In the United Methodist Church, many churches, while they may be inundated by this event, have a connection as we all do, to people who will mobilize and come in and help us get started in rebuilding not just the material things, but most importantly our hope and faith in each other. As the waters recede, as the evaluations and assessments begin, it is up to all of us in local communities and the community of faith to come together, help others dig out and lift them up in love and hope. Jeremiah tells the people that God has a plan for us, for a hope and a future. We have had out time to pray, and while we continue to pray, we are called to action.
As all of this comes together I want to give a special shout out to all the first responders but especially the Hershey Volunteer Fire Department. When I was a paramedic and worked in their EMS division, we worked together but I can say they are often taken for granted, even by myself. My guess is over the time of this event of flooding they are somewhere over 500 plus by now for help. Please take the time, if these folks, firefighters, paramedics, EMTs, police, dispatchers, nurses or doctors, helped you in ANY and I do mean ANY way during this difficult time. A card, letter whatever or simply a thank you and a handshake, goes a long way for people they might not see any other time.
If you need to get involved go to www.readyPA.org