It’s been a little over a month since Western North Carolina experienced Hurricane Helene.  I know I posted a couple of pictures of the devastation in my last blog post, but I wanted to post one more.  This picture is a recent one.  Asheville is going to feel the aftereffects of this hurricane for years to come.

What this storm has really laid bare is how Asheville is really two cities: “The Haves” and “The Have Nots.” Through this storm, even “The Haves” have suffered. The Children and Family Ministry Director at Grace Covenant Presbyterian wrote on Facebook, “While my house still stood after the storm, my home did not.”  I don’t know much about her situation, but I do know she is living somewhere else in the city.   

Perhaps a better way to describe the “Have nots” and “The Haves” is some folks have experienced much damage and others, like me hardly any at all.  I was without power, cell phone service and water for around 6 days.  The entire city currently  is without clean water which means using bottled water. Many business owners have lost their businesses.  The storm leveled their buildings, and they have nothing left.  Others must rebuild what they do have.     

Here are some statistics according to the Asheville Citizen Times:

• 96 deaths in Western North Carolina with 42 in Buncombe County alone (my county)
• 99% of people now have water but most cannot drink it since the filter system was broken.  Some folks aren’t comfortable taking showers in it or doing their laundry because of the discolor and unseen bacteria. I have done both, but others are using the shower and laundry centers that dot Asheville.
• 1 million bottles of water distributed to Buncombe County residents.
• 3 million cubic yards of storm debris in the county which is the equivalent of roughly 140 football fields stacked 10 feet high.
• 102 million approved by Fema for emergency housing needs, home replacement, childcare, funeral experiences and other things.  Fema hasn’t finished paying yet.

Where is God in this?  God has encouraged many folks to operate chainsaws, push brooms and get dirt on their hands – many coming from other states.  God has nudged dozens of people to cook meals for the survivors.  God’s spirit is moving with the Mennonite group who traveled here to help build a village of tiny homes, so folks have somewhere to live.

God is here.  I hope the folks recovering from the destruction see Her.  I hope people who are suffering their many losses feel comforted when so many folks are helping.  I pray they are getting the emotional support they need. 

My church has a disaster relief center where folks can come and get the things they need to survive.  Things like diapers, cleaning supplies, flashlights and so much more.  They can talk to someone about getting rent assistance.  The church has already raised thousands of dollars for rent assistance, and they are trying to raise thousands more.

I went there this afternoon and it’s a good place for me to volunteer. Volunteering there pushed my limits in a tolerable way.  Lately I haven’t pushed against my brain injury challenges.  A person can improve after a brain injury even years later, but challenges are important for this growth.   I plan to return on Wednesday.   By volunteering, I’m serving God, my neighbor and myself. .