Humanity Is Awesome...

In Oklahoma with the Red Cross, life here has become more hectic since May 31st.  During the evening of May 31st, an additional line of severe storms came through central Oklahoma.  These storms followed the devastation tornado of May 20th.  On May 31st, seven tornadoes formed in or nearby to Oklahoma City.  The storms were a second punch to the gut of the people in the area.  I spent the evening in a tornado shelter and will write about my experience as soon as I can.  Now, I want to write about humanity, people, folks.

My volunteer work at the American Red Cross MARC (Multiple-Agency Resource Center) has been challenging and rewarding.  Each morning I drive from Norman, Oklahoma (where I sleep) to Moore, Oklahoma, where the MARC is located.  On every trip, I have passed is front of a church with a marquee sign that says, "Humanity Is Awesome, God Bless Moore".  I agree!

Back home in Indiana, I was slowly becoming more and more discouraged with people, with humanity.  The constant battles between progressives and conservatives, between NRA supporters and gun control supporters, between Republicans and Democrats, between Fox News and MSNBC, between Cardinals and Wildcats, and so on.  I was perceiving the world as being full of angry and divisive people.  I was asking myself, "What has happened to the world that I used to know?"

With the American Red Cross in Oklahoma I have found the answer to my question.  The answer is "some people in the world have become much louder in their disagreements, but the vast majority of people still love and care for each other."  I have seen folks consistently and compassionately reach out to help each other, to lift each other up.  After six days at the Red Cross MARC in Moore (OK), I know humanity is just fine.

I have seen people (case workers) gathering all the needed disaster information so devastated families can begin to receive help.  I have seem folks in physical health and mental health assist folks to begin the process of healing.  I have seen administrators (site managers) manage chaos so it changes to bustling progress.  I have seen volunteers usher victims through the system and around the MARC so dignity is maintained.

I have seen fantastic organizations step up and provide real help to people.  I one large room, here are a few of those organizations: American Red Cross, Salvation Army, Catholic Charities, Baptist Services, FEMA, Islamic Relief USA, Buddhist Relief, Austin Disaster Relief, and Goodwill.  There are even more organization in the MARC helping.  Every person (in those groups) is here helping, contributing, consoling, feeding, assisting, encouraging, comforting, and blessing people. 

Most likely the people in the MARC are helping folks they do not know and may never see again.  The people in the MARC are smiling when they work long hours and hard conditions.  The people in the MARC are leaving at the end of the day with every ounce of energy spent and then they come back the next morning.

I am proud to be one person who helps at the MARC.  I am proud to be one person in this room full of heroes.  I am proud to a person who has rediscovered the church marquee is correct, "Humanity Is Awesome."  I am blessed to see our awesomeness each day in Oklahoma.

Hug the people close to you; tell folks you love them; help whenever you can.  And, remember, "we are all awesome because we are humanity."  God bless you.

David

PS: Please excuse any typos, I typed this quickly during my lunch/supper break. :-)