The hurricane Katrina was not the simple twisting and smashing of a few buildings but affected such a massive area that I'm afraid for the people who have lost so much. My husband watched more of the coverage than I have and he donated a hundred dollars for each of our grandchildren. I'm sure he was thinking of somebody else's little grandchildren being homeless, suffering, and being in the midst of a horrible situation. Where is our money being used? What do all the places getting the money use it on? Does anyone know the answer?
We put up my sister and her family years ago when they moved to our town and I think that's what these families need is their own family reaching out. Cousins, Aunts, Uncles, Parents. Some kind of shelter that isn't a cot with so many other people. I wish that many of them would also take the offer of those cruise ships. They'd have their own bedroom quarters with a shower and plenty of dining space. I know that's temporary too. I saw you Dr Phil on Larry King Live's program and I know that everyone needs to think about the future. To step forward. I think they need a few days to cry. I wish I was closer because I'd go to the shelters and hug them.
Meanwhile the Caring Corp, the Iowa Jaycees, and the Urbandale Jaycees had the boy scouts pass out a list of things needed for a scavanger hunt for the people displaced by Katrina. They didn't give us towns folks much time to find things but when I took my bagfuls to their office the traffic parking was just coming and going with so many women carrying boxloads and bag after bag of donations. I told the girl inside where boxes of things were stacked to the ceiling that I had emergency bags packed at home for our family so I already had many of the things needed to donate. I'll just refill our supplies next payday. In an emergency, we grab our bags and go. Now that this has happened the whole country can be more aware of what each of our families should have in a backpack or small carry case that we could use "just in case". Even an individual crisis, like a house fire, could give us a cd with our pictures on it or the negatives and some clean underwear. I think I'm going to include toilet paper too. I keep our emergency bags in our cars. Then if needed, even during work hours, we'd have that with us.
God bless the families and keep them in his care. I hope it won't be long until they've had their cry and look around to see all of America hugging them. We love them too.
Dee
