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Louisiana Writes From Mississippi: Dear Family (Story #1,900) by Karen Lynn Vidra, The Texas Tornado
Tuesday, September 6, 2005
Rated "PG" by the Author.
Louisiana writes to her family from the storm-damaged region of Mississippi, where she is helping out with relief efforts; as you can imagine, she is devastated and heartbroken over the calamity that surrounds her. (She will be returning home on Saturday.)
Monday, September 6, 2005, Biloxi, Mississippi (Ground Zero)~
Dearest Family~
I am taking some time from my busy schedule to write to you. I am okay, but I am exhausted, and my spirit is broken and weeping for those most affected by Hurricane Katrina. You can not imagine the scope of this disaster: it looks as though a nuclear bomb went off here, and there are many people walking about in a daze, wondering if they have anything--or anyONE--left after the hurricane roared ashore and did her evil work. The smell of disease and death hangs thickly in the hot, humid Mississippi air (I have to wear a mask to keep from breathing in the horrid smells), and there are bodies lying in amidst all the debris and damage. The scenes that surround me are nothing short of incredible, and I am trying my best to administer emotional support and medical aid to the needy, dying, and suffering, and it is really starting to affect me on the emotional level.
How I wish I could have been there for you yesterday when you went to the Muscular Dystrophy Telethon and help y'all with the phones and pledging! I missed you so much, and I was wondering how the Muscular Dystrophy telethon did in raising funds for neuromuscular diseases. I was thinking of Johnny; I know that Labor Day for him is both exciting and heartbreaking, and I hope that he knows that I was thinking of him and praying for him. Now school has started up, and the kids are no doubt in school by now as I write this. I hope that the transition from summer vacation to going back to school went smoothly (with 50+ kids I know that is a Hurculean task at times! LOL), and I was sorry not to have been there for Janica's official debut as school student. She must think that I abandoned her or something, but I am trying to help people who are in dire need right now, and it is really difficult at best.
Yesterday, we saw President Bush, and he came up to us, and he gave us hugs and said that we were doing a great job in difficult circumstances; he looked so sad and careworn my heart went out to him. He said that he would do all he could to help those affected by Hurricane Katrina, and he would also help us, those who are trying to help. I hope so; these poor, southern people have lost so much, and there may be more victims found as the waters continue to recede in New Orleans and surrounding communuties in that part of Louisiana.
I am past the point of exhaustion, and it is a struggle for me to try to eat when there are people who have literally nothing but the clothes on their backs; and they are so desperate for food, water, even something as simple as a BATH or sleep! I just wish could do more for these dear, sweet people (many of them being of African American background), who are so desperately poor, elderly, have kids, or are handicapped. I wish I could take a few of them back home with me to Tennessee and give them shelter! It would be the least I could do after what they have had to go through! This has been a hellish week for ALL of America, and Americans, and it is something that we will never forget for a very long time to come. New Orleans and the coastal towns of Biloxi and Gulfport in Mississippi WILL rebuild, according to latest news reports, but they will never be the same as they once were before Hurricane Katrina came. I just wish I could do more for these people, but I am trying the best I can.
Just keep me in your prayers; pray that I make it through the next several days and pray we have a safe trip back north to Tennessee. My fellow workers are well, but like me, they are in desperate need of sleep, water, food, and a good, hot, soaking bath! Thank you for listening to me; I don't know what I would do without you...you are my strength, and y'all keep this heart going on, even in times of great tragedy!
(((HUGS))) and much love, your ever-loving wife and mother, Louisiana. :( >tears<
P.S.: Any word from Kendra yet?? Let me know! Thanks!
Karen you depict the tragedy as if you were there. What a fantastic writer you are! It's so good to read something favorable for a change about our politicians, and about God!You never let us down! Brava!
Karen, you have such a gift of being our "eyes and heart" on the spot that sometimes I have no idea whether this is fact, fiction or fictfact... but it's just sooooo good, whatever it is! Thank you for giving us this view from "the other end of the telescope" and bless all the saints like Louisiana who have given up their own lives and put the good of the wider community even above service to their own households. We can have NO idea what it is actually like to be at the point of disaster - until we read YOU and you bring it realistically and sensitively like documentary before our eyes. You are gifted at this and provide us all here with valuable insight and much understanding. Bless you and thank you, LOL Kate xx
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Monday, September 6, 2005, Biloxi, Mississippi (Ground Zero)~
