Rain Storm Sinks Homes and Streets but Hope Floats

My city and community have faced a terrible disaster this week.  A severe rainstorm dropped over 26 inches of rain in some parts of this northwest Florida region on April 29 and April 30, 2014.

The rainfall totals beat previous tropical storm and hurricane rain amounts that have come through this region.  In fact the record of rainfall was from over a century ago.  This area has never seen this much rain in over one hundred years.

The impacts of the flash flooding have been devastating.  Constant rain with no breaks have saturated roads, homes and have taken out bridges and formed destructive sink holes.

The incidents reminded me of what my husband and I encountered during Hurricane Katrina, living in the suburbs of New Orleans.  This time, however, our family was more lucky and blessed to be home and safe with power on in Pensacola. Others were not as fortunate as us.

No one can really prepare for some freak of nature like this – against nonstop rain for hours and hours, nearly a whole day; even with a hurricane you have breaks.  Typically a hurricane moves through quickly and doesn’t sit over a region for such a long period of time.  This storm didn’t offer any downtime though.  It stayed overhead and continued to dump rain after rain with nowhere for it to go except build up and pour over.

Please send good thoughts, dry conditions and well wishes to all those who were in this path of severe thunderstorms, tornadoes and lightning.  Many folks lost their homes.  Many businesses lost everything.  Say prayers and offer positive energy to those who need it.

Through all these bad images, I see much good happening.  I see people helping strangers.  I see food being handed out to those who need it.   I’ve seen clothing and other possessions being donated to families who lost theirs.  Brave acts were and are being performed to rescue people and animals.

There are positive images being shared across the city.  Even encouraging words are being painted across local bridges, like this one shared on Pensacola’s Graffiti Bridge:

Perhaps the only thing that floats during a time like this is hope.  When everything around you is sinking, and you have nothing left, you cling to a belief that you will pull through it all with strength, determination and integrity.

Although I’ve only lived in this area for four years, I think the people here are amazing.  I think they will bounce back and be stronger in time.  And I’ll do what I can to help them and bring this area back to vibrant health and life again.