As disaster relief efforts continue in Florida’s Panhandle following Hurricane Isaias, each day brings new opportunities to serve, listen, and witness the resilience and faith of those affected by the storm.
As our volunteers were serving meals to members of the community, a man, let’s call him Jim, approached, walking with his head down, revealing a large, visible wound on his head. When gently asked what happened to his head, he began telling his story.
On the night Hurricane Isaias struck the area, as the storm appeared to calm down, Jim made a decision that he now recognizes was a dangerous one. He stepped outside to check the damage in his backyard.
While he was walking, a large tree branch suddenly fell and struck Jim directly on the head, leaving him with a significant injury.
Despite the pain and the visible wound, he expressed gratitude, saying he considered himself incredibly fortunate because the accident could have been so much worse. He believed God had shown him mercy and spared his life.
Here was a man who had experienced the destructive power of a hurricane, suffered a serious injury, and was now standing there not focusing on what had happened to him, but expressing gratitude for what had not happened.
During disaster response, we often focus on the numbers: how many meals have been served, how many communities have been reached, and how many families have received assistance. But behind every meal we serve, there is a person. Behind every person, there is a story. And behind many of those stories, there is pain, uncertainty, courage, and faith.
And perhaps that is one of the greatest lessons we can learn during difficult times: even when life leaves us wounded, we can still find reasons to be thankful. Because every new morning is another opportunity to experience God’s mercy, extend kindness to someone else, and be grateful for the gift of life.
