The Yellow-shirted Army of Angels
Having spent the previous week in the house
answering the phone calls from the victims of Hurricane Matthew and creating
work orders for them, yesterday I felt like I needed to get out of the
house. So bright and early I packed a
lunch and headed out the door with Mike and our neighbor. Before heading out into the community to
serve, we joined 100s of the yellow-shirted Mormon Helping Hands army for a
short worship service. The power I felt
as we gathered was unlike any other I have felt before. As in ancient times (see Alma 48:9),
we gathered to fortify and strengthen ourselves before heading out to help and
strengthen others.
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| photo credit Michael S. Lavoie |
Our crew's first stop of the morning was to a group of
homes on the east banks of the St. Johns River in southern St. Johns County.
The destruction the water caused was unbelievable. Chainsaws hummed as downed trees were cut
down and dragged to the street and large pieces
of their ruined docks were cut so they too could be taken to the piles of
debris on the street. Sheds were emptied
and all the previously important storage was added to the ever-growing piles on
the street. Huge pilings were tied to
trucks and drug to the street, fences were unearthed from the debris and stood
back up and the flotsam and jetsam was gathered. But in my opinion, the most important work
done at these homes was listening as the homeowners shared their memories,
providing a shoulder for them to cry on and renewing their hope in mankind and
their faith in God.
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| Our crew with Bill and Theresa |
Shortly before we finished up at these homes,
a FEMA adjuster arrived at the home I was working. He walked the property with the man of the
house looking at the destruction. As they rounded the corner to the area I was working, the lady of the house was
standing on the balcony above their heads.
She commented to her husband and the adjuster, “Aren’t these angels just
a beautiful site.” The adjuster replied
to her, “These yellow-shirted angels have been on every job I have ever gone
to.” What an honor it is to belong to
the yellow-shirt army!
As we finished up our work in this area, a
local Methodist congregation appeared with Publix subs and fried chicken and water. What power there is
when differences in political and religious views are dropped and we all come
together as a community and work together to help those in need, each doing
what they can.
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| More of our crew in front of the debris pile cleared from this home's yard |
Following lunch we left the beautiful St.
Johns River area and headed to the Crescent Beach area of St. Augustine. I knew from the calls coming in the previous
week that this was one of the worst hit areas.
Even knowing that, I was not prepared for what I saw driving those
streets. The streets were piled high
with literally every personal possession these people owned. Pulling up to our next home, it was difficult
to find parking because of all the debris lining the streets.
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| photo credit Michael S. Lavoie |
We joined another crew at this home. By the time we got there, almost all of her
personal belongings from the first floor had been removed. The very few items that could potentially be
saved were on a tarp in her small front yard and yellow-shirted volunteers were
meticulously washing them in an effort to try and preserve something for
her. The small house was filled with
workers removing kitchen cabinets, drywall, insulation and flooring –
essentially everything 48” above the floor and down. Loading and hauling the sleds and wheelbarrows
full of sheetrock, flooring and insulation to add them to the debris piles was
heavy work. As soon as they finished in
one room, I then grabbed a shovel to scoop up the larger debris and then the
broom to gather the nails and remaining debris.
Room after room they went. She
was so worried about not having a kitchen sink, that one man ran to the
hardware store and picked up some 2x4s and then another man built her a frame
to hold her kitchen sink, hoping to bring her a small bit of comfort in this
chaos that had paralyzed her. Her
daughter and granddaughter came a little while after we arrived trying to coax
her into coming to stay with them at night. What a powerful reminder that all
that really matters in life are people – our family and friends.
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| Literally everything from the first floor of this little house was in her debris pile |
Whether it has been for a few minutes on the
phone, mucking a house, raking debris, clearing a shed or a few extra minutes spent listening, my hope is that I
have been able to help people feel the love the Savior over the past 10+
days. I have been asked by many the last
few days why God would allow such destruction to happen. I do not have an answer for that. What I do know is that even amid the rubble
of destruction, God is aware of each one of us and loves us. He will bless and strengthen us. He will hear the prayers pleading for
strength and help. A wise man once said,
“God
does notice us, and he watches over us. But it is usually through another
person that he meets our needs.” (Spencer
W. Kimball) I am grateful for those
people He has sent to me in answer to my prayers. And I am grateful to have played a small role
in being the answer to others prayers the past couple of weeks. What a privilege it has been to witness the
outpouring of love as the yellow-shirted army of angels has wrapped their arms
around those in my community who are currently suffering. My
faith has increased and my determination to serve someone every day has been
strengthened. Last night as I reflected back
on my day, I felt a little closer to my Savior.
My prayer is that those we were able to help yesterday did to.
“…Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.” (Matthew 25:40)
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