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Dear {First Name},
It is not uncommon for me to travel to a disaster soon after it hits. No, I am not the first to arrive – that is usually done by other MDS teams. But I often visit the project when a location has been found for early response and, possibly, for long term recovery. The long term recovery group is in its infancy, if it’s even formed at all, and I meet with local leaders offering any advice that may be helpful or connect them with key partners. It is a way to cheer them on and bring encouragement.
In late March I travelled to the Florida panhandle, namely the Marianna area, where MDS has had a significant presence. This trip seemed to close the books on this project. I recall going there three weeks after the disaster hit in 2018. And now this trip was like the bookend. I left with encouragement. Life moves on. I was impressed with the resiliency of nature – how the trees are green again, yet with visible scars and broken limbs. The community leaders stopped to reflect with me how traumatic those days were when the storm hit. The highlight for me was speaking with staff of the North Florida Inland Long Term Recovery Group and also with Kevin Yoder, outreach pastor of Rivertown Community Church.
Kevin Yoder shared some of my same memories of the early days of response, when MDS volunteers brought chainsaws and heavy equipment to clear the area so that rebuilding could begin. “They kept coming back!” he said. “Over the last three-and-a-half years, Mennonite Disaster Service has been consistently serving to help families in our community rebuild.”
I want to pass on his words of thanks—and add my own word of appreciation—to our partners and volunteers who worked in Marianna. After the early response phase, MDS set up three recovery sites: Panama City (Storm Aid), Chipley (RV), and Marianna (RV and traditional). Overall, 1,619 volunteers worked 15,350 days. What a satisfying way to close the door—by opening so many doors of hope.
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