Most of us thought the storm situation would be over quickly. In fact, when our son was helping us pack to go stay at my mom’s place, he said, “Remember, Pa, this is only for a day-maybe 2-3 the most.” As the days went on, we would all realize the situation would be far worse than we all imagined. Three days later when my son and I went to assess our cabin’s damages, we actually received a phone call. It was from our worried son-in-law, Andy. They were all very concerned about us because they were able to see pics of events on the news we would never see. We could get calls from the states, but not locally.
He and our daughter Milcah had a crazy idea. They wanted to find a way to mail us much-needed materials. All over the news it was being reported how people were stealing generators from churches, businesses, even using cranes to steal huge, commercial generators from highway pay-tolls! People would call in asking how anyone stealing something like that not be seen and arrested! People from the states that were sending batteries, flashlights, and generators, were having them stolen at the docks or at the post offices. Our kids (Milcah & Andy) met a man through Andy’s parents who owns a private shipping company. He made a deal with them: “Pack an entire 55’ container for me with emergency materials for Puerto Rico and you can send all you want to your family for free.” Since my daughter is just like me when it comes to organizing and packing, she took him up on his offer. In came the calls asking what we needed.
Immediately, our daughter contacted friends, family, her students, and involved her church. All types of items from non-perishables, four generators, hand wipes, water filter, over fifty packs of bottled water, and a car battery, were stocked in seven pallets that would be sent to us. Every day after her teaching job, our daughter would organize and pack boxes that would eventually go on pallets not only for us, but for others on the island. It was a risk not knowing if the items would reach us, but it was worth the taking. Our kids were attempting to save our lives at the risk of much personal loss.
But isn’t that what it’s like when you give your life away to the Lord? You take a risk by trusting God; by believing He knows what He’s doing as well as what he already did for your life. It’s a risk that’s a win-win deal if you wholeheartedly render your life to Him. Oh, you may lose your ‘friends’ and you will lose your desires for the things of the world, but it is an act of faith. In the end, you will not lose out and you will gain eternal life. Our joy was slowly edging back in. Meanwhile, we prayed and trusted God while our shipment was on its way. Would it make it safely? Would we find everything that was sent?