The Sounds of Silence

As you drive through the hardest hit areas of Joplin, there is a somewhat eerie silence. Somewhat.

It is a relative silence in comparison to five weeks ago when the sounds taken for granted could still be heard. Traffic. Children laughing and playing. Dogs barking. Those sounds are gone or infrequent at best. Now, when you drive slowly through the abyss, and stop, you'll hear the distant crawl of bulldozers, the buzzing of chainsaws, the crunching jaws of heavy machinery, flags whipping in the heated breeze, and a sound that will haunt me the rest of my days ..... the scraping and grinding of the swaying metal that hangs from rafters, trees, posts, or protrudes from blown-out windows, or encompasses unrecognizable vehicles.

This is some of the strong heavy equipment picking up the
debris that we mere weak humans sort and haul to the curbs.

Most of this metal is in unfathomable places; discarded by the evil forces of nature with such reckless abandon, as if to say, "I've done all I can with you, go find a place to look menacing". And it does. It's the sights as well as the sounds that send chills throughout my being!

Sheared sheet metal ~ compliments of the mega tornadic can-opener

This bothers me to think that such a HUGE mass of metal
 traveled through the air all at once to attach itself to this house

Joplin High School in the background of this metal-wrapped tree

One of many flags throughout the rubble symbolizing the American spirit

There Are No Words

I tried to prepare myself for what I would see with my own eyes in Joplin, Missouri. I am on several Joplin tornado-related Facebook pages and have kept up with the event since the beginning. I've read several newspaper articles, watched many videos, and sat awestruck through countless online photos of the destruction. I knew what I was going to encounter once I arrived. Or so I thought!!

The first night I just settled in with my awesome, generous hosts who live in Carthage, Missouri, just northeast of Joplin. I had previously prepared to sleep on a cot in some church somewhere. I knew from the day I made the decision to go, that I would do whatever it took, including sleeping in my van if there were no     cot ~ type options. I cannot believe the blessings God sent my way the day I left on this journey. From finding, at the last minute, my misplaced GPS cord, as well as my checkbook which had gone missing for over a month (laying right next to the GPS cord).......to gas prices heading quickly downward.......to being sought out on Facebook by Mary and Bill Book (people I had never met before), to stay the entire length of my trip, safely in their home, in accommodations that make me feel guilty given the reason I am here in the first place ~ ~ ~ more about my Joplin home-away-from-home in another post. Anyway, like I said, I didn't go into Joplin until the next day and the anticipation of arriving at ground zero was making me nervous.

The next morning, I drove to MSSU (Missouri Southern State University), where I registered to volunteer. There is so much you can do, little jobs and big jobs. Any job is one more step in the recovery/rebuilding process. As it was both Sunday and Father's Day, there were not as many options for work. I was asked what "I" wanted to do. I asked what my choices were and for that day there was only data entry or field work. I chose to help with data entry just to get my feet wet and because I had gotten a later start than I had planned. All the volunteer information has to be entered into a data base and I knew I could do that job with ease. And besides, it was in the upper 90's and HUMID and I made the decision to sit comfortably in a quiet air-conditioned room. I have to say that it gets very boring just inputting the same data for three hours straight.

Finally back in the van, and done volunteering for the day, it was time to drive into the "war zone". It's very surreal to be driving along when you know what lies ahead, and yet the minutes just before, everything looks totally normal and untouched. Next, you see some damaged trees. Just ahead, roofs that have lost shingles..... some from the wind and others from fallen trees. THEN YOU SEE IT!!! In my case, from the direction I was driving, there straight ahead and just to the left was St. John's Hospital, which I found out yesterday was lifted 4 or 5 inches off its foundation. This is a 9-story building.

Just across the street from the hospital I drove past a brick wall that read, "Cunningham Park". What park? There was not a single tree, although there was a basketball hoop still standing. The park sits on the corner of 26th and Maiden Lane. Perhaps I read it wrong. It should  have read "Cunningham Parking Lot". At that intersection, once you pry your eyes off the hospital, whether you look down 26th Street to the east or the west, all you see are trees stripped of their bark, if they are even still standing, and leaving if anything, the trunks and heaviest lower branches.

I was horrified by the sight of the mangled vehicles. How were those shapes even possible? How many of those vehicles had passengers in them?

The homes for countless blocks in both directions are totally flattened, many with just the foundations left behind, or some left intact just enough that demolition crews will have to come in to finish the job.

All of this is something that even those with huge imaginations could not dream up. It is just destruction as far as the eye can see...........and beyond. That being said, I was horrified by what was in front of me! But what really hit home was when I stopped and got out of the van to photograph the images. First I would see an interesting angle of something like this church, totally destroyed, but the cross standing undefeated as a symbol of hope.

You see metal-wrapped trees everywhere you look ~ ~ ~ and you realize all of it, at some point, was hurtling through the air in all directions at over 200 mph.

As I continued to walk around with camera in hand, I noticed things that really made my heart sink. Things that brought to light the realization of what this powerful force of nature was doing to the lives of those caught up in its' wrath.

Several blocks from the hospital, the contents from the locker of someone on the hospital staff (notice the stethoscope in the bag next to the shoes).

Perhaps this teddy bear had brought comfort to a patient using one of these wheelchairs.

I cannot speculate on this photo ~ ~ ~ but I can tell you I cried while I stood at this spot.

          Should you assume that this childs' toy belonged at this home?           More than likely not!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

After what seemed like quite a long time of walking or driving through the area, it was apparent that the path of destruction was so immense, it would take more than one day to really have an understanding of what happened to Joplin. How long would it take to come to such an understanding? I realize that "understanding" is the not the word I am looking for. What word would explain it better? Why am I trying to choose a word? There are no words!!!

It's Not Oz. It's Not Kansas......but It's Close.

Just over two weeks ago I knew what I'd be doing after June 15th, the last day of school for the boys. They'd head off later that week to their dad's house for a couple weeks and I'd focus big time on house projects, as well as a little relaxation. It was a no-brainer.

Another plan for that particular time period, although somewhat tentative, was to visit a friend in Texas for a few days and then drive back to Michigan via Route 66, one of my passions, especially since last summer when I drove a large portion of the Mother Road through Illinois. One of many towns along Route 66 that I was looking forward to stopping in was going to be Joplin, Missouri, the first town east of the Kansas/Missouri border. Joplin has some interesting history

Yep, that was my  plan and if the Texas visit fell through, I would certainly make some progress in the new house, maybe surprise Spencer by completing his bedroom and finish painting Cooper's bed so he could get off the sofa/sleeper in his room. So anyway, going back a couple weeks, on May 22nd, I stopped by the cemetary to take a look at mom's headstone which had finally been placed. I picked that day because it would have been dad's 82nd birthday on the 22nd, and I wanted to see mom and dad's stones together for the first time. I got home later that evening and shortly after the boys were in bed, I jumped on the computer to check my email, work on my other blogs, post some photos to Facebook..... the usual routine. That's when I saw the reports of yet another weather-related disaster...... this time, my Route 66 town, Joplin, Missouri. Another tornado. Well we all know by now that this was not just another tornado.

I don't know for sure why I am so drawn to this tragic event. So many have been happening lately and how can we ever forget 9/11? I won't ever forget that unspeakable loss of lives, but still, I felt helpless and I was just another far-away observer. Same thing with Hurricane Katrina, the tsunami in Japan, the very recent tornado in Alabama. I could  go on but it's all the same thing....... bad things taking place that make me sad, mad, or speechless, but I have always just gone on with everyday life.

Not anymore. Within a few days of the tornado, I couldn't keep it out of my mind, and before a week had gone by, I knew what to do. Forget relaxing,or even painting furniture or stripping floors. I'm jumping in the van and heading to Joplin. What will I do? Whatever I can!