When a youth group from the Episcopal Church in Colorado came to Texas, for a week this summer, to help families rebuild after Harvey, they couldn’t possibly know what to expect. They quickly learned.
The group immediately began eagerly preparing homes for reconstruction, painting, and even landscaping. Shocked by the sight of desperate needs for repair and restoration of so many homes, nearly two years after the storm, the youth worked tirelessly–while treating those they were helping with the utmost of kindness and dignity.
One woman’s home was in great need of repair, on both the interior and exterior. Several members of the youth group took the initiative to clean the exterior of her home, and then organized rocks that were scattered about in the yard–creating a small rock garden.
When the homeowner saw this creation, the result of a meticulous labor of love, she began to cry. These rocks were not just any ordinary rocks to her: They were gifts that her children would bring back from their travels, along with an accompanying story. They always brought their mother a rock and a story that immediately gained sentimental value. These rocks symbolized and held the love of her children, and a bit of her family’s history.
The unsuspecting teenagers never anticipated that their simple gesture of moving the rocks would evoke such tears of joy and gratitude from the homeowner. They had not imagined making such a positive impact on a family in need through the rock garden they constructed. They left behind an amount of hope that can’t be measured.
Many members of the youth group referenced the rock garden when asked about the most powerful experience during their trip to Texas to help others. They had no idea that they were holding a woman’s delicate heart in their hands.
One never knows how just a simple gesture can significantly help a family recover from a disaster. Tens of thousands of families still need help recovering from Hurricane Harvey. Your diocesan Hurricane Recovery team still needs volunteers to bring them home. Will you join us? http://bit.ly/HarveyDioTX
Housing for the group was provided by local area churches, including the CUSE Center at Christ Church Cathedral in downtown Houston on their last night in Texas.
The Diocese of Texas, through its partnership with Episcopal Relief & Development, is reaching out to assist families for whom conventional disaster recovery mechanisms fall short. Contact the Hurricane Recovery team at edotHurricaneRecovery@epicenter.org
