Where are the Willis's

I am sure that is what most of our neighbors have been asking the last few days. We drive in, park for a little while and run back out. We have been moving from one disaster area to another. I just read on CNN that ANOTHER stinkin' tornado struck Iowa killing 4 Boy Scouts at camp. Good Grief - we want OUT of the news!

We headed up to Parkersburg with our church on Saturday to help clean up. I felt so useless even though I know that we did a lot. The task at hand just seems so huge that the little we did barely scratched the surface. The pictures don't do the devestation justice. Literally nothing but debris everywhere for blocks and blocks. The stories of community members are amazing that only 8 people died in the two communities hit. We helped two families pick up debris and cleaned up to the best of our abilities the city park. All debris had to be sorted into piles of wood, metal and brick. Poor Parkersburg has since continued to get hit hard. Thunderstorms have raged through and then their levee broke leaving access to town limited. The other town (New Hartford) hit by the tornado was evacuated this week with flooding. Pray for these people!

These pictures are from Jared's blog a week after the tornado. Most of the houses had already been take off their foundations and put in big piles of wood.





We got back with our attitudes of our stuff and family changed. I cherish my family and am thankful for the things God has given. I am learning to realize that I can't hold onto these things in my house because tomorrow they can all be GONE.

The midwest continues to be on the news for flooding and water water water everywhere! On Sunday afternoon we got a call saying that they needed sandbaggers at church immediately. Drew was woken from his nap and we were in the car within 15 minutes. We stayed late getting a wall built about 2 feet up completely around the church but that wasn't nearly high enough according to the Army Corps of Engr. They are expecting about 3 feet of water above the floor level as long as we don't get any more rain - hummmm it has rained everyday since then.

On Monday we reported again to church at 9 and left at 7 with people still going strong but we were beat and our kids were filthy but enjoying EVERY minute of the fun. They built the wall up to 5 feet tall and two bags wide. They are guessing that there are about 100,000 bags. We have averaged throughout the peak times 60 tons an hour of sand. I am not at all interested in going to a beach this summer anymore. Drew on the otherhand was enthralled by the biggest sandbox in the world. We have been back every night and come back sore and with blisters. We have made some new friends and you know they are friends when that will stand and talk to you when you STINK really bad.

Drew and one of his MANY girlfriends that he made - This is Dericka holding the bag. He spent most of his days with Megan and Jen. No matter when we got there he hung out with Megan a grad student that always held his bag and talked to him!


Here Ally is helping fill bags using the "sand-filling machine." Jason was on the end filling three bags while others held. The sand-filling team was made up of four people - one shoveler, one bag holder, one tier, and one mover. Once you got too sore doing your job you switched. You became good friends with your team!


As for the weddings this summer at Parkview (sorry Betsy and Luke and Jonna and Andy) - plan on either getting married in a boat or find a new place. In 1993 when the last flood occured they left the building about July 1 and returned in September. They are expecting the water to be at least 2 feet higher than '93 and to be out of the building for 6 to 8 weeks!

This is the church building. Half of the parking lot is under water already.

Tomorrow I hope to add some pictures of the emergency spill way that went over today which should add some more damage and water.