Good morning…
Today, October 1st, is the official start of our KIND30 Challenge. This month, we will commit to doing at least one small, kind act each day, hoping to develop a sturdy habit of kindness. Now, up in the middle of the night, I scroll through my phone and see that kindness is already happening in our world. Do we take time to pause, to notice, and to cherish kind acts?
Yesterday, I intentionally chose to do one kind thing. I chose to check in with anyone I knew who might have loved ones impacted by Hurricane Helene. My phone was filled full with the following responses, both heartbreaking and hopeful. As we read through these personal experiences, let’s notice small acts of kindness amid the chaotic aftermath.
- I’ve been talking to a friend who lives in Augusta, Georgia. I had no idea how badly they were hit… Still no water and power not expected until October 6. Two trees fell on their house, their neighborhood is destroyed, a friend died from a tree that fell in their house… Oh my goodness.
- Good Morning! The Hickory, N.C. area was hit hard, but our house (and my parents’ houses) are all just fine. We never lost power, but lost all wifi and internet for 3 days. It just came back last night. We’re grateful everything here was OK and very glad to have communication again. I was getting behind in work!
- It was rough that night in Jacksonville, Florida but now I’m on the way to Colorado! Apparently our daughter still has no phone or cell in Sapphire Valley, N.C., but she does have a generator!
- You are so kind. Thankfully we had no damage in Jacksonville, but we own gas stations also in Asheville and the surrounding area and almost 100 of our 250 employees have lost almost everything in the flood but thank God we have the resources to come alongside and a team is already there. It is beyond words the devastation. It’s been a long week – my friend’s cancer has mutated and my newly married nephew has been hospitalized after a manic episode out of nowhere. Please pray for them.
- Good morning, Sue, and thank you for your message. Thought you might like to know that we were in Asheville, N.C. when the storm hit. We were incredibly fortunate that I-26 South opened late Saturday and we were able to leave Asheville at 3:30 AM yesterday and make it to I-85 and then home. The devastation there was unimaginable. We are so grateful to our innkeeper for all he and his wife did to see us through an incredible 48 hours, but our heart breaks with what they and many others have to deal with going forward. It was a real blessing to have our dog with us, as she was able to provide some comfort to dozens of people picking up the pieces on Saturday.
- Thanks for remembering our son in Asheville, Sue. He was rescued from his apt by boat. Taken to a shelter at the fairgrounds. His manager at work picked him up today and he’s staying with him temporarily. His workplace is a flooded mess too, but still standing. Doubt that his apartment is.
- Thank you for reaching out, Sue. The devastation in Black Mountain is just heartbreaking and mercifully our homes were spared with little damage and my family who lived through it, are all out and recovering in Atlanta. The community is working together to clean up. My brothers went up yesterday for a couple of hours and took many many gallons of gas, lots of water, a generator and cut away some trees. I would like to go up and take food for the first responders at the end of the week but we’ll see what is needed.
- Black Mountain update: internet in and out. The neighbors who are on the mountain are all ok. We have had three very bad landslides. One home may be totaled as the bedroom, storage shed, gas tank and generator were taken off the Mtn and landed on Hwy 9 with the landslide. Our roads are now becoming passable. Locals have been clearing Hwy 9 and we have been told that it is open to town – Hwy 40 and to 26, but we are not positive. All cell and internet is mostly down. We have heard that chimney rock, Swannanoa is totally gone. The Dam at Montreat at Lake Susan failed and the water destroyed Montreat. Black Mountain is flooded. Thank God for our generator – should be good for 5 days. Our next door neighbors are staying with us until their home damage can be assessed. National guards, FEMA and more are setting up. We keep hearing helicopters. I feel like I am living in the book One Day After. Please pray that the trees hold, that our neighbors stay cooperative, that we do not have looters, that not one of us on the mountain have bodily harm.
I am one person who made one intentional choice to reach out to friends in the aftermath of the hurricane. Even in this handful of responses, there is such devastation and so, so much kindness. There is so much kind good we can all do each day. Here are some practical ways kindness might take form.
- Call or text a friend to check in on them.
- Be compassionate to the brokenhearted, “Oh my goodness.”
- Be grateful for basic necessities and open communication lines.
- Thank God for generators.
- Use your resources to come alongside those in need.
- Pray for those caught in a painful predicament.
- Express appreciation for caregivers and furry friends.
- Remember.
- Reach out.
- Work together as a community.
- Share freely whatever is most needed.
- Support first responders.
- Invite stranded neighbors to stay with you.
- Be grateful for FEMA and the National Guards.
- Pray, please pray.
Hard, hard things happen in our world every day. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law (Galatians 5:22-23, NIV). Against daily kind acts there is no law.
Might we train our eyes to pause, to notice, to cherish small acts of kindness?
…Sue…
