The summer after my sophomore year at McNeese, I had the privilege of moving to South Carolina for an internship. I recommend that every college student move across the country for a summer and get out of your comfort zone. Living in a place I had never been before made each day an adventure. I loved the hills. I loved getting lost in Cola. I loved meeting the most hospitable and caring people imaginable. And I fell in love with Lexington, South Carolina.
When I heard that Charleston, Columbia, Lexington, and other surrounding areas were underwater due to flooding from Hurricane Joaquin , I was stricken with fear. The people that housed me while I was in SC are people that I consider family. So the first thing I did was text my host home sister. She explained to me that power lines and waterlines were down. Dams broke. Houses were completely under water and sink holes were coming up everywhere. After texting other "family" and friends to make sure they were okay, I did what everyone else does during a disaster. I went on Facebook. I became more comfortable seeing my friends post about how they were safe, but more and more disheartened as I heard of the devastation of families losing loved ones and homes becoming ruined.
Northside Baptist Church, the church I interned at while I was in SC, asks that we support their community in four ways.
PRAY
This is not something insignificant. Prayer allows us to communicate with God. We can spill our hearts to Him, knowing He is listening. We can pray for those who have been displaced. We can pray that the First Responders are kept safe. We can pray that the families who have lost so much will have comforted hearts.
GIVE
I'm sure that there are multiple sites that can assist you in giving money to South Carolina, like the Red Cross or United Way. One site that I trust whole-heartedly is www.donations.namb.net. Currently, all donations made to this site will go straight to relief efforts for SC.
DONATE
People are needing basic everyday items, like hygienic toiletries, bedding, diapers, and non-perishable food items. Other places are collected Flood Bucket items for the relief workers. These buckets will need an all purpose sponge, disposable green gloves, sharpie markers, eyeglass protector, mold control spray, Dawn Fresh Rapids detergent, Mr. Clean Summer Citrus, HDX Terry Towels, and HDX APC with Bleach. These items can be mailed to:
White Oak Conference Center,
Main Office,
633 Mobley Highway,
Winnsboro, SC 29180
SERVE
The after effects of such a tragedy do not disappear quickly. Ten years after Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans is still not the same. Some may feel the need to take a trip to SC and be a part of the disaster relief first hand. If you feel this way, don't ignore that feeling. There are much better ways to use your Winter, Spring, and Summer break than that part-time job, or a Netflix session. People all over the country are creating relief teams and you can be a part of it. You can contact the Red Cross Association if you are interested in being a part of the relief efforts. http://www.redcross.org/local/sc/volunteer
I ask that you continue to pray for the people in South Carolina with me. I pray that my friends can be brave in their community, and that they are a help where they are needed. I pray that the people of South Carolina remain strong and that they can continue to support each other. I pray that the people are given peace and comfort and that they are fully provided for.
