Branson - Recovery after the Tornado

We are privileged to live only a couple of hours away from Branson, Missouri.

My husband and I usually go there a few times a year just to get away,

...or to celebrate a special occasion. 

This past weekend it was the latter,

which just happened to be my birthday!

I hadn't  been there since the tornado went through,

and was anxious to see how bad the damage was,

...AND what progress was being made.

It was hard to narrow down my photo selection,

but I'll share a few shots

 to give you an idea what we saw.

 

It wasn't long after we turned onto
 "The Strip" (Highway 76)
that we began to see damage,
as well as evidence of frustration!



Port-a-potties abounded where work was in progress.

Shops that had suffered damage had signs saying they had reopened,
even though it was evident that construction had not been completed.

The tornado seemed to skip around,
completely destroying some businesses,
and leaving others totally intact.



Some businesses gave evidence of moving to new locations.

Others were boarded up, and by the signs
I couldn't tell if they were planning to reopen or not.
...Not that I was planning to get a tattoo,
just in case you wondered!!!

When late evening came,
it was reassuring to see the lights coming on.
It seemed that the town might actually be benefiting
in some crazy ways from the tornado.
A manager in one of the restaurants said his business
was up 5 percent from the previous year.
"People are curious," he said. 
"They're coming to see the damage,
and it's helping our business."

My visit to Branson reminded me of the strong will to survive

that God has put within the heart of man,

and I thought of a couple of verses from the Bible

found in Isaiah 61:4&7:

"And they shall rebuild the old ruins,

They shall raise up the former desolations,

And they shall repair the ruined cities...

Instead of your shame

you shall have double honor,

And instead of confusion

they shall rejoice in their portion.

Therefore in their land

they shall possess double;

Everlasting joy shall be theirs."

Yes, ...Life goes on - even in Branson.

It may be their best tourist year ever!

For a look at my name of God for today, click HERE!

To see more pictures of the damage, click here.

 

Joplin - 5 months later

It had been about two months since we were in Joplin, and as Gary and I went back last week, it was a very encouraging visit.  The last time we were there, I could not bear to look at a lot of the damage.  (The Joplin tornado came soon after we had just seen the flooding devastation along the Mississippi River and the tornado destruction in Birmingham and Tuscaloosa.) 

I'd like to share a few pictures with you of this visit, and pass on a story of survival that was shared with us.

 

Piles of rubble were evident on many parking lots

that were in the process of being cleared. 

The trees, although having put out new growth,

still looked mishapen and showed signs of trauma.

Evidence of new construction abounded with multiple port-a-potties

being one of the good indicators at most building sites!

Rows and rows of FEMA trailers gave credence

to the number of people that had lost their homes.

Someone  told me that FEMA furnishes the trailer

rent free for 18 months to give them time to get re-established.

In contrast to all the rubble and construction,

a newly opened Wendy's stood out like a shiny new copper penny.

The manager shared this story with us.

On the evening of the tornado as the sirens were screaming

the warning of the impending disaster,

she spoke to her employees by phone.

Her gut instinct instructed them to huddle together

in the men's bathroom, instead of in the walk-in cooler which

was the usual designated safe place.

She was praying to God for His protection 

as she and her husband drove to the restaurant.

A semi-truck/trailer lay on its side

where the dining room had been.

The only part of the building that remained

was the men's bathroom which contained

seven frightened employees - none with serious injuries!

Truly God had protected them.

Of course, no town in America is replete without its Walmart Store!

The motto on this trailer sums up what we saw in Joplin:

"Rebuilding Together"

A couple of Bible verses that seem appropriate
are from Jeremiah 31:3-4 where God says,
"I have loved you with an everlasting love;
I have drawn you with loving-kindness,
I will build you up again
and you will be REBUILT..."


To see some names of God from A to Z,
check out my Rock4Today blog!

Linking with Women Living Well Wednesdays, Alphabe-Thursdays, Brag on God Fridays, and Spiritual Sundays.