Update on Ross

Just another note about Ross. We talked to him this morning and he is doing fine. The National Guard has taken over the Union University campus and is not letting anyone on campus. All of the dorms (except for two) have been condemned and they are not letting students retrieve their things. However, because Ross was a resident assistant, he has been put on a team that is going into the dorms to retrieve goods. They go in, bag and tag the stuff, and then take it to the gym for students to be able to collect at a later date. He was even able to go into his dorm. His roommates room were okay – not even windows were broken out. He tried to go into his room but the roof and wall have bucked out right at the door (structural damage) and he could not get in. The National Guard guy with him told him that it looked like that wall was holding up the roof so he would probably not be able to get any of his stuff. Ross also said that the back wall of his room was gone. He could see through the crack of the door that the window over his bed had blown through his room including the window frame. Where his computer screen used to be was just rubble. So it looks like he will be starting from scratch. He is still wearing the clothes he wore on Tuesday. He is staying with a family and washing them every night (thank goodness) but just hasn’t taken the time to go shopping!

For detailed pictures of Union: uurecovery.blogspot.com (no www).

We have a Great BIG God!

On Tuesday night, around 8pm my son and some of his friends were outside watching the storm clouds rolls onto Union University in Jackson, Tennessee. As they were standing there fascinated by the sky, all of a sudden the wind made a noticeable change. From a distance they heard what sounded like a freight train coming straight towards them. (Thank goodness they have seen enough disaster movies between them to know that when you hear that sound - you RUN for cover!) They ran to the nearest dorm and as they made their way to the bathroom their ears popped and every window in the place blew out! We have a GREAT BIG God!

In what seemed like hours (but was probably only a few minutes) all they could hear was the roar of the wind, the bumping and banging of tree limbs pounding on the roof, and finally a dead silence. Because they knew others were "out there" they made their way out of the bathroom and onto the campus which now looked like a "war zone". (Believe me, my son knows what one of those looks like!) My son and his frat brothers scrambled all over campus breaking down dormitory doors to get people out and to safer places. (Did I tell you that he has always been my superhero?) We have a GREAT BIG God!

Although the tornado devastated the Union Campus (some $45 million dollars worth Dr. Dockery said) not one life was lost! There were a few students stuck under the rubble but always in cell phone contact with someone "on top". Every student did their part to ensure the safety of everyone and in what have could have been a very chaotic situation, there was overwhelming peace! (Wonder Who that came from?) We have a GREAT BIG God!

Later on a bus from FBC Humboldt came to take some of the students back to their church. They fed and clothed them (some were without shoes!) and found homes for the night. Thanks to Steve and Dottie Babcock who were instrumental in making sure that everyone was safe, fed, clothed, debriefed, prayed for, and tucked in for the night. They are dear friends of us and know how to handle crisis situations (because they have been in many themselves.) Thanks, too, to FBC for the way they stepped up to the plate to minister to these young ones - some so far from home (like our son!) We have a GREAT BIG God!

Needless to say, I was up most of Tuesday night watching FOX News as the photos of the destruction across Tennessee began to meet the light of day. As thankful as I was that all of our Union students were spared, I was deeply sad to hear of the many who lost their lives and their homes on Tuesday night across our great state. I know you will continue to pray for them as they face the uncertain future. We have a GREAT BIG God!

Ross called again on Wednesday morning to say that he was headed towards the campus to see if he could locate his car. Of the 1200 cars on campus fewer than 100 escaped damage. Ross's was one of those! (PTL!) He was able to get his car which was only dented a little with one little cracked window and drive away! We have a GREAT BIG God!

I asked him how the campus looked now that it was day and he could really see the devastation. He replied, "Mom, people should have died." It was true. When you see the photos of the destruction, it is amazing that not one student sustained mortal wounds. We have a GREAT BIG God!

Emails and phone calls have poured in to each one of our family members offering whatever help Ross needs. He doesn't even know what those needs are exactly yet, but we do appreciate how everyone has rallied around him! We have a GREAT BIG God!

Rick and I will arrive in the states on Tuesday. Our GREAT BIG God knew all of this was coming and had already arranged for us to be in the states (months ago) for meetings and some training. We will be able to wrap our arms around our children and thank our GREAT BIG God! that once again, He has proven Himself faithful to preserve our family! We praise our GREAT BIG God!