(at a loss)

It’s incredibly difficult to see the word ‘refugees’ and know that it applies to people some six hours away, within our own borders.

I cannot begin to describe to you how moved I am about this whole situation. I feel overwhelmed with a need to go and do something, anything. I prayed about that the day Katrina hit: “Lord, if you would have me go, provide the opportunity.” Well, tonight I was told of a local team leaving in the next five to ten days. The prayer has mutated a bit: “Okay, check; if you would have me go, provide the resources and the time off of work.”

(I no longer have to work as a social services suck and am beginning a new job on the sixth, which sort of complicates matters. I was gonna post about the job thing; I just haven’t had the time, really…)

The older children, upon hearing of the impending trip, stepped up and said, “Let us go, momma. Let us go and help.” They make me proud. Sure, it could have been three teenagers ready to miss some school, but the looks on their faces marked them inculpable in that regard. They want to do whatever they can.

What is ‘whatever they can’? Lots of times you never know until you show up. It’s not so much important, really, what you do. It’s the showing up part that matters the most. My kids want to show up. There will be things to occupy them for long, hard hours if we are indeed offered the opportunity to do so. It will be an important life-lesson for them, so I am hoping against hope that we will get to go.

Refugees in America, citizens of the United States that are refugees in their own nation. That fact causes a twitching in my brain. Every time I think there are things to be sure of, I am reminded that there is no safe bet. Not even one.

I began tonight to make a list of things that people will need, but others might not think to bring. So far I have bug dope (bug spray to all you civilians out there) and air mattresses. The mosquito ranks will be swell soon…if I recall correctly, their gestation period is around three weeks. And who the hell couldn’t use a mattress? If you people think of anything else, please feel free to pipe up in the comments below. Even if I’m not given the opportunity to posse up and go offer my hands-on assistance, I’m going to start calling local merchants to see if they’ll give things for disbursement by the team that will be going.

This has certainly been a decade of rude awakenings for the United States. Even still, the quiet resolve is astounding…it’s a breathtaking and beautiful thing to behold. We may not be the most graceful young nation, but we are indeed a country of great heart.