5.11.10

The last week has been a blur of activity, reaction and planned response. It’s been a balancing (or maybe juggling) act of reaching out to Otter Creek members touched by the flood, friends and family of Otter Creek members, members of the Nashville community who simply call our office for help because they’ve heard we are on the scene, and members of the homeless community who are so very vulnerable after losing everything and being help in a shelter with nowhere to go.

There are more stories of sacrifice and triumph and of loss and disappointment than you can imagine. We’ve met people who have shown us a faith that has inspired us and challenged us as we struggle with the guilt of not having had to see most of our “stuff” lost in the flood waters.
We’re still trying to find a piece of land for the Tent City residents. Lipscomb University has opened its doors so that the Red Cross can keep a shelter open for the folks to have a place to sleep and eat. But when it closes (as it soon will) there’s literally no place for nearly 120 people to go. If you know of a 2-3 acre tract of land in the central business district, please let us know.

The members of Otter Creek are responding to the challenge of need in ways that many of us have never seen. People are stepping up to organize and volunteer the time and labor. I know there are lots of churches helping people across the city, but I couldn’t be more proud of Otter Creek – reaching out in times of need is a part of who we are. And it’s at times like this that it shows…..