It’s been just over two months since Hurricane Helene devastated North Carolina, a storm that ushered in torrential rains, triggered historic flooding and wiped-out entire towns and communities.
As of last week, there have been 103 deaths related to the storm in the Tar Heel State, each one a heartbreaking tragedy that not only ended the lives of the victims, but also changed and traumatized loved ones and friends.
Jim Lau, 75, was a deputy with the Macon County Sheriff’s office. He was swept away in his car. Major Michelle Quintero, an 18-year veteran of the Madison County Sheriff’s Office, was also killed when a broken dam overwhelmed her vehicle.
“She was the heart of the whole place,” Madison County Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Brittany Green said. “She was the person you went to for everything, especially for me and all of our employees. She was the calm in the storm of everything here.”
But even as individuals and families mourn these incalculable losses, countless others are being forced to navigate a dizzying array of other post storm challenges. Such challenges range from establishing temporary housing to finding clean water to the interruption of employment and the physical, emotional, and spiritual challenges that pile up and multiple and magnify in the weeks and months following a disaster.
Ed Kelley is the medical director at Mission Health’s Sweeten Creek Mental Health and Wellness Center in Asheville, North Carolina.
“When a natural disaster like this occurs, we see acute stress reactions,” he told Carolina Public Press.
“But that is not usually the peak. During a crisis, people are just so busy surviving that they don’t tend to fall apart. We are just getting into the delayed trauma phase. That is much more common and much more intense for most people. People lost houses, jobs, loved ones, friends, family, pets. It’s all starting to sink in.”
Which is why as Christians, we cannot forget or stop praying for those in North Carolina currently navigating this extremely difficult time.
Our friends at Samaritan’s Purse are on the ground in some of North Carolina’s hardest hit areas. They’re clearing trees, removing mud and debris from homes, clearing driveways – and providing clean water to those for whom it has become a luxury.
The apostle Paul urged believers to “not grow weary of doing good.” As Christians, we cannot ignore the plight of those who are struggling from the effects of these devastating storms.
Wherever you may find yourselves this Thanksgiving, please remember our brothers and sisters in North Carolina. “The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working,” wrote James.
May the Lord continue to bring comfort and relief to those recovering from Hurricane Helene.
Image credit: Samaritan’s Purse
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