Saturday, May 28, 2011

HELP FOR THE FOLKS IN JOPLIN, MISSOURI



Click for the larger view.,

To access the links to donate, volunteer, or see the list of needs, go to the website of the Episcopal Diocese of West Missouri.


Nicholas Knisely at The Lead posted quotes and a link to the moving story of the chaplains of Joplin who have taken responsibility for informing the families of the victims who died as a result of the tornadoes.



Bob Heath pictured above.
"Mr. Heath, who is not paid for his work as one of the four Joplin Police Department chaplains, says he prefers that the families get angry with him rather than at someone from somewhere else, someone who cannot possibly grasp all that has happened.

“I’ll take it,” Mr. Heath said, describing a family that screamed at him on Thursday when he told them their relative’s body had been identified. “I’d rather it be me than anyone else in the world. And if that keeps them from yelling at their wife or their husband or whoever, yell at me all you want. Start yelling.”

I read the story from the New York Times in my paper this morning and was quite touched by the work of the chaplains. As I said at The Lead:
Bob Heath and the other chaplins are the face of Jesus to the people in Joplin. God bless them for what they do. God bless and give comfort to the people in Joplin.

2 comments:

  1. The threat of Eric Cantor and the House Republicans to deny Federal disaster relief to Joplin area residents beggared belief, both for the stunning lack of charity it showed and for the effect that, with luck, the threat will have on next year's voters in a volatile and highly important swing state. Not something that may sit well with a few of Missouri's conservative rural voters.

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  2. Oh that was despicable, Lapin. I hope it makes Republicans lose in the entire state of Missouri. What will Cantor say if (Heaven forbid!) a catastrophe strikes Virginia?

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