I spent the entirety of yesterday afternoon in one of the areas hit hardest by the floods. While I was gutting homes of furniture, carpeting, housewares and other goods, I was also listening. I want to recount for readers a couple of things that I heard.
In one of the conversations, a young woman told me that she felt helpless. The devastation was immense, indiscriminate, and overwhelming. She was so overwhelmed by the amount of need that it brought her to tears. This young woman suffered absolutely no damage to her own home, but felt immense compassion for those around her that had experienced loss. Even so, there hadn't been an opportunity for her to do very much to help. This compassionate desire to help, coupled with what are very minimal opportunities at this point, was driving her to the breaking point. She wanted to help so badly, but just couldn't do anything yet, and it made her feel helpless. She desperately wanted to help, but had to wait for an opportunity - for the waters to recede, for roads and access to damaged areas to reopen - she had to wait, helplessly. She wanted to help, but couldn't.
By contrast, one resident who had been severely impacted by the flood waters told me that she felt hopeless. She had lost everything. Her entire home had been submerged in 20 feet of water for three days. Furniture, housewares, and clothing were all completely ruined, and if that weren't enough, the worst part of the loss were pictures, photos of times past, memories lost forever to the disaster.
I'm glad I talked to the young woman who felt helpless first, because she provided me with the perfect encouragement for the hopeless woman that I encountered later in the day.
There is a small, nuanced, but significant difference between feeling helpless and hopeless. The hopeless are destitute emotionally, spiritually, physically, mentally, and socially. They lose all sense of grounding and are swept away in a sea of despair. That's exactly what my hopeless lady late in the day was dealing with. What could rescue her from the emotional flood that she was experiencing after the actual flood? What could give her hope in the midst of her hopelessness?
Help.
Help is what the hopeless need. The hopeless woman was greatly encouraged as I recounted my previous conversation. I explained to the hopeless woman that I had just spoken with another person who was distraught and heartbroken over the losses that people were experiencing, and couldn't wait to get into the areas in need in order to provide help. To know that there is an army of compassionate helpers, waiting with bated breath to charge in, pick up others who have fallen down, and provide support and assistance, restores hope to the hopeless.
Help is what the hopeless need. Today I got to experience first-hand what happens when the hopeless hear that help is coming - that help is literally on the way. Hopelessness turns to tears of gratitude and thanks.
Help the hopeless.
Posts
