So much to do in Hanover, West Virginia — thankful for the promise of help on the way

I had forgotten the smell of flood disaster — mud, sewage, mold, damp wood. It assaulted my nose right away. I had forgotten what it was like to sit with families in despair who had lost everything in a matter of hours as the waters rose, and rose, and rose. I had forgotten the helplessness of being able to do absolutely nothing except to listen, to hold hands, give a few hugs and say “ain’t it awful” a few hundred times. I had spent the day in Hanover, W.Va., talking to flood victims who had not received any help from muck out crews 20 days after the flood.

I spoke with Rose, who opened her front door to reveal a completely missing floor and water line four feet up her wall. The stench of mold was strong. All of her belongings were ruined and she had no idea how to muck out.

Rose’s story was not unusual.  The same story was repeated at so many houses — everything was gone. What would they do? Where was help?  Do I throw away everything? Do you think this will mold? Jimmy said he couldn’t think about rebuilding only to have another flood wash it all away. He said he wasn’t sure he could sleep again for worrying about it.

What was remarkable was how everyone would comment that as bad as they had it, someone else had it worse. Frankly no one looked any better or worse than the next. It was truly a mess, but their sense of community was to help one another as they could. And they made sure to send us to someone else who needed help.

There is so much to do, but these are resilient people who will work hard to get back to normal. So many were thankful for just the promise of help on the way.

Volunteer in West Virginia

This report was submitted by Joan Stewart, executive director of West Virginia Ministry of Advocacy & Workcamps (WVMAW), as part of the March 2009 WVMAW quarterly report. Read reports from the WVMAW ministry.