Three years ago today, the muddy water of the Souris River broke free from its banks and raged through the streets here in Minot, North Dakota. Steve Rakness wasnt home when the flood waters came calling. They destroyed everything, from his stereo to the two dozen doors his daddy had collected that were stored in the basement. The flood mark was 16 feet above the ground on the backside. You could still see the wavy line on the boards. The waters did not recede for three weeks. When I walked through the door, there was black mold everywhere. If you stand on the front porch, youll see a barren spot among the green grass. Its where the FEMA trailer was parked for two years. It took that long to repair the inside of his home. Steve worked alongside the church teams who came. He spent 30 years as a long-haul truck driver. It taught him patience. Theres not much in his home right now -- a bed in the back with a stereo playing music, a couch, a refrigerator and a stove, a well-kept bathroom with towels neatly folded on a shelf. The team from Trinity UMC Richmond spent the day ripping off old wood siding, wrapping the house in Tyvek, taping around the windows. The end is near, I said. Steve laughed. If it is, Ill be ready. He had misunderstood. I wasnt talking about the end of his life or the end of the world. I was talking about the house. Days became weeks. Weeks became months. Months became years. There were times when Steve wondered if he would live to see the day the job was complete. Even now, hes not taking that for granted. Every day is a blessing, Steve said, smiling as if to savor the thought. The blizzard of 49 kept his mama from the hospital, so he was born right here in this house that has stood for more than 100 years. It is a Sears, Roebuck & Company kit home, built by his grandparents. Floods came this way before the one three years ago. Blizzards and floods, storms of life, good times and bad. Come what may, the house still stands. Come what may, every day is a blessing. Forrest White UMVIM Coordinator The Virginia Conference of the United Methodist Church
Posted on: Wed, 25 Jun 2014 03:44:32 +0000
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