World Compassion Network disaster relief coordinator Greg Rauen saw the aftermath of the tornado in Joplin, Mo., first hand recently. The tornado was May 22. Rauen left from Warsaw May 25, and was in Joplin within 72 hours of when the tornado hit. Rauen visited Joplin May 25 and 26 with Mark Hazelet, WCN volunteer. Rauen and Hazelet temporarily loaned WCN’s 70,000-watt generator to provide electricity where needed in Joplin. The generator was used by work teams stationed in Joplin that went into disaster areas. They also brought food, cleaning kits, a tent and tarps in the WCN box truck. The food came from an inventory from WCN’s warehouse, and WCN purchased cleaning kits. The food and cleanup kits were delivered to College Heights Christian Church, Joplin, Mo., and the generator was delivered to a warehouse in Joplin. There were meals being cooked at the church for the tornado victims. Rauen said, at an exit outside of Joplin he saw exits on a freeway where there were signs posted that read “no gas available at this exit” due to the tornado. People were not able to pump gas due to loss of electricity at the gas station from the tornado. Rauen said the tornado cut a half-mile wide path through the center of Joplin. “The first thing I noticed were traffic lights out, and I noticed utility company crews dropping in new telephone poles,” Rauen said. He said, as he drove down the main street in Joplin the town was flattened. “I could tell what used to be a Burger King by the colored tube for the play area still sticking up out of the ground,” Rauen said. He also said Walmart and Home Depot were flattened. He saw flattened homes, and said tornado victims were staying at shelters and with relatives. “We couldn’t get in the neighborhoods because of the devastation,” Rauen said. He said police had an area west of town that was closed, and there were dogs going through the rubble looking for bodies. Rauen and Hazelet were not allowed to assist with clean-up efforts because parts of the town were closed off due to the tornado. Rauen said, while he was in Joplin he heard a story of a man and his two young boys who were shopping at Home Depot when the tornado hit and they were killed. “Something we take for granted like drinking a cup of coffee at home is something these people cannot do any longer because they don’t know when they will be back in their homes,” Rauen said. WCN is collecting hygiene, canned and boxed food items to deliver to Joplin. The items will be taken to Joplin Tuesday. A Metzger truck is stationed outside JB’s Furniture, 2101 E. Center St., Warsaw, today and tomorrow from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. The WCN box truck will be stationed at Warsaw Community Church, 2300 Ranch Road, Warsaw, Sunday at 9 a.m., 10:30 a.m. and noon. Funds are needed to purchase diesel fuel for the trip. Volunteers are needed to help load the truck for a two-hour shift, and to be part of work teams going to Joplin over the next few weeks. To volunteer for a two-hour shift at the truck, call Sandy Hatcher at 574-267-5427 or 574-551-4801. To volunteer for a work team, call Mark Hazelet at 574-594-3030. Visit www.w-c-n.org for more information.
