Thoughts of Sarah J. Sloan after Hurricane Harvey (2017) which devastated Houston, TX, her hometown.
I was in disbelief. As the summer of 2017 was coming to a close and I was getting ready to back to school, the unimaginable happened. Hurricane Harvey devastated the city of Houston and surrounding towns of last August.
We all take our circumstances for granted but this storm brought in to daylight, all that we held dear, as all parts of the city were hit. Adults and children were frightened. And speaking as one of them, I guess not really as a child or an adult, but a 'tween' student that had no control over her situation was needless to say scary. Having to sit back and watch my city that I called home for twelve years be completely destroyed by water and wind was heart wrenching.
I knew I couldn’t let my community go helpless. I decided to volunteer at our church and help with relief efforts. I helped countless individuals and families from all walks of life as they came to our church needing food, cleaning supplies, a hug or just a prayer. It is completely rewarding knowing what you are doing will impact your city and people no matter how small the effort. In the moments after Hurricane Harvey we be came #HoustonStrong. And we must continue to work with each other to help each other and rebuild our community.