Tornado Hits Tecumseh

We have power again! Many of our neighbors are still without after the storm hit us on Monday afternoon. We were told to leave school when our director heard that our area was under a tornado warning. Bill and I were looking out the french doors in our kitchen toward the park when we saw the wind gusting and heard the siren. Police and emergency vehicles were already speeding along Hwy 9 toward Little Axe (3 miles away) where a woman was killed and her three children injured critically. We prepared to take cover in the bathroom. Everything became very hushed and quiet in about 10 minutes. Our house and cars were completely untouched. We couldn't watch TV without power, so we didn't know what had happened just 4 blocks away until calls started coming in on our cell phones. Mom called to say that her friend Shirley had lost her home. The kids had seen it on their news in Chicago and Los Angeles so called to report. This morning we learned that 19 school busses were destroyed and the public schools are damaged and without power.

Shawnee is fine. We went to school yesterday and did lots of counseling. Our international students had never seen baseball size hail and had no idea what was happening. After school, Bill and I drove Mom to see Shirley's destroyed home and drive around a bit. Police are blocking the streets from Highland Avenue. Some beautiful new brick homes are in shambles, while houses 100 years old are untouched. Mom's church had the windows blown out.

It's fantastic to see the community pull together at a time like this. Food and manpower is pouring in to help. Our church has asked for a list of all members who need help. At a time like this people choose to see the powerful hand of God through His people, or they become bitter and turn away from Him. Within minutes, neighbors were helping neighbors. Tonight, we will be taking Mom to see Uncle Johnny who is without power, but won't leave his animals.