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 | Blogs > Hisglory77 > What does the Book say? > Flood Update |
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I've posted this in Speeritwoman's blog, and decided to copy it to here. My community, Cedar Rapids Iowa, has had it's worst ever flooding experience. It is being closely compared to New Orleans after Katrina as far as flooding devastation goes. An estimate of 25,000 people were evacuated from over 15,000 homes in the city within 10 blocks of the river on each side. Something like 900 square blocks in a 130 square mile area was flooded. The flood stage of the Cedar River in Cedar Rapids is 12 feet, and the river crested at just under 32 feet. The previous highest flood was just over 20 feet. Water was over all but one of the dozen bridges that span the Cedar River. One of the railroad bridges was taken out by the rushing water, and another bridge has had 23 house boats crash into it. I live in a 2nd floor apartment located 6 blocks from the river, and we had water 4 blocks beyond my place. The water line on my house was at over 8 feet, which was enough to destroy the first floor apartments. Waters have now receded, and my place is okay, but it will be another 2 weeks to get the house in condition to re-occupy. Meanwhile, we are now cleaning up from the most major disaster my city has ever seen. Several of our oldest and most culturally rich neighborhoods are beyond repair, and hundreds, if not thousands of homes will be tore down. Our main business district which is downtown is totally shut down. The main streets through downtown are up to 8 lanes wide in places, but most of the downtown streets have only one passable lane. The rest are littered with debris, and recovery vehicles and equipment. Power is still out in most of the affected areas, but traffic lights are being run from generators. Garbage is accumulating on curbs from clean up, and in places is up to 20 feet high. FEMA estimates that all the flood garbage would encompass an area the size of 6 football fields side by side, and be over 60 feet high. The stink is totally sickening, and we pretty much have to wear breathing masks if we are doing more then just driving through the affected parts of town. But PTL, there has only been one flood related death, and local churches are really stepping up to help like nothing anyone has ever seen before. Our prayer coalition of churches has been an enormous part in recovery, which now has 46 churches with thousands of people volunteering. This morning, I went on a Prayer Patrol team, to hand out water, and pray for people. It is street evangelism in it's most basic form which has netted several dozens if not hundreds of lives either saved, or re-commeted to Jesus. People are getting saved everywhere, as well as being led into receiving the gift of holy spirit. Including national level news reporters which are covering events in our city. Look for movies about this to come out in the next few months and years, as the documentation going on is very impressive. That's all I can think of for now. I should get off my G.F.'s computer, and let her get some sleep Isaiah 66:2b; But to this one I will look, To him who is humble and contrite of spirit, and who trembles at My word. |
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6/23/2008 11:41 pm |
I'm glad to hear you and all your things are okay although it must be sad with so much loss and devastation of others surrounding you. Thank the Lord very few lives were lost and from the sound of it {and the witnessing you and others are doing in the Lords name and spirit},many more might be truly saved.God Bless you.
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6/24/2008 2:19 am |
Oh my gosh, my heart goes out to you and others that live there. I am sorry to hear of the damage caused and that a person lost there life. It is amazing how things can be turned around though, when you minister to people in need like this, you can really touch people's lives. I pray for the people in the churches there to go out and spread the message of God's love and mercy throughout that city, through their words and deeds. God bless
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 6/24/2008 4:51 am |
Oh my gosh, my heart goes out to you and others that live there. I am sorry to hear of the damage caused and that a person lost there life. It is amazing how things can be turned around though, when you minister to people in need like this, you can really touch people's lives. I pray for the people in the churches there to go out and spread the message of God's love and mercy throughout that city, through their words and deeds. God bless You are loved
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 6/24/2008 5:32 am |
let her get some sleep??/ NOW just what is my bro up to>>LOL Glad to hear all is well,, Bryon but that must be a devastating experience. That was a bit scarey for me on a more personal level as I have a "special friend" in the Norwalk area and was keeping up with all this, We came very close here in 97 to a similar situion, lucky, I lived in the city, but a lot of surrounding areas were floodedl But God will use this to bring many people to his saving knowledge.. as my favorite scriture says,,All things work for the good for those who love God and are called according to His purpose... emphasis on ALL
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6/24/2008 5:57 am |
glad to hear things are moving in the right direction...here in baraboo my road is still all torn up...i didnt have it as bad as you guys down there...i cant imagine the horroe and loss...this once in a liftime experience has got to get people thinking about who really is in charge of their lives and that there is a God esp. with all the help from fellow christians down there...gods love cant be denied nore his power and might.
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6/24/2008 10:38 am |
Byron I'm glad you're safe. How amazing that a major catastrophe allows one the opportunity to witness, hopefully hearts will see and hear. I hope your girlfriend is OK, God bless! - Pat -In Christ Alone I have something to say ...
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6/24/2008 12:51 pm |
I didn't realize you were in Cedar Rapids! I heard the whole town was under water. I have cousins in Des Moines. Their house was not flooded but they were telling tales of man hole covers popping off and water coming back up through storm sewers. Keep high and dry! I'm glad to learn you and your girlfriend are okay. I'll keep the efforts of all the rescue workers and insurance workers and carpenters and all the other restorative work that has to take place in my prayers!  Spread his love, Byron Karen  The grace of God means something like: Here is your life. You might never have been, but you are because the party wouldn't have been complete without you. - Fredrick Buechner
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