Finding Courage in the Midst of Adversity

“Courage isn’t having strength to go on-it is going on when you don’t have strength” Napoleon Bonaparte

Courage was not in short supply when it came to the soldiers and their families during World War II. People from all walks of life demonstrated courage in small ways and through many unselfish acts. As I watched the recent drama of Harvey unfold two weeks ago, I thought of those World War II families. In many ways they were like those impacted by the hurricane. They had faced extreme hardships over several years and much insecurity about their future, but they never gave up. These members of “the greatest generation” were all united in their efforts to win the war. They were not alone; instead, they were all in it together. Examples of this same spirit were evident after 9-11, and now I seeing inspiring similarities as people from coast to coast are joining forces to support the people of Houston and southeast Texas.

When I first saw the news about Hurricane Harvey’s devastation, I was filled with deep sorrow and immense grief for these people. I wondered how I would have coped if I had been in their shoes. I know it would have been overwhelming, and I sense that most of us watching the flood footage felt the same way. It was indeed a helpless feeling.

Survival was the primary focus on August 25 when thousands hurriedly left their homes to find safety and refuge from the storm. Taking a few basic possessions, most residents were just grateful that they had been rescued and were alive. Yet some immediately realized that returning to their homes or their apartments would be impossible. They had lost everything and had limited resources to start over–no car, no savings, no jobs. Water which normally sustained them had become their number one enemy. It flooded their homes, destroyed their schools and neighborhoods, killed innocent people and literally turned their world upside down. In the aftermath, none of these evacuees knew what their future would hold. Fearful and dreading what they would find, they were still eager to get home and start the rebuilding process as soon as the flood waters receded.

Now just two weeks after Harvey struck, the landscape has changed. The emergency shelters are mostly empty even though more than 560,000 families have registered for Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)’s housing assistance program. According to the governor of Texas, the estimated damages will run between $150- $180 billion dollars! At least ten neighborhood schools have closed due to the damage and more than 12,000 students have been forced to attend new schools. This new reality is starting to sink in as people return to their community and work to salvage what they can. Rebuilding their homes and neighborhoods will require extraordinary amounts of money, support, determination and persistence but already there are many people coming forward to help.

While the main relief efforts are being coordinated through The Red Cross, United Way and FEMA, private enterprises like Amazon, Kohl’s, and Walmart have also pledged funds and resources to help with the recovery. These are also being supplemented with generous support from church groups, professional organizations and even celebrities. Jeff Rossen with The Today Show has also been traveling throughout the country to collect donations through their Helping After Harvey initiative. This special feature has shown people of all ages doing what they can to help. One of the donors said that he wanted to help ease the pain of those who lost so much. Another commented, “Tragedy brings people together and now we’re all pulling together for the people of Houston.” In Tampa, Florida, students of all ages collected school supplies and toys for the children displaced by Harvey. In addition, they created banners of encouragement and wrote letters letting these children know that they were not alone. Getting a backpack filled with school supplies, a new toy, and a note from a stranger in Florida will indeed make a lasting impression on a child in Houston.

We have all been impacted by the trauma of these families and although the headlines are now focused on another major storm, there are still many ways we can and must continue to show our support. It will take years for their lives to return to normal but already we are seeing positive evidence of their courage, resilience, determination and hope.

I truly felt helpless when the news of the disaster first broke, but I knew I wanted to do something and found a way to do that. As I wrote out my check, I didn’t know who would directly benefit, but I was confident it could make a small difference somewhere. This contribution helped me feel connected to strangers in Houston whose plight had truly affected me. I am certain that when the children were collecting scrap metals during World War II and others were making daily sacrifices on the Home Front, they knew they were doing their part. While I am still deeply saddened by the destruction of Harvey, I am heartened by the generosity of everyday people and their desire to help the people of Texas.

I hope you too will join in this worthwhile effort in whatever way you can and keep these people in your thoughts and prayers. It will require great courage to overcome the physical and psychological damage of Harvey. May we all find the courage to work together through these trying times and find solace in these words of Mark Twain. “With courage you will dare to take risks, have the strength to be compassionate, and the wisdom to be humble. Courage is the foundation of integrity.”