North Carolina

Watching a number of videos of parts of NC decimated by Helene takes me back to Gabrielle but the devastation in NC is far greater if that is at all possible.

It is more like our Esk Valley where what is normally a beautiful innocent , dawdling stream suddenly turns in to a torrent and washes away all before it.

Parts of NC like Asheville  are very similar but on a much larger scale. Many people had built homes close to the river and never thought it was possible for the river to swallow up the small villages and motor camps , life sentence blocks , retreats and education facilities.

We need to learn from what happened and it is striking the similarities between the US situation and those here in our little  idyllic home settings.

It is heartening to hear so many people interviewed that are looking to rebuild in some way or fashion. They are connected to the land like us and will use the experience to interpret and plan for the future.

The common factor running through the experience is the lack of help from Governments and the way that a few months down the track the disaster  is forgotten by those who watched the coverage on the teev and have now carried on with their lives.

Well that is fair enough but what do we do with the people who have lost everything in a few hours? They are left suspended and in a new world trying to fathom the way ahead. I know what it is like.

Where would we be without the help from so many church groups who emerged from the woodwork with nothing but love and goodwill.?

It is extraordinary what these people have done and the combined effort of these volunteers has been exceptional in helping so many brave the new and daunting task to re establish.

My heart goes out to all those in North Carolina as they confront what is going to be a long road to recovery.