Valley Prayer

After 4 Or 5 Days Of Torrentioal Rain Some Areas Of South Carolina Received Over 15 Inches Within Only A Few Days Due To Tropical Moisture Associated With Hurricane Joaquin, Many Areas Of South Carolina Were Flooded Making Traditional Means Of Travel Impossible.

~ VP Journal November 3, 2015 ~

 

I am now back from South Carolina.  I was able to meet many flood survivors needs and to distribute 5 truck loads of supplies along with several cases of Bibles.  It was a rather difficult trip in many ways.

I have had to make a few adjustments because of this including truck trouble and several flat tires while there in Columbia, South Carolina due to debris in the road including roofing nails and sharp metal objects and pieces of siding.  There were numerous detours and road closures from roads being undermined by flood waters or totally washed out altogether.  All of the countless detours made it difficult to navigate and travel thruout the Columbia, South Carolina area. There were in excess of 300 road closures in South Carolina during the flooding.

I had two cell phones break down on me including one of them where I lost all my pictures from memory card failure. I often experienced poor signal quality and many times I expeienced a complete loss of cell service.  Because of the poor cell service and and lack of reliable internet service I was unable to update my website from Columbia, South Carolina or to communicate to my friends back home as I had intended.

I have been through many tough situations with storms and disasters before, having been stranded, marooned, sick, injured, hospitalized or broken down along the road, too many to count.  Chasing storms is nothing like what you see on television or the internet and it's often not at all as glamorous as you are led to believe.  Chasing storms is often hazardous and not very conducive to taking pictures when it's dark or you're in the midst of a dark storm with near zero visibility with dust and debris flying around while you have both hands gripped to the steering wheel trying to stay alive.

 

But in times of peril like this where your focus and attention is directed to your own personal safety and gives increased urgency toward prayers to God for your own protection and deliverance from high winds, rising water levels, and flying debris. If you have ever come face to face with impending doom then you know the feeling.

 

Often it's times like this where ones focus and attention is directed heavenward. Even if you seldom or ever think about God in your daily life, these times of impending doom make you think twice about what happens IF?  The News Media usually glamorizes the life of a stom chaser while minimizing the hazards and risks involved leaving out the real deal where life hangs in the balance. There's one thing about getting close to a storm and then there's another thing about getting too close and thinking UH-OH, and exclaiming to yourself, "I don't think I really want to be here or Dear God, "Please get me out of here, LIKE NOW!"

 

BUT TRUTHFULLY; Taking pictures at times like this is the last thing on your mind.  At these times there is more concern with your own personal safety and the possibility of dying from flying debris, falling trees or the likelyhood of crashing into a tree or another vehicle.  If warning signs or warning broadcasts are ignored there is always the possibility of being drowned in the storm surge or flood waters. Don't become a casualty, OBEY THE SIGNS!

 

A WORD TO THE WISE: If a road has been closed with a barracade or blocked off don't think you can ignore the signs and warnings without consequence.  Many have ignored road closure signs, bridge out signs and detour signs to their own peril and many have not lived to tell.  Why take the risk?  Take my word of caution and many years of experience in following and responding to numerous storms, DON'T IGNORE THE SIGNS!  BE SMART AND STAY ALIVE.

 

AND ANOTHER WORD OF CAUTION: taking pictures at times like this is foolhearty and the last thing you should be doing.  DON'T TAKE YOUR EYES OFF THE ROAD OR GET DISTRACTED BY THE STORM.  Taking pictures can be an unhealthy distraction and extremely unsafe.  KEEP YOUR EYES ON THE ROAD AND WATCH WHERE YOU'RE GOING. 

 

MISSION SUCCESS: Our South Carolina Mission Trips were completed in just 11 days including packing, travel and distribution of all relief supplies.

So, what exciting things has everyone else been up to recently?  By the way, I did manage to take a few pictures from Columbia, South Carolina that actually survived on my other 5 year old cell phone and you can see some of my pictures on the Columbia SC Flooding page.

 

For those interested in disaster relief work and to those who would like to help during an actual active disaster or crisis situation, I am looking for volunteers and seasoned disaster relief workers to join us here at Valley Prayer: We operate in Disaster Relief Teams of generally 2 to 4 people but the teams can be larger for large scale disasters and where needed.

 

All Field Team Members at Valley Prayer start as either Disaster Relief Volunteer Team Members or as Assistant Disaster Team Leaders depending of course on past experience, training, and disaster certifications held. The beginning phase begins by applying at Valley Prayer and then enrolling in a state or county CERT program in your area and completing the course becoming a CERT Certified Team Member in your state. The main reason for this is for your safety while in the disaster field, and to provide qualified leadership by experienced, trained, and certified leaders who can effectively make correct assessments and decisions in the field.  Valley Prayer Team Leaders and Captains are necessary for team leadership since they will need to have the ability to handle crisis situations which arise, while ensuring the teams effective accomplishment of assigned mission tasks while in the disaster field.  You can learn quite a lot about the disaster relief field and the work we do as you gain knowledge and expeience as a Valley Prayer Team Member.  I think most everyone should enjoy the courses given. If you are a Christian and have a passion for disaster relief work or first response work and would like to become a Team Member with Valley Prayer please apply on the VP Team Member Application Page. Please acknowledege your interest in becoming a VP Team Member when you write us on our (Contact Us - Page) for an application.  I have extensive disaster relief experience and am CERT certified in my state along with a number of other certifications and course work.  I will be offering additional training after you are CERT certified as we form up our VP Teams. ~ Moses

 

~ VP Journal November 3, 2015 ~

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On Contact Form Please Specify If You Wish To Apply For VP Team Membership