Short trip that will be remembered for a long time

We left Northwest Arkansas at 5 p.m. Friday, arrived in Nacoqdoches at 12:30 a.m., headed for Conroe by 7:30 and arrived around 9:30 a.m.

The truck had just arrived and the driver was as moved as we were by being there and able to help. His company, Methvin Sanitation from Harrison, donated the truck, the gas, and him. He refused to take payment for this 24-hour run.

After unloading the truck we stayed to help process flood buckets being prepped for distribution for families returning to their homes and beginning the cleanup process. Two 74-year-olds prepped the buckets while others packed and prepared them for shipping. Distribution warehouse workers informed us of a few remarkable stories, one was that the whole county was cleaned out of diapers, hygiene products, pillows/sheets and bottled water. They were grateful for these items which we were able to provide. 

After assisting with flood buckets, we went to the Lone Star Convention Center which was set up as a FEMA/Red Cross shelter for the evacuees. We walked in and were overwhelmed by the weight of the loss all these people had experienced. FEMA workers introduced us to a family of 5 who invited us to stay longer which afforded us more time to hear their story. My kids were invited by the convention center manager to play with the shelter kids; my kids were inspired and it totally made their trip!

We left in tears because it was so hard to leave.