We were heading up to North Carolina on Monday for a domestic mission trip. It was showing rain all week we were staying in cabins. On Monday we played volleyball, basketball, and Gaga in the rain and it was so fun. On Tuesday we split up into different groups to do ministry. I had the opportunity to go into town and evangelize to people into town. I was with Marshall and Aubrey it was so fun getting to spread the gospel with them. Later that night we went to Excel College they fed us and had a game night. We had a little dance-off with the kids there lol. Wednesday we went to the orphanage home and helped around there. I helped by cleaning the garden up. We were planning to go out later that night to get something to eat and hang out around town, but It was starting to storm so the leaders got us McDonald’s and it was so good. Thursday we went back to the orphanage to help clean inside since it was raining all day. I helped organize the art room and end of the day we helped out in the thrift store they had by whatever they needed us to do. We were planning on doing something on Friday, but it was going to storm badly. So we decided we were going to do squad stuff together just spend time together and just chill around campus.
THURSDAY NIGHT
we were having so much fun having a dance party, eating snacks, hanging out, and watching Survivor.
FRIDAY MORNING
It was around 8 something in the morning two of the guys who had been with us this week for ministry woke us up and told us we needed to get into another building with higher ground because it was starting to get bad. I’m from Tennessee so we get bad weather and I’m honestly pretty used to it so I was a little aggravated that we had to get up to move. In my head, I was thinking it was just going to rain not comprehending how bad it was going to get.
I packed up random things a pair of clothes, my skincare, glasses, retainer, wallet, Bible, journal, book, and I had a feeling to grab my camera, but I decided to leave it.
It was pouring down when we were running up to the other building. The power was out so some people were playing cards, Clara and Hannah were playing the piano, people watching movies, and I was doing my skincare in the bathroom. The leaders started to make announcements that we were going to be in the building for a little bit. A couple of people pray for our safety and the community. They told us we could just chill around and not go outside.
One of the girls asked if we could worship right now, but one of the leaders said not right now we will later. I was a little upset because I wanted to worship. I mean we didn’t have anything to do. So I pulled out my Bible and my journal and started to write. That’s when I heard Mitch scream telling us there was a tree. I got up thinking there was a tree falling in the distance but he told us to run. That’s when I heard the glass break, water came rushing in. That was the scariest moment ever. We all started to run trying to get outside I ended up falling I can’t remember if people were pushing me or the water got me, but I dropped my phone so I thought I lost it when I was getting up, but thankfully one of the guys seen my phone on the ground and picked it up quick.
Watching half the building get destroyed was so scary where we were just 5 minutes ago knowing God saved 35 people out of that building.
We lost half of our stuff bags, passports, shoes, phones, and so much more, but we’re alive. We were outside in the pouring rain just crying out to God to keep us safe. We heard a second tree crack we started to run thinking it was coming down, but thankfully it didn’t. We were outside for two hours waiting for people to save us. We had to go across the water with a rope. After we got across we stayed at the orphanage area where we were helping. We stayed inside a building where they gave us sleeping bags, food, and water, and just loved on us.
Thankfully everyone is alive, but one of our leaders has a broken ankle, someone’s ankle was hurt, people were bruised up, my elbow is bruised and my hip is hurting after falling hard.
Thank you to everyone who donated to us and prayed for us. Although we lost a lot of things we’re thankful to be alive. God has so much in store for us these 9 months and I’m so thankful he protected us.
Every single thing that has happened before was for a reason. If those guys hadn’t moved us to a different building we would have been eating breakfast at that time it would have been a different story today because our cabins got destroyed. If the leaders decided to have worship right then Mitch wouldn’t been at the window seeing the mudslide coming. Please be praying for K-Squad as we are traveling to Guatemala today.
This still gives me chills knowing how I was feeling when all of this was going on & not being able to get ahold of you, not knowing if you was alive, not being able to hear from you for hours, calling and texting your phone.
All I could do is Pray🙏
I’m so thankful for our Parent Group and other parents started updating letting us know that y’all was all safe. That whole day & next day was such an emotional roller coaster but seeing how Jesus was working in each & every situation is TRULY AMAZING & seeing MIRACLE after MIRACLES taken place. God lined everything up just perfectly in every situation.
All I can say is THANK YOU Jesus & to each and every person who helped y’all get to safety, provided shelter, clothes and to Clara’s dad & friend who drove from Tennessee with a van & bus to get y’all back to Gainesville, Georgia was another MIRACLE in it self. God used them and guided them because the roads was so bad, God was their GPS to get to y’all🙌
I know this K-Sqaud is so special and our Lord has Great work for y’all to do these next 8 months. We Love You So Much Sweetheart & Can’t Wait to follow this Journey 💖🙏