Charles Miller
The Port Arthur News
September 27, 2008 03:36 pm
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Where do I begin? Do I begin with the “one more time to evacuate” moment when my family and I loaded up and headed for cover? Do I begin by confessing that I thought this would be another Gustav type vacation? Do I begin by saying what I thought when we left? No, I don't think I'll begin with any of those thoughts.
This is what I will begin with, I am proud to be a Southeast Texan and I am even more proud to be a citizen of Bridge City, Texas.
Like many of my neighbors, friends and family, I had no idea what lay in store for me and my family when we entered our home after Ike's terrible, dirty, forceful surge. I would try to explain but those of us who endured that experience know full well that words can never explain the sight, the smell, the emotion that ran so rampant through the very core of our being. Words can't explain it and pictures can't show it. It's one of those events in your life that has to be experienced. But I really don't want any one to know how I feel by experience. If you didn't have to go through this, praise God. But please understand your friends when they express they really can't describe how they feel.
Now let me tell you why I am proud to be a Southeast Texan. When we drove into town, our city government, the Mayor Kirk Rocaforte, City Manager Jerry Jones, Police Chief Joey Hargrave, and all their personnel including the firefighters, had already been working 16-18 hour days trying to help everyone through the five and six feet of water in the middle of Texas Avenue. Even our school administrators were hard at work led by Dr. Jamey Harrison. And to think, these men and women had their homes flooded as well.
Also, there were people already in their homes working. Working to pull out wet carpet, pulling up buckled floors, getting wet dry wall out. That sounds strange as I write that — wet dry wall. But in most homes in Bridge City, the water was more than three feet inside their homes. Not just water but salt water and the good people in Bridge City were on the ground working, putting their homes, their lives back together. There was no waiting around looking for someone to help, they were doing all they could do right then. I am proud to be a citizen of Bridge City.
My wife and I assessed the damage and immediately began to drag the wet furniture from our home like we saw our neighbors doing — most of which was done in a daze, an unbelief that what happened really happened. By that Friday my pastor had a work crew ready to show up at my house and help and the next day another crew from our church showed up in force to work at my home and my daughter's home as well. We kept asking ourselves, what would we do without our church family? FBC Groves, THANK YOU!
If we look at what happened with only human eyes, we could be defeated. We could think that when we left for evacuation, our homes and what was in them was our life. But when we returned, our lives became garbage and hauled to the street. But we can't look at life that way. We have to see deeper than that. Our lives can't be centered around what we sat in, slept in, played in. Our lives have to be centered around WHO was in our home with us-our family. The most precious things I own are my wife, my children and my grandchildren. Now don't get me wrong, this is a painful experience. I know it was just “stuff” but it was my stuff and each part of that “stuff” had a memory attached to it. Now, with God's help, we can begin making new memories.
And there are people who are willing to help us do just that. There are neighboring cities and city officials along with neighboring schools who are standing in the ready to reach across the bridge to lend a helping hand. If your haven't heard about “Mid-County Kindness, listen to the radio, watch the TV, go to KFDM web sight or fbcgroves.org. My friends in Bridge City, Oct. 5 could be a day like no other day this area has ever seen. It will be a day that all lines will be crossed. Lines of color, lines of football rivalry, lines of church denominations, county lines — all lines will be crossed making a line of help across the bridge into Bridge City, Texas, to lend a helping hand.
Friends of Bridge City, please don't make an emotional decision about leaving our town. It is not hopeless. We have friends from Jefferson County who are willing and ready to help us get on our feet. This is a time to get connected with our friends from Mid-County. They are committed to help us even if for one day. Who knows, helping may just become contagious and everyone will develop the spirit of “neighbors helping neighbors.”
As a graduate of BC and having coached and taught nearly 30 years in Bridge City, I love wearing the red and white and being a Cardinal! But never before have I been prouder than I am now in this most difficult time. With God's leadership and strength, BC will survive and thrive. God bless you my family and friends of Bride City. I love you.
Charles Miller and family.
Charles Miller of Bridge City is Minister of Education / Discipleship for First Baptist Church-Groves. Contact Miller at charles@fbcgroves.org.
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