Back in October last year I wrote a blog about tornados being boring. I just want to go on the record right here saying that I was wrong.
Those of you that keep up to the minute with the news may have seen that a small town called Joplin in the state of Missouri was hit by a massive tornado this evening (Sunday 22 May, US time). According to reports at the minute, about 75% of the town is in ruins. There are many deaths, and a massive amount of people still missing. Very scary stuff.
But here's the bit that makes it particularly scary for us. We were in Joplin yesterday morning. And if we hadn't altered our initial plans while in Joplin, we'd still be there this evening - in fact, we may not have "been here" at all...
We arrived in Joplin Thursday night and attended the wedding of Jonny and Janaye on Friday(Jonny is a friend from Seminary and Janaye rents our basement). The morning of the wedding (Friday morning), the weather was crazy. It was only nine in the morning, but the entire sky was dark (it was just like night-time) and when it rained it absolutely poured!! While we were sitting eating our breakfast we saw what seemed to be like a river flowing down through the gas station next door. Sonia was a little anxious about going out in the weather however she needed a couple of things for the wedding and the people around about the hotel did not seem that concerned.
Sonia's account of the morning: "So as I was driving around I kept one eye on the sky and one on the road. Approximately 2-3 miles in the distance I could see the dark clouds almost touching the ground. I have never seen anything quite like it before. You could just imagine how tornados form so easily when the massive cloud systems are that close to the ground. Anyhow while in the 'dollar tree' store I asked a couple of ladies if this was normal sort of weather for this time of year. They said "somewhat, but that the darkness of the sky was certainly unusual". So then of course I asked why they would be out shopping given the likelihood of a tornado. However they responded saying that you just keep your radio on, and all shops would advise of a tornado warning should one be given by the authorities but its pretty much business as usual unless warned otherwise. Anyhow I was extremely relieved to have picked up the things I needed and be back in the Hotel with family."
This evening (Sunday) as I type this, we are seeing more and more updates from Joplin on the Weather Channel - it looks like the whole town has been flattened, and this is a "town" the size of Hamilton, New Zealand (population approx 170,000). I've just now tried to call the hotel that we stayed in - there is no reply. Almost all the wedding guests that were from out of town for the wedding were staying at the same hotel as us. We don't know if any of them were still there when the tornado hit. The Weather channel is saying that the tornado was a mile wide.
We are currently in a hotel in St Louis (approx half way between Joplin and Louisville) and we have a Tornado watch here in St Louis as well. We've just had a huge thunderstorm pass through with strong winds. We've had plenty of storms since being in the US, but seeing something so devastating so close to us has us a little nervous, especially as there is no basement in this hotel. We might be a little sleepless tonight.
We are thankful that God has kept us safe and taken us out of the path of the tornado, but are also concerned and praying for those that have been affected by the devastation, particularly those that were at the wedding with us.
Keep an eye on http://www.weather.com/ if you want to keep up to date with it all.
