A little history since you guys don't really know us from Adam  ...
On October 27, 2004, a man broke into our house just after we'd left, stole our stereo, and burned it to the ground to cover up his tracks. We rented the home and had no insurance (stoooopid!). Susanna was not yet 10 months old. I remember standing there, watching it burn and thinking, "The yard is FULL of firetrucks and they can't put it out??" Six local departments responded to the fire. It was already so involved that all they could do was keep it from spreading to the crops in the fields around us. They couldn't do anything in the house since the attic was floored (not a good thing to do, if you didn't already know that). Among the firefighters were a husband a wife, and they reached out to us in so many ways in the days (and years) ahead. We remain close friends with them, and in the past few years we've become close to their extended family as well.
Here is what I just wrote in my blog...and since you guys don't really know me, please just keep the family in your prayers (if you feel inclined to help in another way, feel free to PM me, though!!). I don't want anyone here to think I'm some sort of a grubby internet criminal who makes stories like this up to personally profit  Repeat: I don't want anyone from Rat-Terrier.com's stuff or money. Thoughts and prayers will suffice. Thanks 
>>Crazy Tina (a name I fondly use...you just have to know her) just called. Her Mom and Dad's house just burned to the ground. They're in their late 60's/early 70's, raising their almost 3 year old grandson on a fixed income, and....they had no insurance. She's been begging them to get insurance; they argued that they had time; they didn't. Now they have nothing. Please keep reading...I'm not going to ask for arms and legs, or even your 1st born. 
Poor Tina was almost hysterical. If anyone understands, its me. Even though we didn't even know them then, Tina and her family rallied around us when Terry Gillard burned our house to the ground. Not only did they offer emotional support to 3 people they'd never heard of before the morning of October 27, 2004, they gave us things we needed to survive when we found another house to live in. They organized a fundraiser in their community and bought a lot of Susanna's Christmas that year. I'll never forget the surprise knock at our door a few days before Christmas. They had a giant bag of toys for Susanna. I was floored. I can't say that I'd ever been so grateful for anything in my life (except for Susanna!).
Now its time for me to return the favor. If you guys have anything lying around the house that you don't use, please gather it up and put it in a box. If you feel inclined to get a small gift card for them to use on groceries or necessities, that would be great too. And most of all, if you can't offer them anything in the way of material needs, please pray for them. I can't begin to describe how devestating something like this is. We were young enough to bounce back; I'm not so sure about them. Please keep Cecil, Shirley, and Johann in your prayers. The reality that you have absolutely nothing (though you're grateful to have escaped with your lives) is mind numbing and very frightening. You can't pick up the pieces if there are none to pick up...
I will call Tina a bit later once things settle down to get a mailing address. Until then, if you have any questions, feel free to call me....anytime. If I don't answer right away, its because I'm in the attic going through stuff for them. Leave me a message and I'll get back with you ASAP.
Need to clean out the junk? Need to organize? No time like the present! No better cause!! << |