May 22, 2011 is a day I will never forget. The summer before, our family had driven in a torrential downpour. We had hydroplaned, it was nearly impossible to see the road, and I was terrified. Sunday, May 22, we were on our way toward St. Joseph, Mo. We had been home visiting family. Because of our experience the year before, I was carefully monitoring the weather radar. I was hopeful that we would get home before having to drive in any rain.
We were just north of Bolivar, MO and we had pulled over, for something I cannot remember. As we went to turn back onto the highway we were facing west and I could see the clouds to the north of the storm. I had just checked the radar and told Jackson that Joplin really looked like they were getting hit hard, and I was glad we had chosen to go see his family before we headed back home... This took us out of the path of that storm. Then our four-year-old, Camden said, "Look, I see Jesus!" I looked ahead, and though I didn't see exactly what he was seeing, he pointed to the clouds to the north of the thunderhead and described Jesus with his arms stretched out. You could see sun rays shining through the clouds, and I figured that was what he was talking about.
We talked about the clouds for a bit and then continued on with the usual car trip chatter. About an hour later, my sister called to tell me about the tornado. I was shocked! I knew the storm had looked bad on radar, but I never could have imagined just how terrible it was. I was searching facebook and news channels and couldn't wait to get home to turn on the news. When I began seeing photos, I couldn't believe what I was seeing.
Joplin had been my home. It was where my adult life and my family began. It was my first home away from my hometown... The first time I ever moved. The place I met my husband. I worked on the south side of town, went to college at MSSU, and got married just north of where the tornado had hit. I had driven those streets daily, knew parts of it by heart. I spent almost every Sunday night for the first year of college at the CiCi's Pizza that was now gone. The first time I went back after the tornado, I was amazed at how unrecognizable it was.
People who knew where I was from would ask if I had friends or family who had been effected. Yes, I did. I knew lots of people who had damage to their homes and property, their places of employment, even a few who had been injured. I was acquainted with one girl who lost her life. So yes, I knew people who had been effected. But I realized that I, too, had been effected. Not in the same way, but I think anyone who has ever called Joplin "home" could say they were effected by the storm.
It took me a while to remember the conversation about seeing Jesus in the clouds. When I did, I realized it was the same time the storm was hitting Joplin. It still gives me goosebumps thinking about it. Through the eyes of a child I saw that Jesus was there.
