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Fortress in a Time of Need by Heather Budwell We were warned by weather forecasts and news briefs last night that the sunset might bring with it some angry last breaths of Hurricane Ike. Our house backs up to a tree-covered hill that is sprinkled with trees whose life has left years ago but still remain standing. We always seem to say a little prayer and hold our breath whenever we hear reports of undesirable weather heading our way. I remember waking up several times throughout the night to wind howls and gusts and hurricane rains wailing on the roof and sides of our home. I just kept praying to God that He would protect our family and infuse strength into the hollowed out dead monsters lurking on the back hill. Daylight came, winds howled their terrifying screams, but all seemed to be intact. My husband has been on a business trip this past week and surprised us with a quick weekend visit. He was supposed to be heading back out of state for another week this afternoon, but after checking the weather report and seeing that it wasn't going to be letting up anytime soon, we decided it would be best for him to head out even earlier than planned. He did not need to be under the pressure of time constraints on this stormy afternoon. We were taking our time this morning, marveling at the swaying trees and pounding rain, and decided to open up our front door to take a peak at the aftermath in the front of the house. That is when we realized something was, indeed, terribly wrong. I saw one of our neighbors banging on the door of the house directly across the street. She looked panicked and I noticed that she was running around without an umbrella. Not that an umbrella would offer any protection from the horizontal rain, but it just seemed odd. I knew something was not right. There was obviously no one at home across the street and I saw her head dart around quickly to see any signs of life in our cul-de-sac. When she looked up, I motioned to her with my arms and yelled out the door "Is everything alright?" She was screaming and visibly upset, but I couldn't make out what she was saying. From my vantage point, I could not see her house, so I stepped out onto my front porch to survey the scene. That is when I spoke audibly "Oh, dear God!" I saw that a huge, 100+ year old poplar tree had crashed down on their beautiful two-story home and almost split it in two. With instant concern, I ran to her, also forgetting my umbrella, and asked what I could do. She frantically yelled, "just take the boys, the boys need help, one is still trapped inside!" We have lived in our house for a little over a year ago and although there have been many attempts to strike up neighborly conversation or with this family, we have never been successful. I had heard through the neighborhood grapevine that this particular family had teenage children, but I wasn't even sure of that. Quickly, I made my way over to what was left of their home and saw a traumatized clump of older boys heading in my direction. I couldn't even count them all at once. "Were they having a sleep over?" I asked myself. They were all noticably shell shocked and kept repeating, "Lucas is still inside...he can't get out...he is trapped!" I took the boys inside my home and escorted them to my newly finished basement. I asked if they needed anything, but I could tell that all they could hear was "wha, wha, wha, wha...." They filed down the stairs and sat quietly on the sofas with that blank "what the heck just happened" look on their faces. I thought it best just to leave them alone for a bit, although my kids were so excited to see them; it was as though a rock band had descended into the house. I went directly back to the neighbor's rubble to see what else I could do to help. As it turns out, the gale force rains and wind had uprooted a tree on the opposite side of a swelled creek and sent it crashing onto the house and garage roof. It is truly a miracle that not one of the 10 people inside were hurt at all. Lucas, who was trapped in the bedroom, was pulled out to safely by firemen though a man-made hole cut into the bathroom common wall. Although our neighbors were understandably devastated and completely in shock, this crisis had provided a way for our families to come together. In an instant, we were able to provide much needed care and shelter that bridged the seemingly insurmountable gap with our neighbors. I could see that providing for their practical need had changed everything. They showered us with such gratitude and appreciation for us opening our home and providing hospitality to them in their time of need. I confessed to my husband, when the boys were downstairs, that I found it ironic that we would be the ones chosen to extend a helping hand (without hesitation, of course) to this family who we had tried to befriend so many times in the past. My flesh wanted to say, "well, they never talked to us before, why should we help them now?" But the Lord quickly reminded me of a passage in Hebrews. "Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need (Hebrews 4:16)." Boy, do I need His mercy and His grace in my life. I know full well that I do not deserve to breathe my next breath and it is ONLY by God's sweet mercy and forgiving grace that I am here today. Help me, Oh Father, to always extend to others the mercy and grace that You give to me through the cross. I am humbled to be Your daughter and honored to call on Your name.