One of the most gut-wrenching things for me during hurricane clean-up and recovery is seeing the thousand of children's toys laying everywhere. It's so sad to think that every toy belonged to a child who may or may not return, and the thousands of children's lives that have been shattered by the storm. I worked with a group after Hurricane Ike hit Galveston that brought wheelchairs and home health items to disabled people displaced by the storm. We also brought food and water to remote areas where many people had chosen to ride out the storm. There were many children in the pockets of people we found, and all they asked for was water, food, some clothes and wanted to know if we had seen their toys anywhere. There were not enough buckets to hold everyone's tears. Grown men cried like babies. Last Christmas we threw a Christmas party for all the children of nearby Bridge City and the Bolivar area and distributed new toys to them to replace some of what they lost in the hurricane. I never knew the power of a teddy bear or a doll......but I do now. The house in the photo was the only house left standing on the Bolivar Peninsula after the storm. The entire town was swept out to sea, with the exception of this one house. It is still pretty much the only thing on the island. Recovery will take a long time there, but there are some positive signs. Godspeed residents of Bolivar, my heart is with you.
I used Holliewood Studio's "Toy Box" available at Oscraps
Lily Designs "The Boy is a Boy" and "Paint the Ocean available at After Five Designs
Catherine Designs "Boys Retreat" available at After Five Designs
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