Well, I wish I could tell you that helping people during this disaster is uplifting and rewarding, but the truth is that it is emotionally draining and frustrating. I don't know how my friend Amy does it. She has been working at a homeless shelter in Atlanta and she sits for hours and listens to sob story after sob story. I know in my heart that what I am doing is the right thing. And I can tell on the faces of the evacuees (clients, guests, refugee, we haven't decided what term to use yet)that they appreciate me and all of the other volunteers. It is their stories that drain me. It is turning away people because we can't verify that they are actually from an evacuated area that drains me. But the 'guests' aren't the ones that frustrate me... it is is the other volunteers. Especially the retired Red Cross man who thinks he is God's gift to crisis management. But that is a story for when I am drunk and pissed off and right now I am only pissed off so I can't share it.
For all of you liberal, 'Save-the-(fill in the popular item/species/race of the day)', Wal-mart Haters, you will love this part of my post. So, I am drained physically and emotionally and I just need some time to experience something normal. So I get in my car and head to Wal-mart. I don't need anything particular, I just need some time alone. This is no normal Super Wal-mart, nope. This Super Wal-mart is close to the Beach and it has a liquor store in it AND an Air-brush store where you can get you own personalized PCB (that is Panama City Beach) air-brush t-shirt or any other item that they sell in the store (including sand-dollars). If you have never been to the 'Redneck Riviera', anything airbrushed is cool.
So, I just walked around Wal-mart looking at items I had looked at a million times. It was strangely refreshing and familiar. I am sure some of you are thinking to yourself that it is quite ironic that I would find so much spiritual renewal in such a heathen filled corporate mega-store. But to you I say "Always low prices, always!" And to you Presbyterian Seminary nerds who hate Wal-mart more than any group of people I have ever meet, remember that Sam Walton was a good Presbyterian who gave lots of money to the denomination that you are about to work for. You may have your issues with how he made his money, but I don't and I personally would like to give a shout out to Mr. Sam Walton (who is also a frat bro of mine) for building such an American store that it has made me feel better just for walking through it.
Thank God for Wal-mart,
Robert
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3 comments:
God reveals himself in many places, even Wal-Marts. He was probably walking down the aisle with you, goin, "I should get an airbrush T-shirt that says, 'God loves People' with a pink and purple sunset in the background a nice silouette of the world."
Thank you for the post Robert and for sharing your experience. I'd love to get drunk with you and hear more.
Your insights always challenge my perspective.
Blessings on your work. You are in my prayers.
Peace,
AA
I could make that t-shirt a reality...just let me know!
Sam Walton was indeed a Beta. Better yet, he was an alumnus of the first (and best IMHO) public institution of higher learning west of the Mississippi, the University of Missouri.
Thanks for the update; you're in our prayers.
RB
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