President Obama Spoke for the Nation to the Residents of Joplin, Missouri Today

President Obama visited Joplin, Missouri today. He told the people that we, the nation, will be with them every step of the way. He praised neighbors who jumped in to help neighbors, without any thought of their own safety or their own loss.



The President spoke at a memorial service. The tornado that struck Joplin, Missouri last Sunday took too many lives and one life is too many to lose. There was the young husband who threw himself over his wife's body to protect her. He is surely with God and watching over his wife from afar. There are stories that make your heart bleed day afer day.



I don't have to go to Joplin, Missouri like President Obama did to get an understanding of what it looks like. I know what a tornado can do; I've been looking at the destruction in Cleveland, Tennessee for 33 days. I know what it is like to see homes and cars destroyed. I know what it looks like to see people cry. I know what it means to help those in need. I know because I see it and live it every day. And I know that the people of the United States will not forget any of the victims. We can't let that happen.



Joplin, Missouri will rebuild, just as Cleveland, Tennessee will rebuild. It will take time, money, strength, courage and a little luck to do it. Not only will these areas rebuild, but they will be back better than before, stronger than before and richer than before. How will they be richer? Easy, they will count their riches in friendships, in the generosity of strangers and a new awareness of the human spirit.



Thirty-three days ago life changed in Cleveland, Tennessee and every time I ride by areas where any of the 5 tornadoes touched down, I cry. I cry for the people, the people who I don't even know. Their pain is my pain and I feel it when I see a piece of roofing material hanging from a tree. Or when I see buildings that were whole and strong reduced to piles of rubble. I see home after home with no windows, no roof and nothing but blue tarps as far as the eye can see. Where are these people now? Are they ok, were they hurt? So many thoughts run through your mind.



The smell of burning wood is in the air daily. You can't get away from it. Piles and piles of debris, junk, rubble, whatever you want to call it, they are things that once belonged to someone. Now it's all trash. What used to be someone's possessions, it's all trash littering the landscape. I know, because I see it every day.



To the people of Joplin, Missouri, believe me when I say we won't forget. If we all pull together, help out our fellow man, things will get better for all of us.



Source:

Personal experience

MSN.com