“In all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.” Romans 8:28
The past couple of weeks, since the first news of Harvey, are a blur. It’s been said as a joke, but there is some truth to it: we really don’t know what day it is. While Boys and Girls Country was spared any damage from the storm, we have all experienced the fear of flooding, hours without power and some cabin fever. Our Teaching Parent staff did a wonderful job keeping our kids safe and occupied while Harvey poured down on us.
Once we were able to leave the campus, all of us wanted to help out. Our kids have done a lot of volunteering the last few days. Some went to area churches to organize donations. Several groups helped clean flooded houses. Our kids spent time helping around the campus, too, picking up debris and organizing donations.
We received this wonderful message on Friday from Gene Manuel, Riata Ranch HOA Board Member.
My emotions were on a roller coaster today. I went to the park today to see how things were going and to lend a hand. I saw a group of boys wearing the same shirt, and all of them were tired and sweaty. They all came from Boys and Girls Country of Houston to help the community. They started at Barker Lakes and ended up coming over to Riata Ranch when they heard that there were more homes that needed to be cleaned up. I took a few minutes to talk to their teaching mom and couldn’t thank her enough for their time and effort. I spoke with some of the boys as well; they felt good about helping the neighborhood and were looking to do more. Afterwards, I had to take a few minutes to compose myself. It’s overwhelming just seeing the outpouring of support from every corner of the Cypress community. Thank you neighbors! #HoustonStrong
During times like these, we might wonder where God is. We might question why some people are spared and others suffer. We grieve for ourselves and for others, but we also celebrate the many gifts we have been given. The good news is that God is with us during the good times and the bad. He hears our cries for help. He wants us to lean on Him and pray to Him for strength. He also calls us to be the hands and feet of His Kingdom. Houston showed the world what that looks like, and for that we are grateful. We are also grateful to you for praying for us and for giving our kids an opportunity to serve you. It means the world to them.