Severe weather is threatening millions of Americans as more than 20 tornadoes have been reported in Iowa, Minnesota, and Indiana.
A twister moved through the city of Greenwood, Indiana destroying multiple homes, and in Bargerville a housing development was ripped to shreds.
One Indiana man said he’s just grateful his family is ok. “It’s just stuff,” he said. “I’m glad everyone’s healthy. I hope we can… It’s hard to look on the bright side. I’ve been laughing this whole time because what can you do?”
Meanwhile, millions of people in nine states are under heat alerts. A heat dome is expected to stretch from Kansas City to the Florida panhandle through the Fourth of July holiday.
In Texas, much of the state is baking in triple-digit temperatures.
Operation Blessing is on the ground in Matador, Texas, helping that community recover after a devastating tornado.
Last week, a twister with wind gusts up to 165 miles an hour hit the town that sits some 95 miles east of Lubbock.
It cut a path of destruction 600 yards wide and more than nine miles long, killing four people and injuring 15 others. Dozens of homes and buildings were damaged and destroyed.
“When someone gets hurt, everybody hurts,” said Matador resident Elaine Hart. “Everybody knows everybody…It’s just a small community.”
One Operation Blessing team member described Matador as a community of faith and a town that’s “easy to love” as they worked to pass out supplies and food.
Teams of volunteers served up more than 150 hot meals for people in the town, praying with them and assessing needs.
“We will continue serving meals today and spreading the love of Jesus while we do it,” another member of the OB said.
Brooke Brandon, one Matador resident, says OB’s presence is a sign that God has not forgotten them.
Last week, a deadly tornado tore through the small town of Matador, Texas—leaving a path of destruction and hurting people in its wake. But thanks to YOU, #OBI is on the ground, offering help and hope.
Help Disaster Victims: https://t.co/90wC2jk7J1#MatadorTornado pic.twitter.com/uG41C6w7X3
— Operation Blessing (@operationbless) June 26, 2023
“It just means for one thing God’s in charge, God’s in control and He’s bringing people in that are in God-like mind that are going to come in and take over – not take over but take over in a way of blessing us with food, supplies, the blessing that you guys are here to do this for us is unbelievable,” she said.
Tornado survivor Ken Marshall told Operation Blessing he and his wife Mary rode out the tornado from their basement.
“We trust in God and Jesus, and we don’t know why this happened but He spared our lives and we have faith that he’s got plans for us, so we’ll just clean it up and start over,” he said.
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Mary says one of their friends did perish in the storm, but they know where she is now. “We grieve that, but we know she was ready to meet Jesus,” she said.
Mary says she and her family are prepared to meet Jesus too one day and, “That’s what gets us through all this.”
She says God has given her more of an eternal perspective and a heart full of gratitude after surviving the storm.
“I can’t believe in my heart how I have felt about this and realized how minor things on this earth are. Minor. It’s life and what God does for us, and we know now that He’s spared us for a reason and shown us what we need to do for serving people and helping, and going forward from now on and helping people.”
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