Now that I am back from my recent deployment to Louisiana and have had some time to think, I wanted to share one last experience with you. I've been with the Red Cross for nearly four years now and have worked on at least ten disasters. Each disaster assignment I serve on provides me with lessons I'll always remember and memories I'll never forget.  Each experience is different, yet each teaches me that no matter what part of the country I might be in, there are certain truths that unite us.  This time, that lesson was taught by a client I met when I was serving on an ERV during the Hurricane Gustav relief efforts - a four year old girl named Angel.  Angel's family was affected by both Hurricane Gustav and Hurricane Ike.  Their trailer in the bayou took a beating from Gustav's winds and then was rocked by flood waters from Hurricane Ike.  They experienced the same thing in 2005 from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

With long, brown curly hair, huge brown eyes and pink Elmo sandals, Angel is the quintessential four year old.  Not yet in school like her older sisters, I would see Angel on both our lunch and dinner routes.  She always wanted to help, so with her mother's permission I would give her the silverware packets to carry.  In the chaos of a disaster, it is important to keep things as routine as possible (for both children and adults) and in Angel's family, it was her job to set the table.  For the first few days Angel was content to "be a big helper" and carry everyone's silverware while her mother carried a stack of meals. One night on the dinner run, as I started to hand her the six packets of silverware, Angel asked to carry her own meal (just like her older sisters did).  I glanced at her Mom for approval - I wasn't sure she would be able to carry the container without spilling it.  Her Mom nodded OK, so I handed the silverware packets to one of her sisters and leaned further out of the serving window to reach her little outstretched hands.        

As I placed the container of food in her hands, Angel's Mom reminded her "What do you say?" - encouraging her young daughter to say Thank You.  But Angel didn't say Thank you.  She looked at me with her big brown eyes and in the sweetest voice said "I love Red Cross."  Her Mom smiled, said thank you and the family made their way back towards their battered home to have dinner together.  As I wiped away the tear that had started down my face, I waved to them and thought to myself, Red Cross loves you too.

I know that part of why Angel had such an affect on me is that she reminded me of my niece, also almost four years old and an avid Elmo fan.  I know that part of it was her family - they reminded me of my own family.  This is one of those universal truths that unite us.     

So, in the photo album in my brain, there is a picture of Angel, standing next to the Red Cross ERV, hands above her head, proud and prepared to carry her own dinner - and I have the privilege to be the one to serve her.  The caption for this photo...I love Red Cross too.

Becky White
Disaster Specialist