Love In Action

Neighborly Help: Finding God’s Love in the Aftermath

The oak tree that landed on and in our home.

Storms have a way of revealing things.

They reveal the strength of trees, the vulnerability of our homes, and, sometimes, the depth of our patience. They also reveal something far more beautiful: the goodness of people.

In the aftermath of what NIPSCO has described as the most destructive storm in recent history to impact its service territory, Northwest Indiana has witnessed an extraordinary amount of damage. People were injured, homes were damaged, trees came crashing down, and power was out. For many families, the days following the storm have been filled with concern, cleanup, and waiting.

Our family experienced some of that firsthand. Shortly after our power went out, a tree landed on our home as my husband watched through the sliding glass doors. The results: two holes through the walls of the house, two in the roof, water began dripping inside, and damage to the backyard. It was overwhelming.

But in the middle of all that disruption, something remarkable happened. People showed up. I have never had more people offer to help us. And these weren't simply offers made in passing. A handful of people truly came through in ways we will not forget.

A retired neighbor spent hours on two different days helping us cut and move branches. Two middle-school boys who live behind us came over on their own and helped for an hour. They were excited to be there and eager to do whatever they could—even before I gave them some cash for their efforts!

And my sister-in-law? She completely came in clutch. She lives in Illinois, but that didn't stop her from helping. She worked to find someone from Downer's Grove who could get to our home quickly and remove the massive oak tree that had landed on our home. She couldn't physically be here, but she found a way to be part of the solution.

That is what neighbors do. And sometimes, neighbors aren't the people who live next door. They are family members, friends, parish partners, strangers, and people who simply see a need and decide to help.

And more often than not, the help comes right from the church! Many of my parish friends have also offered help, including my insurance agent, who offered to bring a generator to my home!

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Some damage and remediation at the home.

Storms can bring out the worst, but they can also bring out the best.

Even while we were receiving help, we found ourselves looking for ways to help others. My husband took a small gas generator across the street to a neighbor. I brought food to another neighbor. These were small things, but they mattered. Because when someone is hurting, we don't always need to fix everything. Sometimes we simply need to show up. That is something deeply Catholic.

Jesus calls us to love our neighbor—not only when it is convenient, when we have plenty of time, or when our own lives are running smoothly. We are called to see the person in front of us and respond with compassion.

In moments like these, the corporal works of mercy become very real. Give food to someone who needs it. Help someone clean up. Visit someone who is alone. Give your time. Share what you have. Be patient with someone who is struggling.

Be a neighbor.

And Northwest Indiana still needs neighbors. NIPSCO has described the storm as causing "significant levels of damage to the electric system" and creating its largest and most widespread outage event on record. The scale of the destruction has placed tremendous demands on crews working to restore power and repair the system.

And while NIPSCO anticipated full restoration by August 21, we all know that was not the case. We pray for the families who are still waiting. And we pray for the workers who are laboring long hours in difficult conditions.

While we wait, we also have a responsibility to be patient. That  can be much easier said than done when your home has been damaged, your food is spoiling, and you simply want your life to return to normal.

I was reminded of that during a phone call with a NIPSCO representative. Like many customers, I had questions and was frustrated by the circumstances. But I made a conscious decision to remember that the person on the other end of the phone was not responsible for the storm. She was simply doing her job and trying to help.

At the end of our conversation, she actually thanked me for not yelling at her. She told me how much she appreciated my demeanor. That stayed with me. Because in a situation that is frustrating for everyone, I had a choice about how I was going to treat another person. I could take my frustration out on her—or I could choose kindness.

Before we hung up, I told her that I hoped she had a better rest of her day. Then I said, "God bless." It was a small interaction. But maybe those small interactions are exactly where our faith is supposed to show itself.

Being Christian isn't only about how we act inside the Church. It is about how we treat the person on the other end of the phone when we are frustrated. It is how we speak to the person who can't give us the answer we want. It is how we respond when we are tired, inconvenienced, and hurting.

Patience and other acts of charity.

At SJE, we talk often about being disciples who make disciples—people who love God, love others and serve the poor. A storm gives us a very tangible opportunity to live that mission.

We don't have to wait for a formal ministry opportunity. We can simply look around. Who needs a meal? Who needs help moving a branch? Who needs someone to check on them?

Sometimes discipleship looks like a Bible study or a ministry meeting, but sometimes it looks like a retired neighbor spending two afternoons cutting branches. Sometimes it looks like two middle-school boys enthusiastically helping someone clean up their yard. Sometimes it looks like a sister-in-law 65 miles away making phone calls and sending texts. And sometimes it looks like carrying a generator across the street.

These acts may seem small in the face of a storm that has caused such widespread destruction. But this is how the love of Christ becomes visible. And suddenly, in the middle of a week marked by destruction, something beautiful begins to emerge: community, compassion, mercy, and neighborly love.

Love in Action.

What a frightening time we have had. But perhaps when the branches are finally cleared, the holes are repaired, and the lights come back on, we will remember something more important than the damage. We will remember to see God in our midst. We may not be able to control the storms that come into our lives, but we can choose who we will be in the aftermath. And God calls us to be people who love.

People who, when their neighbor is hurting, don't simply say, "I hope things get better." They walk across the street and ask: "How can I help?"

And now, not only do I know of at least two SJE families who received help, but I find myself among those who have been blessed to receive help from SJE as well. I was given some gift cards—a beautiful and tangible display of kindness and mercy when I needed it most. This is the Church being the Church: seeing a need, responding with compassion, and walking alongside people as they begin the long road toward recovery.