Samaritan’s Purse volunteers, including a woman from Mongolia who once received an Operation Christian Child shoebox gift, are helping in Colorado.
Samaritan’s Purse volunteer teams are at work in La Plata and Archuleta counties in Colorado after the remnants of two tropical systems brought torrential rainfall on Oct. 11. As levees broke upstream, water rushed down the mountains, carving channels through streets and neighborhoods. Hundreds of homes were affected.
Dianne Paxton was forced to evacuate as creeks turned into raging rivers, doubling in size and sending rocks, trees, and other debris barreling down the mountain. She fled her home without a minute to spare and returned to an unrecognizable landscape. Her home was still standing, but her once flat, grassy backyard was now a dried-up riverbed, the resting place for massive rocks, metal siding, fencing, tables, chairs, and even lawnmowers.
As she stood, taking in the view, fear and emotions came crashing in. She bought her home 23 years ago and through her own blood, sweat, and tears slowly transformed it into the mountain escape of her dreams. It was almost too much for her to see how easily years of work were swept away.
Volunteers circled up to pray for Dianne Paxton even as they worked to clear debris from her flooded property.
“It was an old cabin, and we’ve spent over 20 years fixing it up. And then I got hit with this catastrophic flood. We spent so much time, I mean, every weekend I worked here, so it’s really hard for me to absorb,” Dianne said. “I cry every night.”
She stood in her now sand-covered driveway, unable to stop the tears from falling as 20 orange-clad volunteers with welcoming smiles and willing hands walked up, ready to come alongside her in her moment of despair.
Diane is grateful for the U.S. Disaster Relief volunteer team that worked to clean up her home.
“I can’t believe how much is getting done in an hour since the volunteers have been here. I’m ecstatic and I’m hopeful. I appreciate everybody’s help. I couldn’t have done this by myself,” Dianne said.
As the Samaritan’s Purse volunteers worked, they watched her demeanor change. Joy and gratitude slowly replaced the desperation and panic. Previously she couldn’t stop the tears from falling, now she couldn’t stop her smile from spreading as she saw what volunteers had accomplished . They crawled under her boat to dislodge debris, rescued the gates for her corral from the river, and salvaged belongings and tools from the debris.
She asked how she could ever express her thanks and our volunteers just smiled and told her this is what Jesus would have done. As they were walking back to their vehicles, she exclaimed “I’ll pack more shoeboxes than ever this year!” in a reference to our Operation Christmas Child evangelism and discipleship project.
An Amazing Full-Circle Moment
Volunteers had told Dianne the story of Tugsuu Cook, a local volunteer serving with them that day. As Tugsuu was pulling into church a week after the flooding, she was greeted by the sight of a massive semi-truck emblazoned with volunteers in orange shirts and the Samaritan’s Purse logo. She couldn’t believe her eyes. Samaritan’s Purse was in her town – the same organization that had brought her an Operation Christmas Child shoebox 27 years ago when she was a child living in poverty in Mongolia. She saw this as her chance to give back, to say thank you for the way a simple gift had changed her life all those years ago.
Tugsuu Cook was grateful to volunteer with Samaritan’s Purse in Colorado especially since she’d received an Operation Christmas Child shoebox gift as a child in Mongolia.
“It’s just full circle. You found me when I was in Mongolia 27 years ago and now, I get to be part of, ‘Go and do likewise (Luke 10:37).’”
She and her husband showed up on day one to serve their neighbors with our teams. She knows what it’s like to feel invisible and how much it means to be reminded that you are not alone or forgotten. She desperately wanted to give that same feeling to someone else in need in her community.
“Being part of this is very humbling, very eye-opening. I want them to know they’re not alone. Even if you are alone, God’s with you always. He sent this whole group of people. I’m honored to be here,” Tugsuu said. “Hopefully this builds long-term relationships and salvation comes one person at a time.”
Tugsuu (right) joins other volunteers to help clean up yards after the flood.
The very next day volunteers returned to Dianne’s street once again to help her neighbors recover. They also came back to present Dianne with a Bible signed by the volunteer team. Though she had a religious background, Dianne said she had never before had her own copy of the Word. To close their time, Tugsuu prayed for her in Mongolian. Then, in a circle full of loving volunteers, Dianne gave her life to the Lord. Praise God for this salvation!
Please pray for Dianne and for all Colorado homeowners struggling to recover in the wake of this recent flooding. Pray for our teams and for their boldness as they share Christ’s love in word and deed.
