Alumni Return to Tell Their Story

 It's always nice to have Parish Alumni back with us.Today Carlton Northrup and David Haines from the class of 2008 spoke about their recent experience with the tornado that hit Tuscaloosa.  They both told stories of devastation but also stories about communities coming together for the sake of others.   Both have been very active in assisting those who have lost their homes or possessions in the recent storms.  While at Parish, David and Carlton were active members of the Habitat for Humanity club.  This morning they said how grateful they were for that experience because it helped shape them into the young men they are today.   Carlton shared the following with our students:

How many of you have endured a power outage?
How many of you have endured a power outage that lasted a couple of hours?
What would you do if you spent the night without power, and you were told that it could be 3 to 5 days before power was restored?  What would you do?

We all live in a cocoon of naive security.  We go through life, and we rely on the web of security without ever thinking about it.

There are certain things that violate the cocoon of security – having your house robbed, your car broken into or stolen, losing a loved one, or having your environment seriously disrupted.

When this violation occurs, we rely upon our safety net.  Who is your safety net?  Who do you turn to when you need security?  What would you do if they weren’t there?

We all have seen pictures of massive damage, from Katrina to Rita to the earthquake and Tsunami in Japan.  But they are pictures.  We look at them, we are sympathetic, but unless you have personally suffered this same tragedy, you cannot be empathetic.

I thought I understood; I thought I could relate to the people whose environment was so seriously disrupted until it happened to me.  Then I realized that I could not.  But I also hope that you never find out for your selves.

I was very fortunate, though, that my safety net is here, in Dallas.  There is a place that I can call home when my own home is under siege.

When you leave here remember that your safety net is here, intact, and there for you.

If you wish to help those affected by the tornadoes, you can join these young men by visitingwww.uagreekrelief.com
Carlton is trying to sell shirts to help raise money for those affected by the storms.  To buy a shirt visit  www.prayforttown.com

Tuscaloosa tornado

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