New Hartford Tornado Devastation June 2008

Just a few of the homes and cars destroyed by this tornado. It even ripped the crops out of the fields in a swath that reached for miles from Parkersburg to New Hartford to Janesville to Dunkerton. The President declared us a national disaster. Two weeks later the floods ravaged the rest of New Hartford that wasn't severly damaged by the tornado. Even now to drive past all that gone in seconds is so humbling. Whole houses were just gone, lots of them! Most of these were Huge homes all built in the past 10 years.

We were on way home from Missouri, visiting family and our car broke down 1 hour away. If it hadn't we would have been right there an hour later. I remember as we pulled in a gas station and the fan belt broke. We coasted to a convienient stop and called Hope and Joel to come get us. We looked at our broken car and said, "Well Lord. Thanks for whatever you just spared us from." Then one hour later we heard how this huge tornado wiped out so many towns, one of them our road home and hour away. It was humbling. These pictures barely show any of the devastation! It makes me sad as I see this nation walking away from God and his precious protections and love afforded his children who choose Him. So much is lost when we turn our backs on God. He just waits hoping we will return. I am so sad as I look at these things in our nation now. It costs us all so much. Its so grievous.