Greensburg, Kansas

I can't help but express my utter shock over the tornado that hit Greensburg, Kansas on Friday, May 4th. We in Indiana also live in fear of tornadoes, and have seen our share. However, I don't remember when we have seen a tornado of this magnitude obliterate an entire town. The devastation is beyond words. We also have a town called Greensburg here, famous for its tree growing in the courthouse tower. Greensburg, Indiana narrowly missed getting destroyed in 1974, during the Super Outbreak.

Our hearts go out to the folks in Kansas who have loved ones in or near that area. We cannot imagine the loss you are suffering at this time. Just know that God is near, and you can find comfort in Him.

I am also concerned about the lack of equipment available to the National Guard...most of it is in Iraq now. This creates a great problem for the cleanup effort. They need as much equipment as necessary to clear away the debris, and begin the rebuilding effort.

I wonder how much help the federal government will give these people. They seem to be able to talk a good game, but they did the same during Katrina...and we all know how that turned out. Let's hope that this time FEMA and the other agencies involved get the needed supplies and equipment to this area quickly. I would hope that we don't find out in the coming months that nothing has changed, and that the government dropped the ball again.

As far as help from the National Guard, how about help from other states? Could our Governor, or maybe one from a neighboring state, or both, send some equipment to help with the cleanup? I would hope that someone could do this, as this is far worse damage than we have seen in a long time. Governor Daniels, in the spirit of cooperation and goodwill, please do something that will help them. If we had a disaster of this magnitude, I'm sure we'd be asking for outside help.

Again, to the folks in Kansas, our thoughts and prayers are with you. We pray that you will look to God in the days ahead, as He will give you the strength to carry on.