There are people that need us.

Sorry that I didn’t come up with a more dramatic or attention getting title for this post. However, this is a pretty low-key piece of writing. But, it potentially may be one of the most powerful posts I’ve ever written…at least in my opinion.

So this low-key idea came into my head Sunday while I was sitting in church. Yeah, sorry again that this is not some Rambo-style, shoot-em-in-the-face, Zombie post-apocalypse super-prepper post. So there I was in church and there was a young lady, probably 22 or so, speaking from the pulpit. No, we don’t do paid ministers/clergy in our church.  Messages come from actual church members, the topics are those that they are inspired to talk about. So she is talking about this prompting she had about a 10-year old boy while she was in a foreign country. Turns out the prompting was needed and the boy was in trouble and he needed their help.

While she is relaying this story I hear “…there are people that need us…” Honestly, I don’t know if she said those words, those are words I thought I heard, or words that just were in my mind. But, no matter…it started me down a serious thinking path Sunday and ended with this post.

There are people that need us. Think about that a minute…yes, actually think about it.

What just popped into your head? For me there were two clear messages as I pondered it; 1) there are people that need us today, right now, 2) there will be people that need us during a coming emergency, disaster, or grid-down event.

People that need us today, right now…

For the last year, maybe a little longer, I’ve really been trying to focus on the reality of post-grid down and what society and people will be like. And while looking at that I really started to notice people around me right now. Then I started really seeing people on a wider scale…beyond my personal bubble. And I gotta tell you…it has me worried. First off, let’s dismiss all Democrats right away…they have gone insane and cannot be reasoned with. They have simply lost their minds and lost any connections with reality or morality.

OK, that being done let’s look at the remaining folks…and focus, for this conversation, on people just trying to live their lives day-to-day. I’ve been mulling an idea for months now. I’ve been looking for a way to put it into words…and then into action. Couldn’t quite get it figured out till Sunday, but actually the answer started coming to me last week. But, before I get into that let me get a little personal.

Last Friday my wife and I attended a memorial service, a young lady still in her 20’s took her own life in a rather gruesome way. Her parents were nearby and heard the shot and discovered her body. Her parents had been extremely good friends of ours, the young woman’s dad was my best man when I married my wife. About five years ago there was a falling apart of the friendship. At the memorial service he and I hugged as if we were old friends, his wife and I hugged like the best long lost friends ever. We left after a short visit to give them time and space with the large crowd of other mourners to share their time, grief, and love.

To say I didn’t want to be there would be accurate, although I knew I should be there, and needed to be there. We didn’t reestablish our previously wonderful friendship…but being there felt right and was the right thing to do. The “right” was far more apparent as my wife and I talked on the way home afterwards. My dear sweet wife shared with me that she had told our friend (the wife) that we are going to help. We weren’t going to ask what or how…we were just going to help. On the ride home we vowed to help them as the spirit prompted us. We didn’t know how, but we were going to help them. They were people that needed us.

Sunday afternoons my wife takes our old dog to a local arroyo for a walk. It helps my wife clear her head, think about whatever is on her mind, and gives our old dog a chance for some real freedom to run. Hours before she left for the walk she was prompted to invite our friend…so she invited our friend…who gladly and gratefully accepted the invitation.

My wife told me afterwards that there was no big spiritual experience, no deep talk of life, nothing more than a couple of friends walking on a wonderfully bright and beautiful Sunday afternoon. She said it was amazing and just what was needed. She also found out two additional things; 1) they weren’t sleeping well, 2) they weren’t eating well. You can understand both. As we talked I felt prompted that we should start taking them meals from time to time. I felt like they might be lacking the desire to cook, more than just a lack of desire to eat. And I felt as if breakfasts were a good place to start. I’ve seen many times that dinners have been provided to families in need, but never had I heard of breakfasts being supplied. We now had our mission.

Monday morning I did my part since my wife had done the walk…I was going to provide breakfast. But, I never do much in a small way…go big or stay home is a common motto with me. I bought two pounds of sausage, two dozen eggs and started cooking. They are on a Keto diet so this breakfast casserole was two pounds of sausage, half a pound of bacon, half a pound of Mexican blend cheese, and two dozen eggs. Wow! The house smelled amazing all day! The multi-pound breakfast was delivered not long after lunch.

So what is my point? What I didn’t mention was four weeks ago a very, very close friend of their family also shot himself. That is a staggering loss for any family so close together. The family was hurting after a double loss.

So here is the point…look around you…do you see people that need help? Maybe they are short of food, maybe they need a job, or a better job. Maybe their kids need school clothes, or a hot breakfast. Maybe the elderly widow down the street needs her trees trimmed, or just to have someone care enough to ask. Maybe the neighbor two houses down with the car on blocks needs help fixing it, or towing it off. Maybe a co-worker needs to find a church to attend, or to find his relationship with God. Maybe your local fire department needs a couple more volunteer firefighters or another EMT, or maybe a little more money for proper gear and equipment. Maybe the woman with the “Need Gas!” sign really does need gas, or a hot meal. You get the idea…There are people that need us.

As preppers…What kind of people do we want to be?

Yeah, I am serious about that question! I’ve gotten puffed up before about how much food we have stored, how much ammo I have ready to go, or how “bad” my Ford 4wd truck looks. I’ve preached to folks about emergency preparedness, shared my experiences, given talks, written books, and run a prepper website. But, I had to look at myself and really ask how many individuals have I directly helped. I mean gotten out of my truck, or out of my personal bubble, and actually helped. The answer…not enough.

About a month ago I was a visitor at a church near my new place in Arizona. After the main service I attended a meeting of just men. There was probably close to 350 – 400 people at the main meeting, maybe 60 – 70 men at the later meeting. I have no remembrance of the men’s meeting subject or intent. But, I do remember that the subject came around to how they, as a congregation, interacted with people and supported each other. There were a lot of dislocated shoulders and broken arms in that meeting…so much back patting and congratulating going on.

Why the sarcasm? How many men acknowledged me at that meeting? How many people even said “Hi” to me at the first meeting?  The answers are none and one respectively.

But, that is not the point. The point is…they had no idea that they had no idea. They were so busy congratulating themselves on how good they were, how Christian they were, and yet they completely missed a total stranger sitting among them. Was I, am I, guilty of the same or something similar?

How often do we feel very comfortable, and safe, within our personal bubble? It’s easy to wave to friends or have a conversation with them about a mutual interest. But what about the total stranger that looks like he could use a friendly “hello”? Heck, what about our good friend…does he have something going on in his life that he needs to, or wants to, talk about? Or, maybe he needs help changing the oil in his car. Dang, he may need a car!

Now do you get an idea where I am headed with this?

I am not saying you need to save the world…that has already been done. But, there are people out there that need us. Can you please help? Follow your instinct, listen to the still small voice, keep your eyes open…there are people that need us.

People will need us…

This website is all about preparing for emergencies, disasters, and grid-down events. You should know that by now. But…what if we need to be prepared to do more? Yeah, I am serious with that question.

I have responded to hurricane disasters, house fires, flooding events, suicides, missing/lost canoers, shootings, bombings, car accidents, tornadoes, and more wildfires that I can remember. They all had one thing in common…people needed help. Now, what happens when the grid goes down? No…that question should be more along the lines of…What do you do when the gird goes down? I hope you’ve given that some thought…there’s little doubt that you already have.

Without mentioning names, I know men who have given a wide range of answers to that question…some completely expected, some extremely concerning, if not outright scary. All have said they will take care of their family. And one aspect of that statement…almost to the man has also said that his family comes first…above ALL else. Now, that is to be admired…at least at first glance.

A couple of times I’ve dared ask the question…”Would you let your neighbors kids starve to death while you still had food?”

Many have given answers such as, “They had time and resources to prepare and they chose not to, so it’s not my fault.”, “They are responsible for their own family.”, “I won’t have my kids starve to feed their kids.” A few men have simply replied, “Yes.”

I am not here to ask that question of you, or even to pass judgement on the replies I mentioned above. Heck, the situation may not even occur to you or I. My point is different.

If there are people that need us now…how about needing us after an emergency, disaster, or grid-down?

The answer is a simple one…Yes, there will be people who will need our help.

If we can’t help everyone now, we dang sure can’t help everyone post-apocalypse. But, just as we can help an individual or two now, are you willing to help others when the need will be the greatest? And have you thought it through or made any kind of special preparations for that?

Look, don’t take this wrong, I am not saying be prepared to feed the entire community for a year, or even feed your close neighbors for a couple months. I am just giving you something to think about. What can you do, what are you willing to do, are you even willing to consider it?

Now a sobering thought…What if you are the one that ends up needing the help…or your child?

Summary

There is a ton of crap in the world now. Some absolutely despicable people, and a few that are utterly evil. You have Democrats that have lost their minds…proposing to protect the planet, protect whales and protect kittens, and yet they are willing to kill our babies. There so many things going wrong…dangerously wrong. But…there are people, good people, out there that need us!

They may need nothing more than a smile along with a “Good morning!” But, maybe they need help repairing their roof. I don’t know who needs what. You might be the one that needs a friendly conversation…or your oil changed in your truck. Your son, your parent, your neighbor, or your spouse might be hurting inside with something that they haven’t told you about…and they want/need to talk about it. Who knows what problems people have.

Ah yes, there is the tough part…Figuring out who needs what?

But there is an answer to that one… listen to your instinct, listen to that little voice. If you are a Christian…listen to the Holy Spirit. Find out what you can do to help someone…then do it. It doesn’t have to be earth shaking, mind bending, or financially burdensome…but you can help people.

There are people that need us! Help them.

I promise you this…the more you help people now the more you will be able to help, and be helped, when it all falls apart. Start the habit now…the world needs it…you need it…we need it.

There are people that need us.

 

 

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