Endless hours of  news coverage highlighted the terrible calamity left by the natural disaster. Interviews, pictures, and satellite images covered every news station. Although the storm was a colossal tragedy, there was much less coverage and thought about the disaster a week later because there were other tragedies to report. Even if the majority of the world had forgotten about the storm and moved onto other issues, the people who were affected are left to suffer for months, possibly years, after.

Samaritan’s Purse is a disaster relief operation that assists people rebuild their homes and start a new normal. After a natural disaster occurs they rebuild people’s houses who do not have insurance. One location that Samaritan’s Purse has helped rebuild houses is Joplin, Missouri. The Joplin tornado was a catastrophic EF5 that struck in the late afternoon of Sunday, May 22, 2011. Although the storm only lasted a few minutes, the consequences are still affecting people years later.

A group of Westminster students ventured to Joplin last month. The group worked on rebuilding a house that was destroyed in the tornado.

“I loved rebuilding the house because I knew I was helping people who need help,” said Andy Thomas, junior.

Although the storm was years ago, people are still suffering the aftermath.

“I couldn’t believe Joplin was still so barren. There were hardly any trees and many of the houses still lay in ruin. I wish the media gave these people more attention because they are still suffering,” said Thomas.

Last summer, my family went to Joplin to rebuild a house. We were shocked to see how desolate the city still was. There were hardly any trees because the tornado had leveled the city. Despite the fact that the tornado occurred more than a year before, many houses still lay in ruins.

“I was so sad to see that the people were still suffering after over a year. Even though it was over 100 degrees when we were working, our suffering did not compare to theirs,” said Katherine Galvin, freshman.

Luke McGowan, class of 2006, went to Joplin from February through much of  December in 2012. He went with AmeriCorps as part of the Joplin recovery program.

“I was motivated to reach out and serve my fellow Missourians and help those in desperate need. I had just graduated from college and without a job I had time to volunteer. While I was there volunteering I learned of the AmeriCorps St. Louis Emergency Response Team and applied. The vast devastation I witnessed motivated me to join an organization and commit to assistance on a longer term basis,” said McGowan.

AmeriCorps mission is  “to be a purveyor of skill, a beacon of hope, and a model of public stewardship.” Like Samaritan’s Purse, AmeriCorps arrived in Joplin merely hours after the storm, ready to help.

Although there are many good orginazations helping in Joplin, the media still does not give the victims enough attention. This problem is occuring all across the country at disaster sites.

Another place Samaritan’s Purse has assisted rebuild homes is Long Island, New York. In January 2013, my family and I went to New York to help rebuild a house that was destroyed by Hurricane Sandy.

Although the storm hit in October of 2012, people were still suffering months later. My family traveled to New York to help rebuild Josè Rodriguez’ house. Rodriguez had been been a policeman in dangerous areas of downtown Manhattan for over twenty years. However nothing could prepare him for seeing his own house destroyed and knowing that he could do nothing to stop it.

Almost four months after the storm hit, Samaritan’s Purse came to Rodriguez rescue. A team of ten volunteers began to gut out his house. Without the help of Samaritan’s Purse, many people such as Rodriguez would still be suffering from natural disasters that have destroyed their homes.

Franklin Graham, the son of Billy Graham, realized that people were still suffering and not getting enough attention after a natural disaster occurs. Victims who have suffered natural disasters needed help getting their houses rebuilt and their lives started again.

Graham founded Samaritan’s Purse. According to their mission statement, “Samaritan’s Purse is  a nondenominational evangelical Christian organization providing spiritual and physical aid to hurting people around the world. Since 1970, Samaritan’s Purse has helped meet needs of people who are victims of war, poverty, natural disasters, disease, and famine with the purpose of sharing God’s love through His Son, Jesus Christ.”

Samaritan’s Purse gives victims of natural disasters relief and attention that the media does not. Although the media covers many hours of wreckage, there is little to no coverage of people and how they are still suffering after. Follow-up is needed to ensure that victims are recovering well by getting the necessary help. Everyone can help by either volunteering at a disaster site, or by giving money to Samaritan’s Purse.

It’s important to realize that even after the intial relief effort comes to aid these affected regions, there is still often much to accomplish. Cities, towns and even countries are often not in positions to provide totally for misplaced or hurt citizens and need outside support for many years afterwards.

Stories of organizations, individuals and families who have gone out of their way to create long-standing relief and rebuilding efforts have touched the lives of many and have encouraged others to reach out and make a differencee, as well. No contribution is too little when livelihoods of entire communities are at stake.