After flood waters inundated her home in Australia’s Northern Rivers region, SAMANTHA ELLEY looks at what she can be grateful for…
Northern Rivers, New South Wales, Australia
Floods in Australia’s Northern Rivers region. PICTURE: David Webster.
“Give thanks in everything.” – I Thessalonians 5:18a
This verse is written in beautiful script on the wall of a very good friend’s home, which has currently become my family’s temporary home.
You see, we live on the Northern Rivers of New South Wales and on the last day of summer we were inundated by hundreds of litres of water from a storm cell that stalled over our beautiful area.
“The acts of service people have offered, have been overwhelming. Food, toiletries, bottled water, cleaning products all donated and handed out by willing volunteers. People have offered to wash clothes, fix damaged photos, clean out debris-filled, smelly houses and businesses while others cook and provide yummy meals for those who are now effectively homeless and all for the love of it.”
As the waters rose, we lifted all our wordly possessions up to the second level of our house in the hope that would keep them safe. It didn’t.
We parked our cars at another friends’ house, where they live on the higher side of our little village, in the hope they would be safe. They weren’t.
We were picked up by a four-wheel drive just to be able to pass through the flood waters, that were slowly surrounding our tiny village, to get to safety.
The next morning, the light of day brought out the horror of the situation. Our neighbours who had stayed behind had to be evacuated by boat, our friends’ home where we had parked the cars, had only just escaped and our cars and home were gone under an avalanche of water at levels never seen before, in an area used to floods.
The 1954 flood had been the hallmark for all floods, reaching 12 metres in our small village. The 2022 flood smashed it by two metres, reaching over 14 metres.
It is no exaggeration to say 95 per cent of homes in the village went under water. Most cars were parked on the hill, so nearly every resident is now without transport. Every single business was destroyed.
With all this in mind, the above verse still greets me every time I walk past it. Seriously, what can I give thanks for?
Well firstly, God reminded me that my family were safe. We got out of the flood waters before they became dangerous. Secondly, thanks to the generosity of friends, we have long-term temporary accommodation until our house is habitable again. Thirdly, we have been given a car to use until our insurance comes through.
These are just the immediate material needs fulfilled, but what has grown in my heart and in the hearts of those around me, is compassion, generosity, empathy, patience and most importantly, love.
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The acts of service people have offered, have been overwhelming. Food, toiletries, bottled water, cleaning products all donated and handed out by willing volunteers. People have offered to wash clothes, fix damaged photos, clean out debris-filled, smelly houses and businesses while others cook and provide yummy meals for those who are now effectively homeless and all for the love of it.
I realised I did have plenty to be thankful for. My heart was filled to the brim when I saw our own ‘mud army’ work through our house to throw out damaged possessions, sort through what could be salvaged in a sensitive and respectful way, gurney the walls to get rid of the mud, rip up sodden carpet and cut out damaged walls. All working to help us get back to normal life. We had a stranger stay for two days and gurney out the muddy walls of our first floor, no payment needed. My husband managed to get his name and number so we could thank him properly later.
But it won’t ever be normal again. Not the way normal used to be. I will walk away from the experience of the worst flood in Australian recorded history with a renewed thankfulness for the beautiful actions of our church, our friends, our family and our community.
As one friend wrote: “While Covid had separated us where we couldn’t even hug each other, the flood has brought us all back together again.”
And that is worth being thankful for.
