My coworkers laugh because it seems I pick the worst weather to do an event in. During the Walk Across Alabama this past summer we had a heat wave. For Poverty Awareness Week-a late hurricane decides to make her presence known. I have been asked if I slept in the box last night. Stayed in the box yes, slept…well let me explain.
Here’s how it went down. I got to bed early after securing the box with a heavy tarp thanks to Carla’s help. We would be dry and snug as a bug. I wasn’t sure how the wind would affect me but had positive thoughts. As I turned in, I was so excited about sleeping-nice rain, little traffic-perfect! I even had a late night visit with a gift of some cookies! Everything seemed ideal.
Somewhere around midnight I woke up to a weird realization-don’t ask me how. But it seemed that as the flatbed trailer got wetter and wetter, which is actually the “floor” of the box…my mattress might be soaking up water. I did have a small piece of plastic and a sheet down but nothing to really keep water out. I was correct. The bottom of my mattress was working as a sponge and water was seeping in. Now what? I immediately took out my sleeping bag, blanket, and pillow and put them in the small chapel next to the box. I was considering sleeping in there for the night but then thought otherwise. I propped up the mattress to see where water was coming in…then began to figure out the next step. What would someone in poverty do? Would they be able to leave? Maybe…but most likely they would improvise.
That is what seemed best to me. I found a bunch of large trash bags and lined the floor where the most seepage was occurring. This is when I discovered I had a few more “friends” with me as a large roach scampered up the wall to stay dry…that was the least of my concern. The trash bags seemed as though they would suffice for now. I flipped the mattress back down, reorganized the wall space, killed my friend, and went back to grab my bedding materials. This process took about ½ an hour. Seemingly satisfied and thinking about how many other families in Alabama were doing the exact same thing, I began to pray. I prayed for the families who would not be dry tonight. I thought about the ridge cap we still need to finish. I thought about my warm, dry bed. Then I tried to sleep.
As the night progressed, the winds became stronger and stronger. The loose flap of my tarp flailed against my door at each band of wind gusts. The roof of the building next to me had metal on top and would clang and sounded as if it was coming apart. Occasionally a strong gust would come through and rock the trailer-not like a gentle “hammock rock” -but like a boat about to be flipped. I wondered how Jesus really slept through that storm-I wasn’t doing so hot. I think I would have been like those disciples-freaked out thinking they were going to capsize and drown. I never fully fell asleep for any length of time. Five thirty finally came around and although I couldn’t really move-I couldn’t sleep either.
The rain is still coming and will be here throughout the day. I have now evacuated into the chapel and reinforced my box floor with more plastic. Against one side of the box, the mattress is propped up with the hopes it will dry a bit before tonight.
I will still be thinking about all I have learned the past few days. People in poverty are industrious. They work hard, complain little, and see every gift as God’s providence. They find it difficult to grasp things like the tax system-they just know they pay a lot. They may not understand why minimum wage is low and maybe the concept of what a “living wage” is-they just know that despite two jobs or living on social security-its just not enough. That’s what this box is all about-that is what my life and vocation are dedicated to. To God be the glory.
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