Superstorm Sandy: Help and hope after the devastation.

By Joe Bartolo, first-year student, Whitman, Mass.

Superstorm Sandy swept across several states, but it seems that New Jersey was hit the worst.

A group from the Bible Institute volunteered to help those dealing with the devastation, and 16 of us ended up going for four days to serve those in need. Many homes were left completely unlivable by Sandy, and some families lost almost all their belongings due to water damage. The flood damage was devastating, and many houses required more manpower to rebuild than most residents could offer.

We were asked to fulfill the need of doing the dirty work. Walls and floors need to be demolished due to mold buildup. Some houses had to be fully gutted, and in some of them, all the belongings were completely destroyed. With the help of the RAINE Foundation, which provided tools and food for us, we were able to help many families with dire needs.

With a common goal in mind, our team instantly bonded and formed close relationships. We had "family time" each night, sharing what happened during the day and what God was doing in us. We realized what a great opportunity we had.

Many people were completely overwhelmed after the destruction, and as we worked, we saw looks of relief on people's faces. Some were brought to tears. With the commitment and willingness of all of our team members, we completed several projects quickly, and the thankful looks were a tremendous reward for all of us. Our team strove to show the love of Christ to the people in New Jersey, realizing that is what they needed most. We did the physical work but also showed that we cared about these people.

We didn't want to be another religious group doing work -- we wanted to be a group of guys showing the love of Christ in our actions.