What a powerful read... :yesnod:

[island14]

WOW!!!!


And it's about all of you... :seasix:

Somehow I went back to this old thread looking for a pic to joke RED with...

http://www.thevettebarn.com/forums/off-topic/58766-island14.html

And once I was there and started skipping through the pages and read more as I went along.

I became caught up with each and every post and read every one.

If you have the time to do so.. please do it.. :yesnod:


Very long read, but I found it to be well worth it, and just now catching up on thanking post by some of you that should have been thanked a long time ago..

It is a powerful story from the beginning to the end, that at some points actually choked me up some... as some of it really hit home so much..

If you have the time.. read it! as it shows how great the people here really truly are.. :seasix:


Cliffs:

The story starts out as a storm warning.. that unknown to all.. later totally destroys.

The whole barn community shows worry for one of it's members (myself and my family)

And then the worse than can possibly happen.. does happen.

Everyone is worried... about one of their own.. that becomes MIA

The people here at the barn show a powerful response and a wish to help.

Meanwhile a Christmas fund was in the works by everyone here for Toys for the kids on a small island in the middle of nowhere that never got toys before..

Also one of our members (Dixie) shows up about a month later to be Santa.. and little does he know,, he meets his future wife.. :D

Anyways.. I really just want to say thank you to everyone that showed worry for my family, and everyone that helped to rebuild our village later..

What a really great bunch of people we have right here at The Barn.. :yesnod:

THANK YOU ALL!!

:cert:

[simpleman68]

Glad you made it through :cert:

I remember a long day or so where nobody could reach you until Rob said he got word you were ok.
Scott

[Jeff '79]

Thank God it's on the cloud, otherwise you'd have never remembered it. :shots:

[Dan Dlabay]

Glad to personally know you and glad all is ok.:cert:

[Ol Timer]

Most here probably don't need to re-read to remember.

Barn lives matter! :seasix:

[island14]

Thank God it's on the cloud, otherwise you'd have never remembered it. :shots:

Nov 8th was a day I'll never forget.. :yesnod:

And the times after it... for over three months living in the stone age with no electric, carrying drinking water 5 gallon at a time about 3/4 mile for awhile.

I revisited the thread last night as I said, looking for a pic of RenRen to joke Red with.

But instead of quickly scanning the pages I began to read each and every post again, and got caught up in it to the end.

Sometimes when I drink I get sentimental.... :datawiz:

:D



The whole story that happened here in this forum still blows me away, and makes me feel like a higher power was at work behind the scenes. :yesnod:


The Santa thread was started back in 2012 when Dixie and I were talking about the kids not getting toys here, then later in 2013 he bumped the thread to start raising funds.

http://www.thevettebarn.com/forums/off-topic/45096-santa-see-post-41-donation-info.html

Little did we know that the storm was on the way at that time..so all additional funds were put to really good use when they were needed the most.


I remember at one point in the Santa thread I mentioned to Dixie how it would be neat if he could borrow a Santa suit and come on over to give the toys out...

He replied borrow? heck I own one!.. :lol:

He told me as much as he would like to come, it would take a miracle for it to happen.. but sometimes miracles happen..

The flights at that late notice were going to be over $6000 US so it was not going to happen..

Then I met Captain Jon one night who offered to fund the trip for Rob with his Frequent Flyer Miles.

I had never even met John till that day.. Had the electric not gone out that night, I would have never went to town and met him... :yesnod:

http://www.thevettebarn.com/forums/off-topic/58303-yes-dixie-miracles-do-happen-thumbs.html



This was about two weeks before the Storm..


As you know.. Rob still came over for Christmas, even knowing that he would have to live without running water and electric.

And even ended up sick in the hospital when he went back to the US from bad food, or water he had here...

But not only did all of this turn out to be something great for the people and kids here at a time of their lives when they needed it the most..

Karma has a way of sometimes paying forward.. :yesnod:

And Rob while going through some tough personal times of his own... met a girl he liked.. :D

They kept in touch daily through skype and facebook chat and Rob made it over here 4 times since this all started.

I remember how he didn't even hesitate for a moment when he knew she had a baby boy, and simply said.. I always wanted a son.. :yesnod:

And as you all know now...

Almost three years later from when this all started, she and JC are with him now in the USA.

What a blessing for them all.. :seasix:

:cert:

[Hoog]

It's a movie script waiting to be written....

[RedLS1GTO]

Kinda funny how things work out sometimes.

It really is a hell of a story... and pretty cool that it was documented realt time from the very start.

[boracayjohnny]

Kinda funny how things work out sometimes.

It really is a hell of a story... and pretty cool that it was documented realt time from the very start.

:iagree:

[Rob]

Tim -

Ironic that you bring this up yesterday....because yesterday I had a meeting with my minister to talk about our upcoming nuptials. He was not familiar with the whole story and while he and I had dinner last night, I told him this story and how the people here at the Barn were all part of my life and helped make all of this happen.

And as with each day...today is just the beginning of tomorrow.

:seasix:

[DAB]

Amazing how you can make a difference via direct involvement and don't need to go thru some organized charity.

We doing Santa again this year? I might have time to make and sell something and send the funds to some rotten kids far away. :DAB:

[Rob]

Amazing how you can make a difference via direct involvement and don't need to go thru some organized charity.

We doing Santa again this year? I might have time to make and sell something and send the funds to some rotten kids far away. :DAB:

:seasix: I plan on it - I won't be able to return this year, but I will be making provisions for the kids

[boracayjohnny]

Amazing how you can make a difference via direct involvement and don't need to go thru some organized charity.

We doing Santa again this year? I might have time to make and sell something and send the funds to some rotten kids far away. :DAB:

The wife and I have a regular direct involvement. To see how far a dollar from the US can go in the Philippines is often amazing.

Also, I've read often where the organized charities take x amount of donations as "Operating expenses". It's sad when the op expenses are greater than 50 percent. Some of the CEOs even have chauffeurs. GMAFB.

[Rob]

The wife and I have a regular direct involvement. To see how far a dollar from the US can go in the Philippines is often amazing.

Also, I've read often where the organized charities take x amount of donations as "Operating expenses". It's sad when the op expenses are greater than 50 percent. Some of the CEOs even have chauffeurs. GMAFB.

:iagree: I am very hesitant about giving to charities.

However, I know that my church and St Jude are doing everything they can with the monies that I give them.

[boracayjohnny]

:iagree: I am very hesitant about giving to charities.

However, I know that my church and St Jude are doing everything they can with the monies that I give them.

:iagree:

St. Jude is a very good charity for donations and I'm sure your church is pretty close to direct involvement. There are good ones around but many that are unworthy.

[Blademaker]

We doing Santa again this year? I might have time to make and sell something and send the funds to some rotten kids far away. :DAB:

Likewise :seasix:

[Blademaker]

OP............We take care of our own.........:)

[island14]

Amazing how you can make a difference via direct involvement and don't need to go thru some organized charity.

We doing Santa again this year? I might have time to make and sell something and send the funds to some rotten kids far away. :DAB:


:seasix: I plan on it - I won't be able to return this year, but I will be making provisions for the kids


Likewise :seasix:



I am hoping to do it again this year if the Barn people are up to it.. :yesnod:

Spoke to Sandy a few weeks back and she still hopes to make it over this year, but says it is too far off to make a final decision and plan with work issues.


As Rob can tell you first hand.. seeing all of the children's smiles, make it well worth it.. :yesnod:



:cert:

[island14]

Tim -

Ironic that you bring this up yesterday....because yesterday I had a meeting with my minister to talk about our upcoming nuptials. He was not familiar with the whole story and while he and I had dinner last night, I told him this story and how the people here at the Barn were all part of my life and helped make all of this happen.

And as with each day...today is just the beginning of tomorrow.

:seasix:



Have a date picked yet? :island14:

Looking forward to the videos and photos..

:cert: