I went from Edgecomb to Oklahoma as a disaster mental health worker for the Red Cross to help in the tornado relief efforts. When I arrived on May 27, I witnessed the damage, which was more than I could have imagined. There were miles and miles of devastation: homes, businesses, schools, and even a hospital all destroyed or damaged beyond belief. Homes, cars, trucks and trees were left as piles of rubble and debris in every direction.

My development began in Shawnee, Okla., as a team member going out in the community to help homeowners and citizens in their environment. Shortly thereafter, I was assigned to West Moore High School (WMHS) in Moore, Okla.

Moore is the community that was ambushed by the EF-5 tornado on May 20, suffering major devastation. The high school became the Multiple Agency Resource Center (MARC). The MARC was one of the four resources in Oklahoma helping people to recover and begin to heal from their losses. Losses included loved ones; spouses, children, relatives, neighbors and pets. Losses also included homes, cars, and possessions of all kind, ranging from scared items to every belonging owned.

While there, we experienced four more tornadoes from May 28-31. Volunteers were exposed the threat of destruction and physical harm with winds over 200 mph, massive thunder and lightening plus six inches of rain, which only served to hamper movement and created emotional crisis, anxiety and fear for volunteers and storm survivors alike.

Our work at the MARC was to helping victims begin their recovery by assisting from the initial registration and progressing through exploration of the various resources at their disposal. On an average 25 agencies provided services to these needy victims: Red Cross,  FEMA, Catholic Charities, Southern Baptists Ministries, Salvation Army, Veteran Administration, Vet Centers, Oklahoma Housing Authority, local counseling agencies, food banks, shelters and local churches of all denominations. A formal process of assistance was established from identification of the person, validation of their losses, and the assignment of assistance. Tornado survivors received help from the various agencies. Agencies offered funds, temporary housing, food, clothing, medical services, prescriptions, legal services, and the like.

Throughout my time at WMHS, approximately 500 victims were helped every day by some 100 volunteers and paid staff from all the resources present. My role was to be a supportive mental health worker available to provide support, encouragement, grief counseling and healing from the trauma victims experienced.

What was most amazing as I worked with these people, men, women, children of all ethnic backgrounds, faiths, cultures and beliefs, was that they thanked me “for being there from Maine to help us.”

What I experienced was a sense of humility, caring and love form people who suffered and lost everything including, their children, relatives, loved ones, pets and possessions. They were spiritual, religious, giving people who demonstrated tolerance, stamina, strong resiliency and spirit for their survival through a belief system that was so needed.

The tornado survivors treated me with the utmost respect and kindness whenever we talked or counseled over their issues, needs and future plans to recover including where to live, with the goal of returning to work and a sense of normalcy. Their goal was to take control and once again live their lives and reclaim the many roles they had to assume.

In their time of need, these wonderful Oklahomans offered tremendous spirit, love, caring and humility. There were an example of resiliency, stamina and belief that was both inspirational and meaningful to this private individual and professional in the midst of their environment. I went to Oklahoma as a Red Cross volunteer and returned home having witnessing humility, caring and strength that I could not imagined.

To these wonderful people of Oklahoma, I owe tremendous thanks. In essence, they gave me hope and belief in people and an understanding of the “Oklahoma Standard,” which made them strong and resourceful in their belief in people, caring, love and God. They make Oklahoma strong and viable to begin their recovery and healing.

May we all learn from their humility that I witnessed and experienced and pray that it can affect all of us throughout this wonderful country that we live in. Therefore I grew from this experience through my Red Cross deployment and came home with a “lesson in humility” as taught by these fine Oklahoma people to whom I am so indebted.