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The flood disaster also left its mark on our volunteer helpers. The following reports provide a brief insight into the events on the ground in the Ahrweiler area.
Interview with Jona
What motivated you to help strangers?
On Friday evening, I was asked if I would like to go to the disaster area on Saturday to help. At first, I declined, because I had actually planned to go to a wedding. But then I remembered the Bible verse from James 4:17: "Therefore, whoever knows how to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin."
What was your first impression when you saw the destruction? What did you expect to find there, and what thoughts went through your mind?
In Ahrweiler, we were met with a scene quite different from what we had seen in the media: destroyed houses, streets, cars, and trees, mud and dirt everywhere. It was incomprehensible to me that something like this had happened in Germany.
For the first few days, we were knee-deep in mud. It was particularly exhausting to carry everything out of the cluttered basements, where everything was in complete disarray. The most strenuous task was carrying the carpets, soaked with mud and water, outside.
I was pleasantly surprised by the sense of community – everyone helped each other. For example, if someone needed a pump, their neighbor was happy to lend theirs. Many residents from the surrounding area provided us with coffee, cake, and savory snacks.
Did you have the opportunity to talk about God?
Yes, a conversation with an older man really upset me. He was very rude to us because we had parked our car directly in front of his house. That space had to remain clear because it was the turning area for the container trucks. We moved the car and apologized. When he realized we were trying to help and weren't just onlookers, he apologized for his rudeness.
Through tears, he told us he had lost his wife in the flood. I was so shocked I didn't know how to react—a grown man crying—this was a situation I had never experienced before. How do you comfort someone who has lost everything? We told him about Jesus and the hope that only He can give.
I found a symbol of God's power, His glory, His love, and His grace in the cross in Ahrbrück, which had remained undamaged by the flood. All the debris lay before the cross. There, I became once again aware of how fleeting everything is and how everything lies at the feet of Him, the Lord of all lords. Later, I read a Facebook post about this cross:
"This cross stands on the Mühlenauel in Ahrbrück. My former elementary school teacher, Mr. Fox, a very religious man, placed it there. This cross survived the millennium flood, withstood it, and still stands perfectly straight. It was submerged almost up to the crossbeam, right in the middle of the flood. It's nothing short of a miracle. No tree, no car, no gas tank damaged the cross. I was just at that spot. No one here understands how this cross is still standing as it was before the flood. There were garden sheds in front of and behind the cross; they were swept away by the flood. I will probably go to this place more often in the future to thank someone up there that my family, friends, and acquaintances survived this terrible flood."
Like a rock in the surf, this cross stands unscathed amidst the devastation, in the immediate vicinity of the Ahr River. A visible testament to God's sovereignty – even in the greatest tragedy.
This cannot be a coincidence. Even people from all over the world recognize that there is "someone up there".
The following Monday, I couldn't stop thinking about the people along the Ahr River at work. So on Tuesday, I went to my supervisor and asked if I could be released from work to provide humanitarian aid to the people of Ahrweiler. He was enthusiastic about the idea, and so on Wednesday morning, I was allowed to travel to Ulmen with another colleague from the municipality of Mahndorf.
What did you learn from the experience?
I experienced firsthand what truly defines a community: togetherness! After our work in the flood disaster area, our clothes were completely filthy and muddy. We cleaned them with a pressure washer that evening, but hadn't considered that they wouldn't dry overnight. Without a word, our hostess washed them and put them in the dryer.
The next day we were surprised to find our clothes dry, freshly washed, and neatly stacked outside our door. We often forget those who work behind the scenes, but nothing would work without them.
What is it you absolutely want to pass on to others from this situation?
I am deeply grateful to God that I was able to help and that I had the opportunity to travel to Ahrweiler. I am grateful to God for the experiences and for the hope amidst suffering.
I want to encourage you to use your gifts and talents to help people. They have lost a great deal – if not everything.
Although the work that was done in the first few days (shoveling out mud, clearing out cellars, etc.) is no longer needed there, many more hands are needed to advance the reconstruction.
May God bless you and reward you.
Jonah Baier,
Municipality of Bremen
Private vehicles were provided. Thirty of the company's own construction vehicles were also in use.
Daniel reports
The verse from James 4:17 motivated me to participate in the relief effort.
The extent of the destruction and devastation deeply shocked me. I hadn't realized what to expect. Our help was only a small contribution, as there is still much to be done.
What impressed me most, however, was the solidarity of the helpers and the surprisingly positive attitude of those affected; complete strangers working hand in hand. An overwhelming image and a sign that God has placed a spirit of mutual support and cooperation in humankind's heart, even in times of need.
The experience deeply affected me and will stay with me for a long time to come. I am very grateful that I was able to be a part of it.
This situation has taught me, and reminded me once again, how fleeting life and our material possessions are.
I wondered: How would I react if I lost everything? Would my faith be so steadfast that I could detach myself from all material possessions?
What I witnessed there has certainly reinforced my understanding of God: His greatness, His omnipotence, His power, but also His love for lost humanity. Yes, He wants no one to be lost, and for that, He even spared His only begotten Son. This experience still stays with me today and is often a focus of my prayers.
What I want to share with others is that we should be more consciously grateful to God for everything, because things won't always be easy for us. My wish is that our communities will bring even more blessings to those in need, which we can do in many different ways.
Daniel Moderau
Municipality of Bremen