Support the Rowley Family
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Please consider helping Troy & Richelle Rowley and their four children, Parker, Reagan, Cameron, & Preston. The Rowley family's home, barn, and entire property flooded during Hurricane Irma. The family escaped the rising water at 4:00am, saving a few personal essentials, and thankfully all of their beloved horses, kitties, and chickens. The Rowely property, Steadfast Farms, serves many kids and families in our community through horse back riding lessons, working with 4H clubs, and much more. This is truly a family of servants and givers. Please consider giving to help them with out of pocket expenses to get them back on their feet. Here is their story told in Richelle's words only hours after the storm destroyed their home:
Hurricane Irma, you have challenged my family today. I'm thankful for this trial. You have shown us that we are tough, people are good and God will protect us. You have flooded our entire property and destroyed everything in our home. But that's ok, it's just stuff. We got what was important. The six of us, our five horses and four cats are all safe. We woke at 4 am with five inches of water in the house already. You gave us one hour before you poured another 18" into our home. It was exhausting wading through knee deep water and leading five horses 750' to the trailer parked in the street. I'm sure Parker would have rather dropped his baby brother and ran when he stepped over snakes trying to get to the truck. But he didn't, he's tough too. Reagan was scared because she hates bad weather and this was the ultimate storm. But, you tested my girl and the best of her came through. She cared more about saving the cats then she did her own fears and waded through knee deep water and floating debris to collect them. She carried a scared little cat, even after it peed on her, as it was clawing and scratching her for 400' to the truck waiting to carry her to safety. And my sweet little Cameron, she's a meek little one, but you showed me her courage. She stayed calm even when she would have wanted to cry. And my husband, wow, he was cool under pressure. Even with his recovering broken heel, he had the strength to wade through water making several trips carrying stuff and kids 400' to the truck. People are so good. Friends and perfect strangers showed up just as we arrived back to check on our house after the kids, horses and cats were settled in their safe places. We got on their boat to drive across our property to our home that you poured 3' of water into. You see Irma, I am surrounded by the best and you didn't phase us. These friends and perfect strangers waded waist deep through our home to help us collect the last of what we could salvage to get our family by until we have our home back. All of this was done with a joy to serve others. We even had a few laughs as someone felt the need to grab two bottles of unopened wine. We may need that later. Even after all of the salvaging was done, a second trip was made to extract our hens from the coop. And let me tell you something Irma, your water and chicken poop is nasty. But guess what, that didn't phase the kindness in people's hearts. My friend, Dana Heisler stepped up in that nastiness and rescued those girls. People are good, thanks for giving them the opportunity to shine. You may have moved us out of our home for now, but that's ok, we have good friends and family that are taking great care of us. And, my God, you know what Irma, He is greater than you. We all stayed out of harms way as we waded through water that could have likely brought venomous snakes and alligators, we traveled through high winds and water to get or horses to safety and He brought us everything we needed at exactly the right time. The worst is yet to come, but that's ok. We will fix it.
“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”
James 1:2-4
Hurricane Irma, you have challenged my family today. I'm thankful for this trial. You have shown us that we are tough, people are good and God will protect us. You have flooded our entire property and destroyed everything in our home. But that's ok, it's just stuff. We got what was important. The six of us, our five horses and four cats are all safe. We woke at 4 am with five inches of water in the house already. You gave us one hour before you poured another 18" into our home. It was exhausting wading through knee deep water and leading five horses 750' to the trailer parked in the street. I'm sure Parker would have rather dropped his baby brother and ran when he stepped over snakes trying to get to the truck. But he didn't, he's tough too. Reagan was scared because she hates bad weather and this was the ultimate storm. But, you tested my girl and the best of her came through. She cared more about saving the cats then she did her own fears and waded through knee deep water and floating debris to collect them. She carried a scared little cat, even after it peed on her, as it was clawing and scratching her for 400' to the truck waiting to carry her to safety. And my sweet little Cameron, she's a meek little one, but you showed me her courage. She stayed calm even when she would have wanted to cry. And my husband, wow, he was cool under pressure. Even with his recovering broken heel, he had the strength to wade through water making several trips carrying stuff and kids 400' to the truck. People are so good. Friends and perfect strangers showed up just as we arrived back to check on our house after the kids, horses and cats were settled in their safe places. We got on their boat to drive across our property to our home that you poured 3' of water into. You see Irma, I am surrounded by the best and you didn't phase us. These friends and perfect strangers waded waist deep through our home to help us collect the last of what we could salvage to get our family by until we have our home back. All of this was done with a joy to serve others. We even had a few laughs as someone felt the need to grab two bottles of unopened wine. We may need that later. Even after all of the salvaging was done, a second trip was made to extract our hens from the coop. And let me tell you something Irma, your water and chicken poop is nasty. But guess what, that didn't phase the kindness in people's hearts. My friend, Dana Heisler stepped up in that nastiness and rescued those girls. People are good, thanks for giving them the opportunity to shine. You may have moved us out of our home for now, but that's ok, we have good friends and family that are taking great care of us. And, my God, you know what Irma, He is greater than you. We all stayed out of harms way as we waded through water that could have likely brought venomous snakes and alligators, we traveled through high winds and water to get or horses to safety and He brought us everything we needed at exactly the right time. The worst is yet to come, but that's ok. We will fix it.
“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”
James 1:2-4
Organizer
Megan Wilcox Kodatt
Organizer
Orange Park, FL
