Macy Ellsworth is a social work student at Southeast who serves as the community service leader with the Baptist Student Union. Over fall break the BSU traveled to Joplin, Mo., to help with tornado relief. The trip allowed students to see the problems that Joplin is still facing from the early summer tornado and allowed them to help in continuing the cleanup process.

The damage in Joplin could be seen for miles. From one specific gas station, the hospital, still barely standing, could be seen six miles away. Many of the locals told the students that before the tornado one couldn't even see two blocks.

"For me, the point of the trip was to give a little of myself and serve," Ellsworth said. "It allowed me to be a part of something bigger that has been going on for a while."

Ellsworth's team met one man from Kentucky who is serving as a short-term missionary specifically dealing with tornado relief. He moved his family to Joplin after the tornado, and he plans to stay until the cleanup and rebuilding is done.

"It was good to see God work through something so much bigger than us," Ellsworth said.

The group of 10 left Cape Girardeau without knowledge of what they were doing. They met up with a group of six from Missouri State University and then found out they would be helping in a little town called Diamond.

Students from Southeast and Missouri Southern University help split trees that fell during the tornado that hit Joplin. -Photo submitted by Earl Wilson

Ellsworth said that the Spring River Baptist Association, the individuals spearheading the tornado relief, had just found out these individuals had been devastated by the tornado, and many of the people were still living out of campers.

The small town, about 20 miles from Joplin, was made up of mostly farmland and small homes.

The team helped a couple clean up after the destruction caused by from the tornado.

"We helped them remove a tree that had fallen in their house, cut logs and just clean up," Ellsworth said.

The team helped the couple restore its home for the full two days of its trip. The group was also able to spend some time seeing places in Joplin that already have been rebuilt.

"It was good to go and see there were people who still needed help and restoration," Ellsworth said. "It was truly a humbling experience."

BSU plans to return to Joplin during spring break to partner with Habitat for Humanity and build new houses for people in the area.