The pounding rain began in the middle of the night. The people of Jackson， Ohio awoke to the sound then went back to sleep. The next day the rain continued， and the water began to rise. Statistics said Jackson floods once every one hundred years， but no one believed this would be the flood of the century. People were evacuated from their homes to higher ground， leaving everything behind. Buildings in the low-lying areas were immersed in water. People watched as dogs， cats， cows and other animals were swept away. Cars and trucks were carried miles from their homes. The people felt helpless as they watched Mother Nature show her power.

Susan returned to her sixth-grade student-teaching experience the following Monday. She told the story to her students and showed them pictures from the newspaper. Her inspired and compassionate students took action. They stopped raising money for their trip to Camp Kern and began raising money for the flood victims. They sold lollipops， wrote letters to the community asking for donations and collected their own money. Even first-graders donated money. Mountains of clothes，furniture and food piled up. Susans class made Easter baskets from shoe-boxes and filled them with candy and toys as well as toothpaste， soap， toothbrushes and shampoo.

She and I loaded her moms black Chevy Beretta to the ceiling with the Easter baskets. On the trip there，I wondered what I would see；I couldnt imagine losing almost everything. Dusk was beginning to set in， and I felt nervous when we arrived. My stomach dropped when I saw some houses reduced to the railroad ties that had been their foundation. The smell of river water permeated the air. No carpet， furniture， plumbing or appliances remained. Knowing that only days ago this had been someones home pained my heart. How many children had grown up here？ What kind of memories lingered？ Would the house ever be rebuilt？ The monster flood had dulled its roar and retreated， but its impact would be long-lasting.

We drove from house to house，knocking on doors，ready to begin our mission. I was filled with trepidation. Would families who had been devastated by floodwater want an Easter basket？ The gesture was beginning to seem useless. “Hello，Im Susan Moore，and this is my friend，Allison. My sixth-graders at Pennyroyal Elementary made Easter baskets for you when they heard about the flooding because they wanted to help. ”

Their faces lit up as they opened their gifts. As we entered one home， a husband and wife were crouched over their floor with hammer and nails. When he opened the box，he began to cry. “I cant believe those kids did this. Let me give you some money for their school.” As I glanced at what was left of his home， I could not believe his generous spirit. He eventually conceded to write a thank-you note instead. One woman ran out to find us after opening her box， tears rolling down her face. “I collected bunny rabbits， and I lost them all in the flood. There was a small pink rabbit in my box. I can start my collection again. Thank you. ”The burly man standing next to her also had tears in his eyes.

My heart was warmed as I played the small role of messenger in this tribute to the good in the human spirit. So often we hear of the shortcomings of our youth，but these youngsters answered a cry for help and gave proof that generosity and love prevail.

半夜時(shí)分，下起了瓢潑大雨。俄亥俄州杰克遜的人們被雨聲驚醒，但很快地又進(jìn)入了夢(mèng)鄉(xiāng)。第二天，雨未停，水開始上漲了。據(jù)統(tǒng)計(jì)，杰克遜每100年發(fā)一次水災(zāi)，但誰(shuí)也沒有想到這次大雨導(dǎo)致了這場(chǎng)世紀(jì)之災(zāi)。人們顧不上攜帶財(cái)物，匆匆從家里撤離，逃向高地。洼地里的建筑浸泡在水中。人們眼睜睜地看著狗、貓、牛和其他動(dòng)物被大水沖走，連汽車和卡車也被沖到離家?guī)子⒗锿獾牡胤健？粗咸鞝敯l(fā)威，人們束手無(wú)策。

蘇珊在接下來(lái)的周一回到她在六年級(jí)的教學(xué)實(shí)習(xí)中。她給學(xué)生講了這件事，并給他們看報(bào)紙上的照片，這些富有同情心的學(xué)生得到了鼓舞，立即采取行動(dòng)。他們停止了為坎普克恩之旅籌資，而開始為洪水的受難者募集。他們?nèi)ベu棒棒糖，寫信給社區(qū)尋求捐助，還捐出了自己的積蓄。甚至一年級(jí)學(xué)生也參與了捐助活動(dòng)。衣服、家具和食品堆得像小山一樣。蘇珊班里的同學(xué)們還用鞋盒子做成復(fù)活節(jié)禮筐，里面裝上糖果、玩具、牙膏、肥皂、牙刷和洗發(fā)液等。

我和蘇珊把她媽媽的黑色貝里塔車裝滿了復(fù)活節(jié)禮筐。在去那里的途中，我思忖著將會(huì)看到什么：我想象不到幾乎失去一切的景象。夜幕開始降臨了，到達(dá)的時(shí)候，我感到有些緊張。原來(lái)蓋在鐵路路基上的房屋被大水沖走，又露出了路基。看到這種情況，我的心情陡然沉重起來(lái)?？諝庵泻铀奈兜缽浡?。毛毯、家具、管道或器具都蕩然無(wú)存。一想到幾天前這還是某人的家時(shí)，我就感到心痛。在這兒曾有多少孩子長(zhǎng)大成人？會(huì)留下什么樣的記憶？這房子會(huì)重修嗎？洪魔已無(wú)力咆哮，開始撤退，但他的影響將持續(xù)下去。

我們驅(qū)車挨門逐戶拜訪，一家一家地敲門，準(zhǔn)備開始我們的任務(wù)。我心中有些憂慮。這些被洪水毀壞了的家庭會(huì)接收復(fù)活節(jié)禮筐嗎？這些舉措顯得有些蒼白無(wú)力了?！澳愫茫沂翘K珊·摩爾，這是我的朋友艾利遜。我們潘尼羅耶小學(xué)六年級(jí)的學(xué)生聽說(shuō)這兒發(fā)了洪水，特意為您制作了復(fù)活節(jié)禮筐，因?yàn)樗麄兿胩峁椭！?/p>

人們打開禮物時(shí)都露出欣喜之情。我們走入一戶人家，丈夫和妻子正蹲伏在地上，手里拿著錘子和釘子。丈夫打開盒子后，哭了起來(lái)。“我真不敢相信這些孩子會(huì)這樣做。讓我拿些錢帶給他們學(xué)校?！蔽覓咭暳艘幌率覂?nèi)，大水過(guò)后，家中財(cái)產(chǎn)所省無(wú)幾，他的慷慨之舉，令人難以置信。經(jīng)我們勸說(shuō)，他最終同意不再捐錢，只寫了一封感謝信表達(dá)他的謝意。一位婦女在打開盒子后連忙追了出來(lái)，臉上流著淚：“我收集了許多小兔子，但在洪水中全丟了。你們送我的盒子里有一只小粉兔，我又可以開始收集了。謝謝你們！”站在她身邊那個(gè)魁偉的男人眼里也含著淚。

此次，我不過(guò)是盡人性之善的使者，微不足道，但能盡微薄之力倍感溫謦。經(jīng)常聽到人們指責(zé)我們這代年輕人的缺點(diǎn)，但正是這些年輕人在天災(zāi)之時(shí)，回應(yīng)了人們的求助，證實(shí)了人世間充滿了慷慨和愛心。