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goods. you see them in the church yard, men sleeping on cots under the stars after driving all night to get here from tuscaloosa. [ applause ] these men were so touched, so moved by the kindness of strangers in their hour of need that they just had to come joplin. good samaritans on a mission from god. god has chosen us for a mission too. to grieve together, to comfort one another, to be patient with one another, to strengthen one another, and to build joplin anew. [ applause ]
within our control. and it's in these moments through our actions that we often see the glimpse of what makes life worth living in the first place. in the last week, that's what joplin has not just taught missouri, not just taught america, but has taught the world. i was overseas in the aftermath of the storm, and you had world leaders coming up to me saying, let the people of joplin know we are with them. we're thinking about them. we love them. [ applause ] because the world saw how joplin respond
invincible power of faith. we have come to mourn what the storm has taken from us, to seek comfort in community. and to draw strength from god to build anew. it seems inconceivable that just one week ago the people of joplin were going about their daily lives, doing the ordinary things that people do on a sunday evening, cooking supper, watching tv, walking the dog, attending their sons' and daughters' graduation. and then came the whirlwind.
his office to do. i'd like to introduce jeremiah w. nixon, governor of the state of missouri. [ applause ] thank you, pastor garris. to the families of those who were kill and injured, to the families of those who were still unaccounted for, to the people of joplin who have endured this
friends of all those who have been lost and all those who have been affected. today we gather to celebrate the lives of those we've lost to the storm here in joplin and across the midwest, to keep in our prayers those still missing, to mourn with their families, to stand together during that time of pain and trial. and as reverend brown alluded to, the question that weighs on us at a time like this is why. why our town, why our home, why my son or husband or wife or sister or friend, why.
offering food, sweat, and comfort. brown tells me he's learned something and wants to tell the people of joplin, don't turn down help and don't give up. >> if you can't go anywhere, you always go home. >> wouldn't it have been easier for you to pack it in, say i'm not going back and startover somewhere. >> would have been a whole lot easier, but i won't let this get me down. >> reporter: a full month after a deadly tornado and so many still so slow to turn the corner from surviving to recovery. david mattingly, cnn, tuscaloosa, alabama. >> you're in the cnn newsroom for this special report. this special joplin memorial service this sunday, may 29. it's going to begin any minute. live pictures of all those who
in all these things we are human conquers in things that love us. i am confident that neither death, life, angels, rulers, or anything that comes to powers or anything else in all of creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of god in christ jesus our lord and now with the hymn of promise, the chancellor choir of the first united methodist church under the direction of larry sandler. >> you're watching live the joplin community memorial service taking place in joplin, missouri. 143 people died in the tornado that devastated the community one week ago. now a special service to honor the dead and the survivors. what's this option? that's new.
be moments where you just say where to begin, how to start. there are going to be moments where after the shock has worn off, you feel alone. but there's no doubt in my mind what the people of this community can do. there's no doubt in my mind that joplin will rebuild. and as president i can promise you your country will be there with you every single step of the way. [ applause ] we will be with you ever step of the way. we're not going anywhere! the cameras may leave! the spotlight may shift! but we will be with you every step of the way until joplin is
national response. also promising the federal government will be here long after the cameras lead. so really sort of an upbeat message from the president, a realization it will take yearing to recover but the federal government will help. >> thanks so much from joplin, missouri. appreciate it. also in joplin, casey wian. casey, the president got a chance to see firsthand for himself the devastation there. you also got a chance to talk with people who said it's not six miles that this tornado was on the ground but perhaps double that number. >> reporter: absolutely. it's 12 miles. we went from the beginning till the end, west to east and followed the path of the tornado yesterday and it's 12 miles, and it's about three quarters of a mile wide. an incredible path of destruction. the president is a very popular
hundreds of men, women, and, yes, even children who helped their neighbors dig out of the ruins. a monument to the sear search & rescue crews who came swiftly to aid the quick and the dead. by god's grace, we will restore this community. and by god's grace we will renew our souls. one year from today, joplin will look different and more different still in two years and three and five. and as the years pass, the moral of our story will be the same. love thy neighbor. god bless. [ applause ]