On day 3, I ventured down to help out. At this point, I had mostly been taking pictures on my way to or home from work. Feeling guilty, I knew I needed to help out. I signed in at the City Office and headed down the road. I was stopped by Robbin Frei who said she could use some help. I jumped in her little electric cart and we were off on Laundry Duty.
For the last several days, Robbin had been picking up people’s muddy laundry, taking it to her house, power spraying the mud off, then having those who wanted to wash come and get the laundry, wash it, give it back to Robbin, and then she would deliver it back to the home owner. [There were many people who were power washing to get the bulk of the mud off and also a bunch of people actually washing the clothes. Robbin was mainly the pick up, drop off and delivery gal. Someone had to keep track of who’s laundry was who’s and she had a great system going.]
We were on a pick up and delivery cycle. We stopped at Tori’s house. Her house was still being cleaned out and there was a bunch of laundry in her driveway. Tori had recently moved into the home and most of the bags were clothes from her kids over the years that were in her garage and had not been gone through or unloaded yet. Some of the clothes were in bags and didn’t get muddy, but were stinky/musty smelling. A lot of them had mud on them, but had also been sitting wet for a few days. Not pretty. So we loaded up her clothes and headed to Robbin’s house. I was going to power wash them after we delivered the clean ones. We dropped off Tori’s stuff at Robbin’s, grabbed the clean items from her garage and took off for delivery because we had more clothes to get from Tori’s. (The little electric cars can only hold so much.)
As we were driving to drop off the clean clothes, Robbin told me about the laundry angels. As one who struggles to keep up with laundry, let alone get it all the whites to actually remain white, I figured ANYONE who was washing their clothes were laundry angels. I was absolutely correct. But I learned that there was a little more to the story.
Robbin told me that years ago Debi Frei told her that when she would add sleeves to prom dresses for young women so they would have a modest dress for the dance, she would say a little prayer before she began sewing so that the dress would be lovely and acceptable to the young woman. Debi happened to be one of the “laundry angels” that was taking all the muddy clothes and washing and folding them for others. Robbin had dropped off some of the Schmutz’s clothes to her, among which were her little boy’s white Sunday shirts. I don’t have a picture of their actual laundry, but here is a picture of the Schmutz’s backyard as people were unloading stuff out of their basement that was filled with mud. I remember looking at the pile of muddy stuff and seeing games, backpacks, sleeping bags– stuff I figured her kids used and that based on all the kids stuff I was seeing that her kids stayed downstairs. Looking at all that muddy stuff just nearly broke my heart.
I’m pretty sure that those white Sunday shirts and kids clothes were among this pile that came out of the downstairs. Robbin said that when she picked up the clothes from Debi, she was stunned. She said, as she began to tear up, that those white shirts looked like they had just come out of the JC Penney’s package. Their clothes looked as bright as if they were brand new. Robbin remembered Debi’s story of praying over prom dresses from years ago and asked Debi if she had said a prayer over this laundry. Her answer was, “yes.” Robbin tearfully said, “you have no idea…the laundry angels are REALLY helping us. You just can’t believe what is happening.”
Well, I could. There has been a tangible spirit as I have been driving through the valley. There is no despair, no anger, just a spirit of work, unity, kindness, and friendliness. But I had NO idea that laundry angels existed! I’ve needed them for YEARS!!
As we pulled in to drop off some clean laundry to the Grant’s, there were several angels in her front yard cleaning off items from her house. We told her we had her clean clothes and where could we put them. She said, “inside the front door.” As I traipsed across her muddy front lawn, I stood on the porch and opened the door. Her entry way had a crystal clean floor with a few clean items on it. I looked down at my feet and realized that I was NOT going to touch ANYTHING that was clean with my dirty feet. This woman deserved some CLEAN space. So I piled the laundry just inside the front door, blocking her stairway to upstairs. As I turned, she hugged me and thanked me. I had done NOTHING….felt a little dumb. She was SO grateful….and who wouldn’t be??!! I’m sure that knowing your kids have some clean clothes to wear to school meant so much when you were standing in mud trying to wash off every muddy item you were attempting to save or that have significance.
We left the Grant’s to drop off stuff to Sue Gubler. She also thanked us and said, “you have to come and see this! These clothes we are getting back are so CLEAN!” We went into Sue’s front living room where she showed us this:
The dresses on the far left, Sue told us, were some dresses her mother had made. They were treasured keepsakes. We were looking at these piles admiring how really clean they were and Sue said, “you don’t understand! These were COVERED in mud! RED MUD! It is a miracle!” Robbin and I were trying not to cry and Robbin said, “it’s the laundry angels!”
I had to run and grab my phone and take a picture because I realized that there were many miracles taking place. Miracles in the smallest things, like laundry. I knew it was important for me to document them because I knew there were a lot more miracles taking place. But I marveled at how the Lord had His hand in helping those who where trying to do something kind for others. He has taken what they are doing and expanding their abilities.
Robbin and I then grabbed another bunch of laundry from Tori’s and headed back to Robbin’s house. When we got there, Aubrey and Amber Ence were there taking the clothes to wash. The women of their ward had volunteered to do some laundry, too. They had their own powerwashers, so I ended up not having to powerwash, but they took a literal truck bed load of clothes to distribute for washing. And I knew a little secret. I knew the Laundry Angels on the other side would be assisting all the Laundry Angels on THIS side with their task.
*NOTE: If you have never experienced Southern Utah Red Dirt/Mud it is something that once it gets in, it never gets out. White socks are always a light shade of pink. It’s also been said that “when you get Dixie Red Sand between your toes, it never comes out.” Meaning, once you’ve lived here, the spirit always carries with you.
*Another NOTE: Home Depot donated every bottle of “Iron Out” which is a laundry product that supposedly gets the Red Dirt out. By all reports I’ve heard, it works great! The store is empty though. People have tried to go down and buy it. I think they have either donated or sold it all. Can’t wait to get my own bottle!! PLEASE support Home Depot! They have been SOO generous and giving!
And if you’re like me, now that you know Laundry Angels exist, you’ll be praying for their assistance, too!