Hurricane Katrina exposed the government's inability to be savior. In its wake, Christians have stood as shining examples of those rushing to the rescue, unhindered by red tape.
At CWA, we're bringing attention to the "stories of redemption through the flood" by highlighting the work God's people are doing. This is especially poignant in the face of an onslaught of calls – amplified by the media – for more and bigger government.
|
What Bill Clinton and Rick Warren Have in Common
There are, of course, important differences between America's former Commander-in-Chief and America's current Pastor-in-Chief. But it strikes me that some important questions have been framed in recent days: Is government the answer to man's greatest problems, or is God? Do capitalists hold the key to meeting man's deepest needs, or does Christ? [September 18, 2005, www.joelrosenberg.com. Click here to read the article.]
-Linda Holloway, CWA of Kansas
The First Responders
Reporters covering the evacuation of New Orleans last week have noticed an interesting phenomenon. People who have lost everything are staying in shelters. And who are running those shelters? Churches. Christians were the first to arrive on the scene—literally the first responders—the first to help with the devastation in New Orleans, even before the first government assistance arrived. And Christians shouldn't be surprised at this, even if reporters are. Because throughout history, Christians have been passionate about human dignity. We believe all humans are made in the image of God. This is why Christians throughout history have rescued abandoned babies, fought slavery, and passed child labor laws. Today, we care equally for the mother dying of AIDS in Africa, the six-year-old sex slave in Thailand, and the homeless family in New Orleans... As the story of Hurricane Katrina begins to fade out of the news, as it inevitably will, we must not let our memories fade with it. Loving our neighbor requires perseverance. Those rendered homeless by Katrina will need help for years to come—and as we have recently seen, we cannot always rely on government help... Christians reaching out to those who suffer offer a tremendous witness to secular observers—a witness to the fact that throughout history, whenever there are people who suffer, it is Christians, just like now in New Orleans, who are the 'first responders'." —Chuck Colson [The Federalist Patriot (FederalistPatriot.US), September 19, 2005, Patriot No. 05-38]
A Hand and a Hug
A man at my church offered a house he just rehabbed to an evacuee family rent-free for three months and my church is paying the utilities for three months. Also, the young wife/mom (19 years old) came to our ladies conference where I taught a session. She said she was really blessed by the conference. The conference was "Women of Action"; I taught on obedience. My point was that everything we do touches someone else?whether it's big like helping the Katrina survivors or not giving a piece of your mind to the guy who just cut you off in traffic. As we are obedient, God uses us in His tapestry of life. I've talked to the young mom twice now to hug and encourage her. She and her husband are so grateful to be able to start over. He said he wasn't on welfare and didn't intend to be. He was an assistant manager with T.J. Maxx and plans to interview with them here.
-Linda Holloway, CWA of Kansas
Uniforms for School Kids
I personally had an opportunity to ship five large boxes of school uniforms from Faith Christian School in Sterling, Virginia, to the First United Methodist Church in Baton Rouge. It was one of those God things?as a result of a chain of e-mails, I learned about the church planning to start a school for evacuees. They requested donations of clothes or money for uniforms since most kids don't have any clothes at all. Just a week before, at my daughter's back-to-school night, I noticed shelves full of uniforms available for the asking, so I asked and they were glad to have them taken away.
I had planned to pick them up on Saturday, but there were so many more than I recalled, I decided I'd better go to the office supply store first to purchase cartons, and then pack them right at the school. So it was Monday afternoon when I got back to the school with boxes and packing tape and learned that some folks in charge didn't know about the donation. Just the hour before, they had students bag up all of the uniforms and dispose of them in the dumpsters.
The administrator asked if I still wanted them - i.e., was I willing to pull them out of the dumpster? I said, "For certain." The folks at the church were delighted with the prospect of getting their uniform needs met so easily! So we pulled them out?they had been in plastic bags so were not soiled?and sent them off.
- Patricia Phillips, State Director, CWA of Virginia
From Maine to Mississippi
Rick Bansley is in Mississippi with two other men from Calvary Chapel in Trenton, Maine. Sixteen other men from their church in Orrington will join them this week. Their work is being directed through Calvary Chapel. His wife, Charla, writes:
Rick was able to send a few pictures over a telephone line yesterday from hurricane-torn Gulfport, Mississippi. Thought you might like to see them. Today, he and his team will be going on salvage runs into Gulfport homes that were completely submerged.
Rick has helped more people in the last week than I have in my lifetime. The stories are amazing! Just last week, Rick...
- put up a telephone poll for a 70-year-old woman who had broken her arm during the hurricane. The doctors in Biloxi are so busy that as of Friday they hadn't set her arm yet.
- took food/water into a church acting as a shelter, cut off from supplies by downed power lines, debris and trees.
- worked beside electricians from Texas to get electricity into Biloxi.
- pulled up carpets and cleaned out debris from homes and a church.
- covered homes with tarps until carpenters can arrive to fix the roofs.
- prayed with several people, including an overwhelmed electrical project manager whose trucks and equipment were breaking down.
And that is just the first week! At this point, he does not know when he will return to Maine. Please continue to pray for his safety and pray that God will use Rick to reach the people of this region with His love during this crisis!
- Charla Bansley, State Director, CWA of Maine
Short-Term Mission Projects Locate in Gulf States
Adventures in Missions (AIM) is a ministry that connects volunteers to short-term mission opportunities in the United States and around the world. AIM is currently working in hurricane-stricken Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama, as well as with evacuees in Atlanta. In addition, it is setting up trips for volunteer workers to take place throughout the coming year.
For ongoing and inspiring trip reports, click here.
For information on providing housing for evacuees, click here.