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Just a few months ago we watched the devastation of hurricane Katrina on New Orleans and the Gulf Coast. The destructive power of nature left the region in shambles. Countless lives were changed forever in the aftermath of Katrina.
The destruction was so widespread that some wondered if the city would ever recover. The recovery is still marked by questions. How much will be rebuilt? When will it be complete?
The process has not gone well from the start. Congress has launched a formal investigation of the Red Cross. There are questions about response time, cooperation with local organizations, reaching remote communities, overwhelmed phone lines, and a lack of clarity with regard to how donations would be spent. I am not sure which concerns me most — that the Red Cross needs to be investigated or that Congress is doing the investigating.
To be certain, there are some questions that New Orleans, the State of Louisiana, and our country have — important questions to answer.
On a much smaller scale, we responded by reaching out to some of the victims of Katrina. Our congregation donated money to the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship Disaster Relief Fund. Four of our members then traveled to Mandeville, Louisiana, to help with the cleanup.
Our team slept in Sunday School classrooms made available to Covenant Presbyterian Church. The good people of that church also prepared a hot meal each evening for all the volunteers. Meaningful relationships were made in a short time with the members of the church, as well as with the families whose homes were being cleaned and repaired.
On March 19, we will take a second team to Louisiana. We will stay in the same church, and if we are fortunate, we will enjoy the same good cooking. We cannot repair all the damage that was done by Katrina, but we can certainly make a difference in the lives of a family or two.
This trip will be different. Our first team removed water-damaged walls and flooring. When we go back in March, we will be installing drywall. Instead of cleaning and clearing damaged homes, we will be getting some of those ready for families to live in once again.
I hope you will consider sharing Christ’s love in Louisiana in March. Don’t hesitate to let me know if you have questions.
Joy and Peace,
Ed
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