You don't hear much from the media anymore about the areas devastated by Hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma outside of those areas, except for the endless finger-pointing and arguing about rebuilding New Orleans. This last week I was reminded several times that the continuing problems for the people affected extend beyond those directly hit by those hurricanes.
Monday afternoon--I was paired with an educator from Beaumont, Texas for a "word/share/prayer" exercise during the educator's retreat at our presbytery. When it came time to share our prayer concerns I asked her about the affect of Rita on her church and her own life. As she began to talk she described a congregation scattered to the four winds, a pastor still trying to locate his flock, concerns for the safety of several elderly members who lived in areas that are STILL hard to access, no phone service, a landscape transformed by fallen trees and damaged homes and businesses--you get the idea.
Tuesday noon--I ate lunch at the retreat with several church professionals from Orange and Beaumont who talked about efforts to clean up their church buildings and carry on their ministry in the area. "We're still pretty fragile emotionally" was the consensus of this group.
Thursday--A set of pictures from El Jefe's cousin who lives in the Miami area was emailed to us. It showed a lot of damage on his property from Hurricane Wilma. Wilma? Does anyone outside of Florida remember Wilma? In any other year, you'd still be hearing about it.
Saturday morning--A small but mighty contingent from our church set forth on a day trip to Beaumont to help clean up the church served by the educator that I met on Monday.
Saturday afternoon--The game between Rice and Tulane became a "homecoming" for Tulane alums and the 100 Tulane students now attending Rice. These folks are working towards the re-opening of the school in New Orleans in January. Rice won the ball game, however.
Sunday morning--There was an announcement that the "small but mighty" contingent wanted to recruit a larger group of about 30 folks who would go to Beaumont to replace the roof on the house of the pastor at this same church.
We discussed the impact of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita on our congregations at the retreat. Although the metro Houston area was spared direct impact, we are dealing with a lot of the "spill-over" effects created by the evacuees and the efforts to assist them --which are still going on. We're not back to business as usual. Our people are showing the need for special spiritual care and nurture.
I think of St. Cassarole and all she and her congregation have been through. Take what I am seeing here and multiply it by God only knows how many times over for those who did loose their homes, their offices, their churches, their communities, and even the lives of relatives, friends and pets. Their world is turned upside down. Let's keep praying and working.
Monday afternoon--I was paired with an educator from Beaumont, Texas for a "word/share/prayer" exercise during the educator's retreat at our presbytery. When it came time to share our prayer concerns I asked her about the affect of Rita on her church and her own life. As she began to talk she described a congregation scattered to the four winds, a pastor still trying to locate his flock, concerns for the safety of several elderly members who lived in areas that are STILL hard to access, no phone service, a landscape transformed by fallen trees and damaged homes and businesses--you get the idea.
Tuesday noon--I ate lunch at the retreat with several church professionals from Orange and Beaumont who talked about efforts to clean up their church buildings and carry on their ministry in the area. "We're still pretty fragile emotionally" was the consensus of this group.
Thursday--A set of pictures from El Jefe's cousin who lives in the Miami area was emailed to us. It showed a lot of damage on his property from Hurricane Wilma. Wilma? Does anyone outside of Florida remember Wilma? In any other year, you'd still be hearing about it.
Saturday morning--A small but mighty contingent from our church set forth on a day trip to Beaumont to help clean up the church served by the educator that I met on Monday.
Saturday afternoon--The game between Rice and Tulane became a "homecoming" for Tulane alums and the 100 Tulane students now attending Rice. These folks are working towards the re-opening of the school in New Orleans in January. Rice won the ball game, however.
Sunday morning--There was an announcement that the "small but mighty" contingent wanted to recruit a larger group of about 30 folks who would go to Beaumont to replace the roof on the house of the pastor at this same church.
We discussed the impact of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita on our congregations at the retreat. Although the metro Houston area was spared direct impact, we are dealing with a lot of the "spill-over" effects created by the evacuees and the efforts to assist them --which are still going on. We're not back to business as usual. Our people are showing the need for special spiritual care and nurture.
I think of St. Cassarole and all she and her congregation have been through. Take what I am seeing here and multiply it by God only knows how many times over for those who did loose their homes, their offices, their churches, their communities, and even the lives of relatives, friends and pets. Their world is turned upside down. Let's keep praying and working.
7 comments:
I continue to be amazed at the ways these storms are still impacting so very many people.
thanks for posting this.
Yes, thanks from here, too.
Speaking of that "Other Hurricane"...you know, Wilma, the one nobody hears about (as you said)...I've got a story to add to your list.
West Laurel UMC was where I went for a couple weeks after Katrina. It's about 120 miles north of the coast, but was in the direct path of the storm. It was hit pretty hard and got no media because of the extense devastation of the coast. I went back this past week for a visit and there are still roads lined with downed trees and people out cleaning up.
But the church decides that they are going to help out the people of West Palm Beach, FL who came to their need. So even though they themselves haven't completely recovered, they send a team to Florida with supplies.
God is truly Good.
I am so sorry because we do forget. Thank you for reminding us.
Thanks for thinking of us. I intend to post pictures of what my neighborhood looks like. My neighborhood is DisneyWorld when compared with what most of the Coast looks like.
I imagine we will look back on these days in a few years with better perspective than we have now.
Thanks for caring, helping and thinking of children's needs.
Again, thanks for the reminder. I am also reminded to get off my butt this weekend and help some people in my own backyard as well.
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