Hurricane Katrina

In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina that hit the Gulf Coast of the United States, where people in New Orleans and the surrounding areas, for the people in Mississippi, for the people who have been affected by this storm my heart is breaking as, I’m sure, many people feel the same. What can a person do to help in this situation? People do what they can, what they feel moved to do. My first response would be to give money to the Red Cross. The closer you are to the disaster, the less likely you would be to be reading something like this, but for those people who are farther away, please give money to whatever organization you feel will help them.

As pictures begin to come in of the levees that have broken, of the people waiting in the SuperDome, of the trembling people being rescued, of the debris that is strewn about the streets, of the water that laps the rooftops of houses, I feel so helpless. What can I do as a person but cry for these people?

Giving money seems so much more useful than prayer would be. But, prayer is what I can do too.

Lord, though I know we chart our own destinies, though I know we’re actually more in control than we think we are, there’s an awful lot of people who are suffering right now. Please, please can you give them strength, the strength they might draw from where You are some place deep inside of them that they can see themselves through the next few hours, the next few days, the next few weeks, the months to come where they will once again put their feet upon the road to make their way. They’re going to need an awful lot of help. Please show them which way to turn to find that help. Please put the resources and people in their path they will need to help them to rebuild their lives. Please let them see the light of your love in the people who come to help them. Please help them to let go easily of the pain and shock of what has happened that they can turn quickly toward new and hopefully, better lives. Amen.