What we are all seeing on CNN about Mississippi and New Orleans and all the other places affected by this hurricane brings tears to my eyes.
Having lived now in the Gulf Coast Region myself for just over 6 weeks, I’m feeling overwhelmed by the fact that this just hit too close to home. When the Tsunami hit, I was on dry land, far away in the midwest. It didn’t affect me. Now I”m in Houston and Lousianna is close. In fact Houston just opened the Astrodome to house 11,000 people in the past 2 days. Refugees. What a dark word that is. Just imagine having only hours to pack what you could in your car and drive away from this natural disaster. Would you remember to grab all the important account numbers, investment phone numbers, bank account numbers, special photos, the family dog? Seriously! These people are bringing their kids in the clothes on their backs and with only the cash in their wallets.
I’m seeing God work miracles here as this community is pulling together to collect gift cards, clothes, essentials for the evacutees. In fact at my hospital, just today, there are 2 women giving birth to new daughters and all they have is what is in their car. Their other children have no change of clothes. We are collecting clothes for these families and providing them with shelter and food for the time being. This is just the beginning for healthcare too. We soon will be seeing all the injuries, illnesses, and diseases caused by this event. I pray God works miracles through the hands of the caregivers, as I know He will!
God is calling each of us as Christians to step up to the plate and help. It can be as simple as transferring a prescription to a pharmacy for instore credit that can be used to donate to someone. It can be as simple as going through the clothes in our drawers and giving them to others in need. Avery’s grade is responsible for collecting stuffed animals and books. We all live with way too much anyways. I’m feeling guilt deep within my soul for the things I have been blessed with. I can spare all the extra ‘things’ I have just laying around here. We’ve all struggled but never like these people are at this very moment.
I can’t help wonder why God allowed such tradegy to happen. I keep wondering if God just got fed up with the lifestyle of New Orleans. Stereotypical I know. I know on any given normal day, people aren’t lifting up their shirts for beads to pay for a Starbucks. Hello, that’s stupid but it was indeed a city associated with sin right? Is Vegas next? Is God going to wipe out all the sinful places one by one.
Ok, something else I just heard today. People are actually BLAMING President Bush for this? WHAT? Like he is THAT powerful to control a natural disaster created by GOD? DUH! They are mad at Bush because they said it’s his fault they weren’t warned in time. How could he have known? It isn’t like he gets mail from God with God’s weekly agenda on it! That just makes me crazy hearing that crap! Erik and I were talking last night and we are wondering what is going through the minds of terriorists in a time like this. If a ton of people were fleeing to a heavily populated area and the country which was our enemy is in total disaray, what would be the next logical thing to do? I have to keep thinking that just because there was a hurricane, the US won’t let it’s guard down and be vulnerable to an attack. Something to think about though.
My point to all of this is God is so powerful and we really do need to fear Him. He loves us and provides for us but he can taketh away too. Let us all stop right now and praise God for what blessings He has given to us at this very moment. You can be rest assured that even the refugees are praising God for something today…their lives.
