Yesterday morning I was sitting in the den eating breakfast and watching the news. It is heartbreaking to watch a city being slowly submerged into destruction. All of a sudden from upstairs I hear a scream. It’s Anna screaming and there is terror in her voice. This is not a “I’m playing” kind of scream. This is a serious “finger in a light socket” kind of scream. I was sure she was seriously injured.
I set down my yogurt and sprinted up the stairs. When I made it to Anna’s bedroom Andrea was already there and Anna was sitting on the floor, her shoe flung across the hall and she was yelling “A BUG!” I looked at the shoe and out of it crawled a slender bug. I walked over and stepped on it and it sounded as if I were stepping on leaves in the front yard in the fall. Anna would have told me it was from the bug’s crunchy exoskeleton if she weren’t so scared. We’ve had these discussions in the past and I wonder, "why does my first grader already know about exoskeletons"?
My heart stopped pounding and I said, “Anna, it’s just a bug.” I had no sympathy. But Andrea walked up to Anna, put her arms around her and with way more compassion than I had she said, “When I was a little girl like you I had the exact same thing happen to me. I put my shoe on and there was a bug in it and I screamed just like you did. And today I still tap my shoes and look inside to make sure there are no bugs in them before I put them on. I’m sorry you had to go through that.”
Andrea had a kind of sympathy I didn’t understand because she had been where Anna was and I had not.
That’s how I feel about the victims Hurricane Katrina. I know that everyone sympathizes with them on some level but I feel that those of us on the Gulf Coast have a special kind of pain as we watch this tragedy continue to unfold. Beyond that, I think that those who have lost home, possessions, and worst of all the lives of those they love in a hurricane especially understand the pain of those in Louisiana and Mississippi; more than I ever could.
I feel helpless. I know that there are some who made a horrible mistake by staying. There are some who had no choice but to stay. There are some who ran. All of them have needs. Physical needs, emotional needs, relational needs; but more than anything they need love, mercy, grace and hope. When everything looks so dire and the future is in question the victims of the storm need hope … hope that everything can one day be okay again.
Those of you who live in Southern Brazoria County can check our church’s web sight. Very soon we will post some tangible ways to help those who are taking refuge here…. <link>
We plan to organize trips to the areas affected by the hurricane when we can be of help and not be in the way. Check back to brazospointe.com to see how you can be involved.
Thursday, September 01, 2005
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5 comments:
For those that can't help financially or with traveling to help, there is another very important way to help:
GIVE BLOOD!
SOme of the reports I've been reading have mentioned the potential for a major blood supply loss, and the more we give, the better off the affected areas will be when the time comes and they need blood.
If you don't know where to go, try this site:
http://www.giveblood.com/
You can also find our local Red Cross chapter, here:
American Red Cross
Brazoria County Chapter
120 E Myrtle
Angleton, TX 77515-4172
Phone: 979-849-6439
That is go great that Brazoria County churches are jumping in to help!!! I have already made myself involved with helping here in Galveston. We have several shelters holding 300-500 people. Giving blood is also a great way to help. The supply levels are already dangerously low since its the end of the summer and there is a big call for Type O, although all types are very appreciated! Thank you to all for opening your hearts and hands to help. On my own blog site, I commented how proud I am to be a christian right now, seeing fellow brothers and sisters pulling together to help our neighbors. Run the race, and keep the faith, right?... :)
--Mindy Jensen
Tommy, I am not always "in the loop" so to speak, but if you would let me know how or what I could do to help, I'd appreciate it. I can't give blood anymore and I don't have money but I have a voice and even a pained but willing body. I can man phones or sort items or anything. I want to help but don't know what or where I can be the most help.
http://praynladysblessings.blogspot.com
Since I can only wear open sandals still, ( I still can't ask anyone to put on socks and tie my shoes), it is not too hard to see if there are any bichus inside. I will remember this though, when I finally am able to wear closed ones! Thanks.
Why are you stopping?
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