Who Will Go?
“Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I. Send me!”” Isaiah 6:8
As the newscaster stood in the flood waters that were still arising down in Missouri, I wondered who would be heading into that flood site. On the local evening news there was a blurb that a team from Dubuque Red Cross would be sending in a team to assist. Some of my friends from Iowa and Wisconsin will be restructuring their lives’ to respond to the need for assistance. In conversations with people who have had the opportunity to go and work in disaster sites, there is pride in the work that they have done.
“Lots of times we did not feel our lives were making a difference in the work place. However, when I volunteer my time, there is a tangible difference that I am able to see, and that is worth more than money can buy. It is more than helping out, handing people a cup of coffee, bottle of water or a sandwich. There is something that transpires between you and the people that you are helping. There is a sense of being one with them kind of like a family in the midst of the storms that are raging out there. You find yourself sitting and sometimes holding hands with people you never met. Maybe it is like reminding yourself that you are not alone as you stand with them. I am rather limited with words in trying to describe the experience, but believe me, it is good. When I went down to help out with Katrina, we were doing all we knew how and it just didn’t seem to be working. People knew we were doing our best and were responsive and most of the time understanding. I don’t mind rearranging my life when I know I will be helping others, and making a difference in their lives.”
Lord if you’re looking for someone to go… send me. Amen
It Can Make a Difference
“O LORD my God, I called to you for help and you healed me.” Psalm 30:2
“Do you think that going to church and spirituality can actually make a difference in dealing with the trauma that is experienced by a disaster?”
For the last 6 months, you have been reading devotionals talking about the importance of sharing your time, money, and service with those who have experienced disaster. The underlying reason for the investment of the last 6 months of my life in writing these devotionals can most simply be expressed in the paradigm that I hold that our emotional and spiritual health is connected to our relationship with the church. To share this idea, it is imperative that people like yourselves, and the church are willing to reach out and be aggressively inclusive. During and after a disaster people are most open to the Gospel and the church regardless if it is a natural disaster or personal disaster caused by life style.
The late Dr. David Larson, MD did extensive research into health issues and church attendance. He specifically looked at the inner relationship between church attendance and: blood pressure, coping skills, involvement with crime, death & dying skills, depression, elderly health patterns, mental health, mortality, physical health, quality of life, and substance abuse. The implications of these studies hold that regularly worshiping has a positive effect on both our physical and emotional wellbeing. To spell that out more clearly, the greatest gift we can give to those in disaster sites is a renewed relationship with the church.
If you would be interested in further investigating these research projects, you can find this information at http://www.healthyinitiatives.com/Larson%20Research.htm. I believe that the information you read will be both intellectually and spiritually challenging.
Lord help us to create a highway into the church and your presence. Amen
Confessions – Molds
”They confronted me in the day of my disaster, but the LORD was my support.” Psalm 18:18
“My doctor tells me that there are choices that I can make. I can attempt to make my home mold free. But, that is going to be hard living down in the moist river valley. The other choice is to move.”
For some, living along the river has been a life long dream. Some of these properties have been handed down for generations. Being on the river is a way of life… the good life. Pictures in our mind of being out on the boat, picnicking on a sand bar or along the river bring sweetness to our memories. It is unbelievable that this environment we so love could be dangerous to our health.
Could changing living and working environments be beneficial to our health? For my friend, who has developed respiratory problems the answer is all to clear. Considering a dryer and maybe a cleaner environment could have long term health benefits, not only for him but his family. These hard decisions often do not come into play until months or even years after a disaster when the counselors are long since gone. During these times, who is there to support families?
When it is time to seek out wise counsel, who will be their mentors? Who will pray for them when they need prayers? Who will activate volunteers when they need help? Who will cry with them when they need consolation? Their case worker may have written recovered on their paper work. The social workers will have disappeared. To the unobservant eyes, life is back to normal, but to my friend and his family they know the effects of that disaster is just raising its head one more time.
As I bow my head today help me to know that the world is slowly changing as I pray. Amen
Confessions – Something is Wrong
“Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.” Proverbs 15:22
“I have known that there was something wrong for a while. My breathing was shallow, energy levels had dropped, and I must admit I was depressed. I just made myself believe that this was just a bug, the effect of stress caused by the disaster. I wouldn’t allow myself to believe that there was something more seriously wrong.”
Who are your mentors? Webster defines a mentor as a trusted counselor or guide. In searching out mentors, find a person whose wisdom in a given area can be trusted. Expanding your horizons of knowledge through the use of a mentor is a sign of wisdom not weakness. After going through a disaster or working in one, it is just possible that one will experience adverse effects. Experiencing physical, physiological or spiritual problems can occur, so finding mentors is important.
Physiological problems we have discussed but spiritual problems what is this all about? In experiencing the trauma of a disaster, directly or even indirectly, we are challenged to rethink our understanding of the life, the world and God. The safe spiritual cocoon we like to surround ourselves with, can be shattered as we see other worlds destroyed. The faith of our childhood might no longer seem relevant. The questions needing addressing carry us outside of knowledge and Sundays sermons.
If my friend had decided to seek out a mentor during this time of transition, he would have been sent for medical care prior to the onset of major problems. Losing faith during those tough times can actually cause us to grow, while seeking out a more adult faith which will carry us beyond our often “me centered“ theological views. Seeking out help when we confront those walls is not wrong. Creating a team of mentors is not wrong, but allowing ones self to drown, is a form of suicide.
Lord I am not all knowing, help me find someone to open my eyes and heart. Amen
Long Term
“The youthful vigor that fills his bones will lie with him in the dust.” Job 20:11
“We’ve lived through our share of life. But the older you get the harder to bounce back. We have found that we spend more time just talking and watching TV than we do in getting things moving foreword. In the winter we discussed what needed to be done in the spring. Yet, as the snow melts away and we can see the mess… the energy to get busy just doesn’t seem like it is there.”
The depressive aspect of dealing with trauma can have much longer effects than we recognize. After the initial rush of energy after a disaster, a slowly consuming sense of tiredness and lack of ability to stay focused on making investments of energy into extended rebuilding and clean up start to set in. During this time, increased consumption of food, alcohol, or escapism may plague an individual or family. Added to these syndrome may include the onset of physical health problems.
As individuals or families slowly disappear from church or community activities, it might appear to be a phase they are going through. Family physicians may be involved in treating the symptoms, while missing the underlying cause of the problem, the physiological impact of living through a disaster. Today, we have acknowledged the long term impact of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) on homeless vets. Yet, how much effort do we take to identify the emotional impact of people in our own community.
For our Vets they can look to the VA to support them with therapeutic counseling services within which their needs are focused upon. A few week or months after a disaster, who is there to listen? Admittedly, case workers working with various organizations, gather in long-term recovery teams whose main focus is assisting in dealing with the material aspects of a disaster.
We lift up families, and support structures that gather around disaster victims. Give them wisdom and insight into dealing with trauma. Amen
Confessions
“I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety.” Psalm 4:8
“It has always been hard to believe that all that safety stuff was for other people and not me. You know, I’ve never had any health problems that amounted to much and I’ve been strong. While I have learned about working in disaster site, there are a lot of issues dealing with molds and toxic material. But that really wasn’t important to me until…..”
From the settling dust of New York City, to the resounding shores of the Gulf of Mexico to the little towns of Bagley and Gays Mills, Wisconsin, health advisors have warned those who live, work and volunteer in disaster sites to be careful of molds, toxic substance, and raw sewage that is often present. Wearing protective cloth masks over one’s mouth and plenty of hot soapy water is imperative to protect us from invasive spores, germs and bacteria. Tetanus shots are often administered free of charge by Red Cross volunteers.
Wisdom like hindsight often is elusive until the ramifications of our actions, decisions hit home and we are forced to face the consequences of our folly. Most of us would like to believe we are sunshine supermen and women. It is part of that self assured independent nature we would like to believe. This is true in disaster sites, in dealing with health issues, and spiritually in regards to our relationship to the church.
Our friend knew all the right things that others should be doing, but the rules really did not apply to him.
Lord as the knowledge of our world grows more complex, give us wisdom in seeking out that truth and actualizing it in our lives. Amen
Just a Symbol
“Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth.” Genesis 9:16
“I wear an angel on my collar to remind me, that there is someone watching over me and I’m never alone. When I put it on each morning I become aware of an inner strength that is not mine, and know whatever comes my way, God will help me through it.”
People put symbols around their homes, in their cars and wear them in their attempt to say things. Disaster sites are often full of symbols if you care to look for them. Relief workers wear symbols that reflect faith or special talents they represent. T Shirts with UMCOR, church symbols, EMS, rescue squads, or symbols from pervious relief efforts often abound. If you want to know about a person ask them about their symbols and signs they wear. These stories will touch your heart with the depth of commitment and sacrifices people are willing to make in response to their beliefs.
One of the ways we can share our faith is through pointing out a symbol in your home or one you are wearing. People are open to listening to stories, even about faith, if you are not pushy about it, demanding submission to your symbol. Lines like, do you know why I joined this organization, work with this group, or wear this angel around is because…. Learning why you work with EMS, attend a United Methodist church, or volunteer your time with American Red Cross is interesting. In sharing your experiences, passions, and fulfillment, you find by being involved, is the best advertisement a church or organization can get.
Lord open the doors for me to share my faith. Amen
It Can Make a Difference. Pt 2
“And a highway will be there; it will be called the Way of Holiness. The unclean will not journey on it; it will be for those who walk in that Way; wicked fools will not go about on it.” Isaiah 3:8
“I’m just checking up on you, and wonder if we could get together somewhere up the road just to talk.”
Does having a pastor and being actively involved in a church make a difference? For active members of the United Methodist church in Bagley, Wisconsin, they will have all the emotional and spiritual support they will need through the process of recovery. When the hour of need arises, their pastor will do all in his/her power to bring resources that are available to them to assist these persons. They will never be checked off a list of a case manager closing a case. (Case managers are only hired for short periods of time to assist in recovery.) As they receive support, they will learn to give support for others, which is also a part of the healing process. The support they experienced in the midst of the disaster, will be same through the recovery, and will continue for years to come.
If all we do is help rebuild homes and communities, while not sharing the importance of the church, we have missed the mark and an opportunity to change lives. We have forgotten that Jesus’ desire to bring healing to humanities troubled (sinful) lives. Social scientists have found mentoring increases the amount of change when dealing with substance abuse, poverty, and dysfunctional families. When people are connected to healthy role models social, economic and spiritual transformation often transpires. In order for that to take place, people just like you need to be willing to reach out, giving of yourselves, your substance, and support in bringing transformation in our world.
Give us the courage to share the faith that transformed our lives. Amen
1963
“I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life.” Genesis 9:15
“We had man from the corp of Engineers in town this week and he said that he was expecting to see the kind of flooding we saw in 1963.”
There was a hush in the group that stood around after church talking. Some of their faces turned hard, and their necks began to redden. The woman’s voice had rung out like the prophetic words of a prophet empowered by the Spirit’s sword slashing deep into their hearts. In that moment, or rather an eternity of a moment, the scenes and tapes of the worst flood in the Mississippi’s modern history resounded in their souls. They were survivors.
Sometimes our body language speaks louder and more truthfully than our words. In that Kodak moment on some deep level, those in that circle were communicating on levels the conscious mind often misses. As their eyes began meeting, there was a sharing of the painful history that made them one, acknowledging their painful past, and the foreboding prophetic present.
In retrospect, if that moment could have been frozen in time, and we were allowed the luxury of reactivating those inner tapes like Hollywood does, there would be devotional books much like this one from which to learn and draw our own conclusions about inner strength, courage, personal sacrifice sheer fortitude. However, these moments are not frozen in time, only lived out and shared as individuals, families, churches and communities.
That moment, was like a picture within which the secrets of the Grand Canyon are revived. For a geologist, this could mean a lifetime worth of exploration and learning. For me, that small gathering of believer was simply a composite of tens of thousands survivors from the Mississippi Valley.
Lord help us to hear with our eyes and hearts the cry of desperation others share with us. Amen
Edges
“The mighty man will become tinder and his work a spark; both will burn together, with no one to quench the fire.” Isaiah 1:31
“Slowly but surely I’m watching the edge of the river as it slowly moves toward my home. I have watched the bottom floor flooded many times. We have prepared as we usually do, and I know there isn’t anything I can do, but to watch the edges as it slowly moves in our direction.”
“Well, how do you feel?”
“We don’t, we just stand and watch.”
Silence can be our most active form of prayer when our words seem inadequate. Knowing you are not alone and that God is there does not take words, hymns or even some nice liturgy. The Old Testament prophets looked at the onslaught of disasters and somehow were able to find God’s presence. In the inner silence of the eternal soul there is strength, a power, call it what you will that is mystically awaken as the outer shell of our dependence upon the world is shattered.
In watching my friend’s eyes that moment, might be compared to the gentle wave action of a still night seen on a pond lit only with reflections of star sparkle seen here and there. One had to look closely to see the reflection of an inner light. Poets and prophets have attempted to give these momentary flashes names like faith, hope, courage, spirit or even God. There were sparks of energy or spirit that would someday rekindle fires that tonight are dampened by the tears dwelling up in her eyes.
An inner silence comes with the seeing these sparks, within which you know, a presence that goes beyond traditional knowledge. It is not the kind of knowing that comes from formal education, but rather from divine enlightenment. In the next few days, weeks and months, I will be standing with my friend, finding strength because we are not alone.
It only takes a spark. Amen