Hurricane Harvey- Thoughts

Hurricane Harvey:  A storm that will be remembered as one of the worst in US history. The images of people being rescued by boat in chest deep water, children being carried by strangers and cars completely submerged, will stay in our minds for days, months and more.  As a non-swimmer, the thought of waters rising around you with no escape is frightening at best.  I have had a lot of time to think and pray for those in harm’s way, those who literally lost everything except their life, and those less fortunate.  It really makes you thankful for being able to watch and be informed, not everyone had that luxury.  Some people were too busy trying to survive, so they didn’t hear all the controversy.  I heard much of it, and had many thoughts -some I want to share with you today.  

THE CALL TO EVACUATE OR NOT TO EVACUATE

I am a news junkie but this hurricane came quickly.  Within  a week, and before we knew it, it was a CAT 4 and about to make landfall.  The orders to evacuate were primarily for those who were in the path of the landfall.  In Houston our warnings were for heavy rain, and flooding,, but the slow pace of Harvey after he was downsized- left us with way too much rain, much more than we were expecting.

I don’t believe officials waited too long to tell us to evacuate, but I think they were caught off guard like we were.  We tried mass evacuation before and it was horrible.  Not to say we should never do it again, because we may need to, this was just a quick turnaround and a slow storm. To think that people who also live in the city would intentionally not give us the benefit of evacuating is extreme;  they too have family and friends here.   Which brings me to this… For the future, we need to think for ourselves.  I heard of some that didn’t want to evacuate because they could not afford to miss work, or their jobs would not give them the time off.  We have to make decisions for ourselves when we know who is in our home and what risks we have in our neighborhoods or the section of town where we live.  I would rather make the call unnecessarily than to wait for a call and regret it.

SHELTER IN PLACE OR NOT?

My ex-husband worked with us at the church and was known as “The Colonel”.  He alone could organize and pull together volunteers, rebuke disorderly evacuees and lift twice his size.  You may not love him for the moment, but you would appreciate him for a lifetime.  Not everyone has someone like this on their staff.  Choosing to open as a shelter is more than having a heart to do it. It takes 'in the moment' organizational skills, being able to put a flow together for people coming in and questions being answered. There are differing mindsets, people with medications and criminal backgrounds, some children who are undisciplined, people who may not treat your facility like their own, and most of all, hurting, scared people who need help and don't know what to do. This is not something you want to be responsible for outside the government agencies that specialize in meeting needs for hurting people.   I’ve been the contact person on a few occasions for our church to be considered as a Red Cross shelter.  It is not as easy as opening the door if you want government agencies to be there.  These agencies spend time and money preparing in ADVANCE.  They evaluate the needs of the city, review possible shelter locations, have them fill out applications and they inspect the property.  If you have issues like we did with a public school and day care attached, you had to consider those things.  What happens when school starts and the shelter still has evacuees?  You can’t them in the same facility using the same restrooms as the children.  That is why we are currently not listed as a shelter.  There is also the question of kitchens, bathrooms and location.  Any place can be available for people to get out of the rain, if someone is there and can open the doors and in case of extreme circumstances, they can add locations as official shelters.  Thinking a church is not fulfilling their role by not immediately opening their doors is error.  Plus staff may also be in need and trying to be rescued.  

WHAT WE DON’T THINK ABOUT

When we think of people being stranded, we think often of just the elements.  Being in the rain, or heat, possibly covered in water, in the dark without food or drink.  We may tend to forget about how they use the restroom when on a roof for two days, or how do women attend to personal needs.   We forget about changing diapers or a sickly child. Unless we have been through it, we will never know how horrible the conditions may be.  When we pray, pray with an understanding and compassion that we can't really imagine the needs that are not spoken. 

  

GRATEFUL

I am a grateful kid today.  I realize that the storm was not sent by God to rid Houston of the disobedient people that are here, or I would probably be gone too.  See not one of us is perfect.  To insinuate that somehow God has His favorites and those that were hit hard are lower on the totem pole of grace, is foolishness. The bible says it rains on the just and the unjust, we are in this together.  The only difference is seen in how we handle it overall.  What we think of each other and of God when we make it through.

For true believers, real Christians… not just the ones that check a box when asked, but those who really meant to accept Jesus and knew it meant a lifelong commitment to change as needed…. We are the body that will show  HIM to the world.  How we love each other in the body  and how we reach out to love others outside of it will tell a story about God.  There is still no greater love than to lay down our lives for a friend, Houston has let us see a natural manifestation of that truth.