Like most of America, I have been glued to the Hurricane Harvey storm coverage. Young and old, rich and poor, from diverse backgrounds, had their worlds turned upside down by water! I try to imagine the fear these people face: “Should we leave?” “Where do we go?” “What will happen to our homes, our lives, our family pictures?” “When can we return?” “Will we ever be able to rebuild?” It’s impossible to see Harvey’s devastation and not be heartbroken.
Like most of America, I want to help. I want to jump in a boat and search for people who are stranded. I want to open my home for those who have nothing left. I want to do…something!
Thank God for those who are doing something! Watching their selfless service gives me hope that despite all the disunity of America these days, most people will help when they can help.
But for those of us who live far away, who can’t get to Texas now, it would be easy to think “someone else will do it.” If you live far from Harvey, you can still bring hope. Here’s 3 suggestions.
Don’t Look Away!
You have been glued to storm coverage these past few days. Don’t look away now! Keep watching because the rain may have stopped, but the pain of this storm will take years to heal. Keep watching and as you watch, Pray! Ask God to meet the needs of those nameless faces you see on your screen. Ask God to empower government officials, first responders, churches, and non-profits to make good decisions and distribute resources wisely. You may not know anyone in Texas, but God knows each person you see and His ears are attentive to your prayers. Cry out to Him on behalf of others and He will give those people hope! And keep watching and praying next week, next month, and next year.
Swipe Your Card
Billions of dollars are needed to help these people. Many of us will see campaigns to raise money to help those suffering. We may even “like” a social media post recommending a specific place to donate. But, we don’t give. If you feel sorry for people, but do nothing, that’s cheap emotion, not sincere love. When we see a need, we can’t expect others, including the government, to solve the problem. We must act. So find a credible organization and swipe your card! I would recommend the EFCA Crisis Response Fund [https://go.efca.org/hurricane-harvey-response] We have many partner churches in the Houston area who will use your funds to directly serve the people of Texas. You will never regret sacrificing for others!
Listen Before You Help
There are some people who want to go and help AND should go and help. But here’s what I have learned. Helping on our terms makes us feel good, but may not really bring hope. Help that brings hope is when those outside the crisis listen before they help. You may think: “They must need blankets. I’ll get all of my friends to donate blankets and then bring it to Texas. That will help! “ So, you do all the hard work to rally all of your friends to donate blankets, drive 6000 blankets to Houston, only to find out that they don’t need blankets; they need sleeping bags! It’s great to serve, but not on your terms. Wait. Watch. Ask questions. Find a partner organization that is on the ground and listen before you help. When those outside the disaster do what they are asked, those inside gain more than help. They experience exponential hope. If you are interested in considering a trip with Faith Church to serve the people of Texas in the coming months, email Michele at manthony@faithchurchlv.com
...Joe Henseler 