This is not the last hurricane or natural disaster for the USA.
There will be other hurricanes, earthquakes, floods, tornados, wild fires and mud slides.
It is highly unlikely that a disaster of the scale of Katrina will happen soon.
But there will be areas of major destruction every year in the USA and worldwide.
Realistically a terrorist attack could occur any day and any place for the rest of our life.
There are sleeper-cells of terrorists in our communities that could strike unannounced.
So how can we learn valuable lessons from what worked and did not work recently?
How can we gather insights and understanding from those that were on the frontlines?
How can we have volunteers and experts prepare all sorts of useful resources?
How can cooperatively create modular guidelines, checklists, leader manuals, etc.?
How can these be put into versions for small, medium and large churches?
How can we put these into PDF format to published them online and by CD?
How can we wisely apply the Boy Scout’s motto of “Be Prepared”?
We have witnessed the largest natural disaster of our country.
Two huge hurricanes hit the Gulf Coast in less than a month.
Katrina and Rita will not be soon forgotten by those in the region.
more than one thousand died.
More than a million people were displaced.
Some have returned to rebuild.
Many will never want to go back.
The short-term emergencies have been addressed.
Now is the time to begin working on the medium and long term.
What are wise goals for the next 6 weeks, 6 months and 6 years?
What plans and actions could move us in the direction of these goals?
How can we come together to pray, talk, listen, plan, prepare, act and cooperate?
How could the Lord Jesus Christ use us as His instruments of love and grace?
How can the Body of Christ arise to face this unprecedented challenge?
How can individuals, families, small groups, churches and others coordinate?
How can we see beyond our denominational differences for a change?
How can we communicate the truth in love with words and deeds?
Let us take a lesson from our recent history.
Less than a year ago a major tsunami struck Southeast Asia.
The media attention was strong at first but then other events drew the spot light away .
Many of those who were impacted on that fateful day are still in major need today.
Unfortunately the tendency for Americans is to react quickly but neglect the long haul.
Let us begin to develop systems to harness the spontaneous out pouring of good will.
Let us find effective ways to begin in our community of the Dallas Fort Worth Metroplex.
Let us continue serving the evacuees in our neighborhoods.
Let us also reach out to those who fled to the areas surrounding the floodwaters.
Let us assist those who are returning to the damaged areas.
There has been a great willingness to send things and to volunteer.
The scale of these needs is much larger and more scattered than any previous disaster.
Thankfully we have the Internet that can rapidly connect many people day and night.
There are those who are primed to send additional gifts and offer services.
They only need to be networked together with the suitable organizations and agencies.
There are churches that are addressing the evacuees in their city.
What kinds of helpers and resources do they need and when?
How can the mental and emotional needs be addressed?
How can we assist the parents and teachers to communicate effectively with children?
Those who have experienced these horrible losses need space to grieve.
As Americans we do not normally understand or support grief.
So how can we begin to learn and act differently?
There will be many tough questions asked that have spiritual answers.
How can people be led to draw close to God instead of blaming Him?
How can the basic Bible stories be told and made relevant to this painful situation?
How can faith, hope and love be taught, modeled and encouraged?
How can the simple gospel of salvation be presented clearly?
How can those in the process of complete transition learn to trust God one day at a time?
How can the love of God become a daily reality for those living with strangers?
How can the biblical answers be offered in a loving and sensitive ways?
Besides responding to natural disasters there are other facets too.
There are those on fixed incomes that have been hurting by the higher prices of gasoline.
When the price of gasoline goes up so does diesel and fuel oil for heating up north.
The increase in the price of diesel means that every product delivered by truck goes up.
By the way, each product in the grocery store and mall got there by way of trucks.
The increase in prices did not come with an automatic increase in incomes.
So those who are thousands of miles from the Gulf Coast will be impacted long term.
Four Bridges can be adapted to serve people with information, education and networking.
For example there are proven ways to increase gas mileage and decrease other costs.
Consider a year after the evacuees have rebuilt there lives in their new or old hometown.
We will gradually shift gears again to serve the poor who are with us always.
There are always those in every city that deserve Christian charity.
Consider those who cannot work like the children, elderly, disabled and handicapped.
Think about the working poor that can use a hand up to break the cycle of poverty.
The welfare system that is administered by the government lacks the spiritual solution.
Faith-based organizations have a proven track record of long term success.
Offering material aid while pointing our neighbors to Jesus, prayer and the Bible will last.
Benevolence can be gracefully woven together with evangelism and discipleship.
This can gradually lead to church growth and church planting.
This is obedience to the Greatest Commandment and Great Commission.
In every local church there are many who would be willing to do a little each month.
All that ordinary Christians need is some leadership, training and encouragement.
