My Katrina post
I've written, deleted, written, deleted... I don't think there's anything I could say that others haven't said before (and probably better). I've intentionally not blogged about this because there's just been so much controversy surrounding the events in the aftermath of the storm. I don't like controversy.... I go out of my way to avoid it. But I'm just going to make a few statements and let it go.
I guess that's about all I have to say on the subject at this point. Certainly nothing profound, but it's what I feel at the moment.1. Will the naysayers please stop blaming others for the situation in New Orleans? I'm sorry so many people could not get out... but why didn't the powers that be in N.O. ask for assistance in evacuating the homeless ahead of time, rather than wait until after the levees broke to ask for aid? Yeah, it's hindsight. And I'm not going to blame them for not being proactive... but they need to accept their responsibility as well.
2. Is there any good news being reported??? I don't have cable, don't get the daily paper, so all I know is what I see online.... most of which has been this person complaining about that one, looters, people shooting at helicopters trying to rescue victims. I'm tired of the media focusing on the lowest common denominator; let's see the stories of heroism, of people's faith in God to bring them through, of the countless individuals and small groups trying to make a difference.
3. I sit here almost 2300 miles away from New Orleans and wish there was a way I could personally help someone... I mean directly touch them, not write a check or send a blanket or soap or shampoo. Those of you who are closer to the situation than I am... you have a unique and precious opportunity to be Christ to these people. I pray you can do that. Be his hands and his feet for those of us who are too far away to do it ourselves.
4. I pray for comfort for those who lost loved ones and for survivors who lost everything else.... and justice for those who would take advantage of tragedy for their own personal gain.
2 comments:
Just stopping by to say "Thanks for visiting Lam(b) today."
After reading your post, of course when people have been saying for a long time that a storm would do a lot of damage NO, it is below sea level and in hurricane alley. We knew a category 5 hurricane was coming long ahead of time.
I lived through hurricane Andrew in Miami and my mom was in Miami for Katrina too. They had damage there and it was not nearly as strong as it was when it got back out over the water.
I could NOT believe that they didn't order a mandatory evacuation until Sunday morning at like 10:30, less then 24 hours before the storm hit. I was literally yelling at the news the day before saying, "Get them out of there right now!"
It seemed like with all of the storms that we had last summer that we should have been a lot more prepared.
I believe that God does give us warning signals to help us deal with future tragedy. Too often we refuse to heed his warnings.
And if we only look at the positve - how can we learn from our mistakes?
Just my 2 cents.
But hey, difference is what makes the world go round. Remember the days when Americans all said, "United we stand"?
Boy do I miss that.
As a non-us resident I watch the images of Katrina with grief for all the people and all the losses over there... but what bothers me the most is indeed that the evacuation started so late, that the reaction to this tragedy came in to motion so slowly from the people in the higher places.
My heart goes out to all the people who got hurt, who had losses...
btw Michele sent me
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