I keep thinking the Gulf states will start looking better in the news, but it's just getting worse. People are angry and bewildered: they don't know why their government didn't help them evacuate and why they're not getting the supplies they need now. They're saying people won't be able to come back to their hometown for at least six months! Plus, the Corps of Engineers says it's never faced a problem like this, having to stop up levies and pump out so much water. In addition to deaths caused by the hurricane itself, people are still dying of heat exhaustion because there's nowhere for them to go. (Photo Credit: AFP)
Whenever I turn on the news I want to throw up and cry at the same time. Let me offer all my faithful readers (all two) some advice though: Do something good. That helpless feeling we all feel when we turn on the news and see the devastation can easily be cured by us doing two things:
- Pray for the people down there. "The effective and fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much." (James 5:16)
- Help people. Our church is taking up a special collection Sunday to send down the relief efforts. Also, a lady at my work knows a woman who just took in three stepchildren (in addition to the five children she already has) who just had their home destroyed by Katrina. We're taking up a collection at work and I'm going to Goodwill tomorrow to buy the kids some clothes. The kids and their mom left so quickly, they basically only have the clothes on their backs. Comb your closets for old clothes, grab your little sister/brother's old toys, and take them to a donation dropoff. I think you can even buy toiletry stuff and give it to them. I know Brown's Funeral Home in Durant is taking donations.
That horrible feeling of helplessness and sadness I feel whenever I think about those people is already ebbing away, just because I know I'm doing something to help alleviate the devastation. Let's pray they start feeling some hope as they get the help they need.
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